s not too much," the old lady said with a smile,
taking out of her pocket a big, round thaler, on top of which she
laid twenty pennies. "Now I'll explain this to you. Here you have as
many times ten pennies as there are weeks in the year. You'll be able
to spend one every Sunday through the year."

"All my life?" Peter asked quite innocently.

The grandmama began to laugh so heartily at this that the two men came
over to join her.

Laughingly she said: "You shall have it my boy; I will put it in my
will and then you will do the same, my son. Listen! Peter the goatherd
shall have a ten-penny piece weekly as long as he lives."

Mr. Sesemann nodded.

Peter, looking at his gift, said solemnly: "God be thanked!" Jumping
and bounding, he ran away. His heart was so light that he felt he
could fly.

A little later the whole party sat round the table holding a merry
feast. After dinner, Clara, who was lively as never before, said to
her father:

"Oh, Papa, if you only knew all the things grandfather did for me. It
would take many days to tell you; I shall never forget them all my
life. Oh, if we could please him only half as much as what he did for
me."

"It is my greatest wish, too, dear child," said her father; "I have
been trying to think of something all the time. We have to show our
gratitude in some way."

Accordingly Mr. Sesemann walked over to the old man, and began: "My
dear friend, may I say one word to you. I am sure you believe me when
I tell you that I have not known any real joy for years. What was my
wealth to me when I could not cure my child and make her happy! With
the help of the Lord you have made her well. You have given her a new
life. Please tell me how to show my gratitude to you. I know I shall
never be able to repay you, but what is in my power I shall do. Have
you any request to make? Please let me know."

The uncle had listened quietly and had looked at the happy father.

"Mr. Sesemann, you can be sure that I also am repaid by the great joy
I experience at the recovery of Clara," said the uncle firmly. "I
thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Sesemann. As long as I live I have
enough for me and the child. But I have one wish. If this could be
fulfilled, my life would be free of care."

"Speak, my dear friend," urged Clara's father.

"I am old," continued the uncle, "and shall not live many years. When
I die I cannot leave Heidi anything. The child has no relations except
one, who even m