day.  You never have to wait for meals, she never forgets the maids, and you’d think she couldn’t lose her temper; the more there is to do, the merrier she gets, whereas most people get cross when they’ve got a lot to do, and it’s no fun to be around.  She’s thrifty in everything and yet she’s good to the poor, and when anybody gets sick she can’t look after him enough.  There’s nobody like her far and wide.”

“But why shouldn’t you get her?” asked Johannes.  “Does she hate you?”

“Not exactly,” said Uli.  “She’s nice to me; when she can do me a favor she never says no, and when she sees that I’d like to have something done she helps me as much as she can; and she never tries to put obstacles in the way, like so many women, who, when they see you absolutely ought to do one thing, absolutely want something else and hinder you as much as they can.  But still she’s rather proud, and she can’t forget that she comes of a distinguished family, even if she is illegitimate.  If anybody gets anywhere near her she goes for him as if she’d eat him, and I wouldn’t advise anybody to try to flirt with her and put hands on her, as is customary in lots of places.  More than one has got a good box from her.”

“But that doesn’t at all mean that she wouldn’t have you,” said Johannes.  “If she won’t let herself be fingered by everybody, I can’t think any the less of her for it.”

“Well, then there’s something else,” said Uli.  “I daren’t think of Freneli any more.  Wouldn’t she say to me, ’Now that you can’t have the rich one, I’m to be good enough for you, am I?  If you could prefer that green, yellow Elsie to me, then I don’t want you now, either; I don’t want a fellow who has gone around sweethearting with such a withered grass-blade as that.’  She’s bound to give me that answer.  And still I thought of Freneli more than I did of Elsie all through the affair; only now I begin to see that I’ve loved Freneli more and more, and if I had the girl I’d guarantee to take over a farm and make more on it than anybody else.  But now it’s too late; she won’t have me; she’s awfully peculiar.”

“Ho!” said Johannes, “never lose your courage as long as a girl’s single.  They’re the queerest sort of ducks and generally do just the opposite of what you expect.  If that’s the way it is I’d have a try; the girl pleases me.”

“No, master, I wouldn’t ask that girl for a hundred crowns.  I know well enough that it will almost break my heart if I have to go away from her and can’t see her every day any more.  But if I asked her and she should despise me and say no, I think I’d hang myself on the garret ladder.  By the Almighty, I couldn’t stand it if another man led her off to church; I believe I’d shoot him.  But she won’t marry, she’ll stay single.”

Then Johannes began to laugh very heartily and asked how he knew that such a girl, twenty-three years old, would stay single.

[Illustration:  IN AMBUSH BENJAMIN VAUTIER]