this money."

"That I will, indeed, gentlemen, and I thank you heartily," said the
boy, so earnestly that both laughed, as, nodding him an adieu, they
began descending the mountain, and were soon lost among the trees.

Stephan threw his hat into the air with a joyous cheer, and the echoes
repeated his gleeful shout.

The day appeared very long, and glad enough he was when the sinking sun
warned him that it was time to return. He found his mother dusting the
tools, and looking sadder than he had ever seen her since his father
died.

"We wont sell them, dear mother," he cried exultingly, dancing round the
table and shaking the florins in his hat. "See what luck your blessing
brought me this morning!" and he related his adventure with the hunters.

They at once started off to pay Bridgetta the five florins, and, as
compensation for the loss of the milk for so many days, they offered her
the extra florin, which she coldly and decidedly refused, asking no
questions, and appearing very anxious to get rid of them. As they walked
home, they entered the church for a few minutes, and, after reverently
kneeling at one of the side altars, the widow dropped the remaining
florin into the poor-box. It was the largest thank-offering she had ever
been able to make in her life. The warehouse was at the corner of the
street on the south side of the church, and as the clock struck six they
hurried up the stairs of the long, low building, and entered a small
room fitted up as an office. Herr Dahn was busily writing in a large
ledger, but quitting it as they entered, he said approvingly:

"So here you are! That's right; business people should be
punctual--never get on otherwise! But where are the tools?"

The widow told him all about the six florins, and then placing a toy
violin on the counter, she asked him to give his opinion of it. He
twisted the little instrument about, carefully examining the workmanship
while he talked, and finally declared that it was a very fair specimen
for a self-taught lad. He evidently thought more of it than he chose to
say, for after some conversation with his foreman, to whom he showed the
violin, he greatly astonished the poor woman by offering to take Stephan
at once and place him under one of his best workmen if she could do
without his earnings for a time, as of course the goats must be given
up. Then, noticing the boy's delight and the mother's anxious, undecided
countenance, he added before she