THE FRUIT OF HAPPINESS

And in he went, as he said, with the servant at his
heels trembling like a leaf at what he had heard. The
old woman gave them some bread and meat to eat, and
then hid them away in the great empty meal-chest in the
corner, and there they lay as still as mice.

By-and-by in came the gang of thieves with a great

 

noise and uproar, and down they sat {to their supper.
The poor servant lay in the chest listening to all they
said of the dreadful things they had done that day—how
they had cruelly robbed and murdered poor people.
Every word that they said he heard, and he trembled
until his teeth chattered in his head. But all the same
the robbers knew nothing of the two being there, and
there they lay until near the dawning of the day. Then
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