M alge ete eee

The Romance of a Water-Lily. 89

 

and the curved upper lip closed over the full lower
one sadly. :

“ Hast lost any more of thy master’s cattle over the
precipices of Jaman?” asked the youth who had
sneered at him before behind his back.

Michael turned his head for a moment, but only
for a moment, for when he answered the speaker his

_eyes were fastened once more on Salome, watching

how she would take his words.

“God forgive me!” said he, humbly, and it was
evident enough that he was not speaking to the
churlish scoffer. “I sat and played on my pipe, and
the heifer gave me the slip.”

“ Thou hadst best have been a musician, methinks,
than a simple cowherd,” sneered Judith.

“ Ay, if whistling into a reed be all the duty of an
Alpine cattle-herder,” added the bully, “there might
be others who could vie with thee, mayhap; but I
have heard tell that the work needs presence of mind
—nay, courage.”

“Courage!” echoed Michael, the quick red leaping