things happen in the world."

Walpurga trembled, and made her uncle promise that he would never
mention Irma to a soul in the village.

The uncle also promised that he would not let Irmgard know anything of
the matter.

Toward evening, Walpurga and Hansei went home again and, when night
came, Franz returned also. The inmates of the shepherd's hut were once
more alone. Not a word was spoken among them, for they had talked and
heard enough during the day. All was silent. Not a sound was heard but
the tinkling cow-bells in the woods and on the green hillside, and the
stars shone overhead. Irma was seated on the spot from which the
distant lake was visible, and it was long before she retired to rest.

CHAPTER X.

Irma now spent but a small portion of the day at the workbench. Her
work had become even more irksome than at first. Her eye was constantly
fixed on the vast and extended mountain prospect, toward which she
would ever return from her task with added zest.

The little pitchman, who was quite diplomatic in his way, begged Irma
to go with him while he went out to hunt plants and roots, for he said
that he was old and did not know but what he might sometime lose his
footing, and it would, in that case, be well to have some one with him
who could go for help.

After that, Irma spent the greater part of the day with the little
pitchman, wandering through the forest and over hill and dale. Her
greatest delight was whenever they reached the spot where the brook
arose. It flowed smoothly from a dark, rocky cavern and then boldly
galloped down the hill, striking against fragments of rock by the way,
now gliding over them, now forcing its way below them, until it reached
the first valley, where it formed a basin encircled by tall, silver
fir-trees. Thence it flowed through the table-land and, softly
murmuring, glided down over the second mountain into the valley below.

The little pitchman plainly saw how much Irma liked to be here. He even
thought that he had once heard her sing, and that her voice had been
audible above the rushing and roaring of the water, and it was a
strange coincidence that most of the herbs of which he was in search
could be found in the neighborhood. Now and then, he was fortunate
enough to discover a bird's nest, and would show it to Irma, who was as
delighted with it as though she were a little child. The animals here
seemed as yet to be without fear o