I thought I caught a
tear in the boy's eye, and his lips trembled.
"Father is old, and besides he is very ill to-day; if you will allow
me I will serve you faithfully."
There was something so frank and truthful, and his words were so well
chosen and showed such cultivation, that even had I feared that he was
unequal to the task I should have taken him.
At this moment his sister came out of the inn, the good woman
following her with a bottle of wine.
"This is for your father, Annette; I hope he will be better
to-morrow."
"I am going," I heard Franz whisper; and taking the wine-bottle, he
left Annette to carry the smaller packages, and turned to us as if
ready to set off.
"You are not to take Annette, are you?" I asked.
"We live halfway up the mountain, and shall pass near the house. We
shall not need our poles till we reach that point."
We did not over-exert ourselves at the outset, casting our eyes over
the green valley, and then up the snowy mountains, sometimes
exchanging a word with Franz, but oftener listening, as he talked in a
low voice to Annette, of what she was to do during the day.
"And if he dies, Franz!"
"God grant that he may not."
We had now reached the little cottage, and, laying down her packages,
Annette ran to a little shed and brought each of us a long pole
furnished with a spike at the end, for which we found abundant use
before we returned; she then brought a draught of clear, cold water,
gushing out of a rock near by, and, bidding us "God speed," entered
the hut.
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