ur
later the herdsmen found him dressed in his Sunday suit going in the
direction of the "Old Hag's Rock." They thought he was going to town,
and wondered why, because he had been there only yesterday.

At the same time, bitter crying sounded in Palko's cottage, which
Aunty Moravec could in no way silence. There the weeping lady said,
"He was here; he, my beautiful golden-headed child, and I did not know
him. The heavy crock he brought to me himself. He wanted to see me,
but did not recognize me. How could he, when I myself did not know
him? That his own mother forgot him long ago is not true. All the
glory of the world could not replace my lost treasure. Oh, my father,
my father! If you only knew what became of your daughter! You taught
her to fold her hands in prayer, but she forgot everything--even that.
Unfortunate, betrayed wife, craven mother! If you only knew how your
warnings have been literally fulfilled!"

The lady cried bitterly. There was no comfort for her. Usually there
is none for the son or daughter who has trampled the good advice of
his parents under his feet and after that has had to suffer everything
which has been foretold them.

Finally Aunty went out. She heard steps in the hall. After a while she
returned asking if Bacha Filina might enter, that he would like to
speak of something important with the lady.

In a moment Bacha was in the room. "I have come, Madame Slavkovsky, to
talk with you," he began seriously. "It is time to make an end to
the sin, which for years you have already committed as to my little
charge. The doctor told me that you are his mother, and my lord is his
father. Now is this tender, sensitive child to grow up as somebody
said: 'Whether father or mother, whether sister or brother, nobody
comes to welcome me'?" The man spoke seriously.

The lady stretched out her hands towards him imploringly. "What can I
do? They took him away from me and adjudged him to De Gemer. My lawyer
did everything that he could, but in vain."

"But would you love him, would you like to take care of him as it
behooves a decent mother, if my lord would return him to you?"

"Why would I not! I deserve that you ask me that. Whether you believe
me or not, Bacha Filina, I would give everything if I could only get
him back again. I see he loves me, unworthy though I am."

"Yes, he loves you as only forsaken children know how to do. Therefore
I came to you, lady--today or never God gives you an oppor