way unobserved, while
many a neighborly plan and kindly conspiracy were hatched by their warm
hearts and busy heads; and it was very late when at last they separated
to their well earned rest.

CHAPTER III.

IN THE VILLAGE AND IN THE SCHOOL.

The village of Buchberg consisted of several scattered farms, and of
groups of houses and cottages that peeped out from among thriving fruit
trees. Only a few houses stood near the church; the school-house, the
sexton's house, the substantial old-fashioned dwelling of the mayor of
the little community, and two or three peasants' cottages. Dr. Stein's
house stood quite by itself at a little distance from the others, on a
slight elevation, quite surrounded by trees. The biggest buildings in
all Buchberg stood on the principal street of the town; these were the
fine house and the enormous factory of Mr. Bickel, who had built them
both.

Between the street and the dwelling lay a sunny flower-garden; not a
tree nor a shrub was planted in it, lest the grandeur of the mansion
should be concealed in the least from public view. Here lived the
wealthy manufacturer, with his wife and their only son. The family
occupied only the lower floor; upstairs the six great splendid rooms
were always closed and their shining green blinds always drawn down. No
one ever entered there except Mrs. Bickel, who now and then came up to
air and to dust and to admire them. Her little boy was allowed to go
with her sometimes; but he had to leave his shoes at the door; and he
stood just inside, half awe-struck in the gloom; staring at the unused
chairs and the stiff furniture. Mr. Bickel was a very important person
in the village, for in his factory he employed a great many persons,
both young and old; he was very clever at finding out what people were
good for, and knew just how much they could work, and what they could do
best, and how much they were worth to him. It was said that whenever a
child was born in Buchberg, Mr. Bickel began at once to calculate how
many years would pass before it would be old enough to be put upon his
pay-roll. And almost all the children knew that their future destiny
would surely bring them under Mr. Bickel's management, and they learned
early to stand respectfully aside when he came along the street, with
his thick gold-headed cane, and his shining watch chain with the bunch
of seals, that shook and glittered and jingled majestically from afar.

From this fine house