“I will not,” said Dietrich, freeing his arm from the other’s detaining grasp.  “I haven’t time, and I don’t believe you have anything special to tell me, either.  I must go.”  And Dietrich strode away; but Jost followed him.

“Don’t be such a fool,” he called out angrily, “can’t you listen when I tell you that I know something decidedly to your advantage.  Something that you’ll be glad to know.  You are running away because of her, and it is something that will be good for her as well as for you.  So do stand still, and don’t go scampering off as if the gamekeepers were after you!” But Dietrich did not stop.

“What do you know about her, or her good?” he asked furiously.  “Mind your own business and let us alone.”

As Jost had his own interest in winning the young fellow over, he controlled himself, and said in most soothing tones,

“Dietrich, I am your friend.  Some day you will be very grateful to me.  As you are in such a hurry, I will not stop you now; only promise me to come over bye-and-bye for a few minutes to the Rehbock; there’s a good fellow, and you will not be sorry.  Will you come?”

“Well, I’ve no particular objection to that,” said Dietrich, and ran off as fast as he could.

Blasi, who had kept pace with the other two, seeing that there was no chance for him now, turned back with Jost, and the two went into the Rehbock together.

Dietrich met Veronica quite the other side of the wood.  He did his best to rouse her from her silent mood, and to restore her to better spirits; but he found it impossible to efface the impression she had received the evening before.  The painful memory had been too deeply stamped upon her mind, to be easily wiped out.

When the little family had bade each other good-night, after their usual affectionate conversation, Dietrich hesitated about keeping his half-made promise.  He did not want to go; yet Jost’s words, that the affair touched her as nearly as it did him, had made their intended impression, and though it went sadly against his grain to know that Jost dared even to think about Veronica and her interests at all, still he could not help wondering what it was all about.  Suddenly his resolution was taken; he turned about, went down stairs and softly left the house.

Jost was standing in the doorway of the Rehbock, looking out into the night to see if Dietrich was coming.  They went at once into the little back room.  Blasi was there, sitting behind a big empty bowl; indeed he never sat long behind a full one, for as the bowl was there to be emptied he thought the quicker it was done the better.

“I’m glad you have come,” he cried out, “for we’ve run quite dry here.”

Dietrich perceived that he was expected to counteract the dryness; so he ordered some beer, and when this was supplied Jost began in a cautious tone,

“I have something to say to you, Dietrich, that I don’t care for those outside to hear.  Blasi can stay, because he is our comrade.”