be happy
again; besides what is there for me to do now that I am left alone in
the world? My mother will never forgive my conduct towards her; and,
perhaps, monster that I am, I have already sent her to her grave. And
Elspeth, my wife! Slay me also. Master Guardian, and then there will be
an end at least of my wretched life."

"Good!" replied the Glassmanikin, "If that is your only wish, I can not
refuse to grant it; and my axe is here to my hand."

Calmly he withdrew his little pipe from his mouth, knocked out the
ashes and pocketed it. Then, slowly, he arose and went behind the
pine-trees. Peter threw himself down weeping, on the grass; he had
nothing more to do with this life but to await patiently the death-blow
that should end it. After a while he heard light footsteps approaching,
and thought: "Now he is coming."

[Illustration: "Look once more around, Peter Munk."]

"Look once more around, Peter Munk!" said the voice of the Manikin. He
brushed the tears from his eyes, and looked up,--and there before him
stood his mother and Elspeth, his wife, smiling kindly at him.

He sprang joyfully to his feet: "You are not dead, Elspeth! And you,
mother!--Ah, how can you ever pardon me?"

"They will pardon you," said the Glassmanikin, "because you have truly
repented, and they will forget everything. Return to your father's
cottage, a charcoal-burner as before. If you are good and honest, you
will do honour to your trade, and your neighbours will love and respect
you more than if you were the possessor of ten tons of gold."

Thus spoke the Glassmanikin, and bade them farewell.

The three praised and blessed him, and set out for home together.

The grand house which had belonged to Peter in his days of splendour
was no longer there; it had been struck by lightning and had been burnt
to the ground with all its treasures; but the cottage which had been
his father's home was not far distant; thither they went their way,
quite unmoved by their heavy loss.

But what a surprise was in store for them when they reached the
cottage. It had been changed into a fine farmhouse, and everything
within, though simple, was good and clean.

"The good Glassmanikin has done all this!" cried Peter.

"How lovely!" exclaimed Elspeth. "I shall feel much more at home here
than in that big house with all those servants."

Thenceforth Peter Munk became a hard-working and noble man. He was
content with his lot, and worked at his trade wi