o be asked to
show his passport. But he was mistaken. Suddenly a hand was laid on his
arm and a firm voice saluted his ears.

"So you thought you'd slip by me without once showing your papers, did
you? A pretty way to act, I must say!"

Manasseh turned to the speaker, who proved to be a short,
broad-shouldered, thick-set man, in a coarse coat such as the Szeklers
wear, high boots, and a large hat. His arms were disproportionately long
for his short body, his beard was either very closely cut or sadly in
need of the razor, and his legs were planted widely apart as he
confronted the travellers in a challenging attitude. Perhaps he wished
to invite Manasseh to a wrestling bout.

Blanka looked on in surprise as she saw the two men fling their arms
around each other. But it was not the embrace of wrestlers. They
exchanged a hearty kiss, and then Manasseh cried, joyfully:

"Aaron, my dear brother!"

"Yes, it is Aaron, my good Manasseh," returned the stocky little man,
with a laugh; and, throwing aside the jacket that hung from his neck, he
extended his right hand to his brother. Then he turned to Blanka. "And
this pretty lady is our future sister-in-law, isn't she? God bless you!
Pray bend down a bit and let me give your rosy cheek a little smack of a
kiss."

Blanka complied, and brother Aaron gave her blushing cheek much more
than "a little smack."

"There," declared the honest fellow, with great apparent satisfaction,
"I'm delighted that you didn't scream and make a fuss over my bristly
beard. You see, I haven't had a chance to shave for four days. Three
days and nights I've been here on the watch for my brother and his
bride."

"And what about our two brothers, Simon and David?" asked Manasseh,
anxiously. "Are they alive and well?"

"Certainly, they are alive," was the answer. "Have you forgotten our
creed? Our life is from everlasting to everlasting. But they are really
alive and in the flesh, and, what is more"--turning to Blanka--"they are
sure to come to meet us and will expect to receive each a nosegay from
their brother's sweetheart."

Blanka smiled and promised not to disappoint them, for there were still
plenty of autumn flowers in the woods and fields.

"Yes," said Aaron, "you'll find posies enough on the road. We are going
by a way that is covered with them. If you don't believe it, look at
this bouquet in my hat; it is still quite fresh, and I picked it in the
Torda Gap. Have you ever heard of the