nd that this attachment had met the
approval of the parents on both sides; but now Sevenpiper had shown him
the door, saying that he could obtain a better match for his daughter,
and that most assuredly he would not marry her to the son of Claus, who
wanted to claim his property before the world.

"Is't true, father, that the prize belonged to you?"

"Yes, indeed; and it belongs to me still."

"So! Now I understand all about it," said the cooper, taking his
departure.

In the house of Sevenpiper the newcomers found everything in confusion;
the oldest daughter was weeping, and the other children were running
over one another.

They became quieted at last, and Sevenpiper said that he was not going
to allow himself to be driven out of his wits; anyhow he would no
longer be a day-laborer in the vineyard; he would just do nothing for a
year, and then he would see what he would take hold of. The children
screamed and shouted in all sorts of ways, and Sevenpiper tried to make
them sing, but not one of them was willing; all that was past and gone
forever.

Eric had induced Claus to wait outside the house; he now told them what
the field-guard wanted.

As soon as he made known this desire, Sevenpiper raised the window and
cried out to his former comrade standing in the road:--

"If you don't clear out from here, and if you claim a single red cent
from me, I'll break every bone in your carcass. Now you know what to
expect! Off with you!"

No appeal was of any use; Sevenpiper insisted upon it, that he would
not give Claus as much as he could put into his eye.

Roland and Eric went away exceedingly cast down. They came to the house
of Claus, who was asleep on the bench. His wife lamented that he had
come home very drunk, and that the cooper was half-crazed.

Neither could Eric and Roland be of any assistance here.

On the way home, Roland seized Eric's hand and said:--

"Money! money! How speedily it can ruin people!" Eric made no reply,
and Roland continued:--"I never heard that there were any lotteries in
America. You see, Eric, this is something that we have wholly to
ourselves."

In silence, inwardly disturbed, they reached the villa. There seemed to
be some ghost stalking abroad, for they could not shake off the
remembrance that the demon of sudden riches had ruined two families;
and immediately on waking the next morning, Roland said:--

"I should like to know how Claus and Sevenpiper will feel this morning