126 | Hans Brinker

" not as prizes to be won, but as treasures passing hopelessly be-
yond her reach.

Rychie, Hilda and Katrinka— why, they had scarcely
known any other thought than “ the race, the race! It will
come off on the 2oth! ”

These three girls were friends. Though of nearly the same
age, talent and station, they were as different as girls could be.

Hilda van Gleck you already know, —.a warm-hearted,
noble girl of fourteen. Rychie Korbes was beautiful to look
upon, far more sparkling and pretty than Hilda, but not half so
bright and sunny within. Clouds of pride, of discontent and
envy, had already gathered in her heart, and were growing
bigger and darker every day. Of course, these often relieved
themselves, very much after the manner of other clouds. But
who saw the storms and the weeping? Only her maid, or
her father, mother and little brother, — those who loved her
better than all. Like other clouds, too, hers often took queer
shapes ; and what was really but mist and vapory fancy as-
sumed the appearance of monster wrongs and mountains of
difficulty. To her mind, the poor peasant-girl Gretel was not
a human being, a God-created creature like herself: she was
only something that meant “ poverty, rags and dirt.” Such as
Gretel had no right to feel, to hope: above all, they should
never cross the paths of their betters; that is, not in a dis-
agreeable way. They could toil and labor for them at a re-
spectful distance, even admire them, if they would do it
humbly, but nothing more. If they rebel, put them down: if
they suffer, don’t trouble me about it, was Rychie’s secret
motto. And yet how witty she was! how tastefully she
dressed! how charmingly she sang! how much feeling she
displayed (for pet kittens and rabbits!) and how completely