B30 Hans Brinker

.

1” cried the vrouw,

years old, it’s ashame; ay, and a disgrace
growing quite red, and scant of breath.

Raff's voice was feeble yet: “Treat you what way,
Meitje?”

“What way?” said Dame Brinker, mimicking his voice
and manner, — “what way? Why, just as every woman in
the world is treated after she’s stood by a man through the
worst, like a—” :

« Meitje!”

Raff was leaning forward with outstretched arms. His eyes
were full of tears.

In an instant Dame Brinker was at his feet, clasping his
hand in hers.

“Oh, what have I done! Made my good man cry, and he
not back with me four days! Look up, Raff! Nay, Raff, my
own boy, 1’m sorry I hurt thee. It’s hard not to be told
about the watch, after waiting ten years to know; but [’ll
ask thee no more, Raff. Here, we'll put the thing away
that ’s made the first trouble between us, after God just giving
thee back to me.”

“<T was a fool to cry, Meitje,” he said, kissing her; “ and
it’s no more than right ye should know the truth. But it
seemed like it might be telling the secrets of the dead to talk
about the matter.”

“© Ts the man —the lad — thou wert talking of dead, think
thee?” asked the vrouw, hiding the watch in her hand, but
seating herself expectantly on the end of his long foot-bench.

“It’s hard telling,” he answered.

“ Was he so sick, Raff?”

“No, not sick, I may say, but troubled, vrovw,— very
troubled.”