th, he puffed away merrily in derision. Hansgeorge held his chin
with both his hands: every tooth seemed to have been torn out of his
jaw. Kitty laughed heartily, crying, "Go get your pipe, Hansgeorge:
I'll let you smoke now."

"I'll get it," said Hansgeorge, breaking a board of the fence in his
fury. "Come, Fidele, Xavier; let's get our horses out and after them: I
won't let the rascals have my pipe, if I must die for it."

His two comrades went away and took the horses out of the stable. Kitty
came running over, however, and called Hansgeorge into the house. He
came reluctantly, for he was angry with her for laughing at him; but
she took his hand, trembling, and said, "For God's sake, Hansgeorge,
let the pipe alone. I'll do any thing to please you if you'll only mind
me now. How can you let them kill you for such a good-for-nothing pipe?
Do stay here, I beg of you."

"I won't stay here! I don't care if they do send a bullet through my
head! What should I stay here for? You never do any thing but tease
me."

"No, no!" cried Kitty, falling upon his neck: "you must stay here! I
won't let you go."

Hansgeorge felt a strange thrill pass through him; but he asked,
saucily, "Will you be my wife, then?"

"Yes, yes, I will, Hansgeorge! I will!"

They embraced each other with transport, and Hansgeorge exclaimed,
"I'll never put a pipe into my mouth again as long as I live: if I do,
I hope I may be----"

"No, no; don't swear, but keep your word: that's much better. But now
you will stay here, won't you, Hansgeorge? Let the pipe and the
Frenchman go to the devil together."

Xavier and Fidele now came riding up, armed with pitchforks, and cried,
"Hurry up, Hansgeorge! hurry up!"

"I am not going with you," said Hansgeorge.

"What will you give us if we bring your pipe back?" asked Fidele.

"You may keep it."

They rode off post-haste down the Empfingen road, Hansgeorge and Kitty
looking after them. At the little hill by the clay-pit they had nearly
caught up to the marauders; but when the latter found themselves
pursued they turned, brandished their swords, and one of them drew a
pistol. Fidele and Xavier, seeing this, turned round also, and returned
faster than they had come.

From that day Hansgeorge never touched a pipe. Four weeks later his and
Kitty's banns were read in the church.

[Illustration]

One day Hansgeorge went to the brickmaker's: he had come unperceived,
having taken the back way. He heard K