n something quite different, and
continued confidingly:

"We've got the upper hand now, mother; but we won't make a noise about
it. Before, you weren't accounted anybody; neither was I. 'Twas always
the farmer and Thoma; we two were never spoken of. Now help me. You can
do it smoothly as a wife can, and I'll be quiet about it too. Not a
soul shall notice that I control the farm. But, on the other hand, you
must see to it that he doesn't roam around any more. Of course he's
told you that he lost a great deal of money in stocks. However, that's
past and over with. We won't say a word of reproach to him about it,
but I'll guarantee that he shan't squander any more."

"Is our whole house bewitched?" said the mother, speaking her thoughts
aloud--"Is our house no longer a home? Where shall I go?"

"Mother, you mustn't talk so, nor look at it that way. I am here, and
you shall see what I'll do. Good fortune has followed us for your sake.
Wherever I've been, people say, 'Yes certainly, Landolin must be helped
out of his trouble, for Johanna's sake.'"

"Not for my sake," exclaimed his mother. "Your father is innocent, and
he proved himself so; nothing is due to me."

"Of course not, and everything is all right. And besides, now let me
tell you something. That Tobias is an unfaithful rascal. I shall only
keep him through harvest; then I'll send him away. He may claim that it
was he who lied father out of the scrape, but that won't help him; on
the contrary he must learn that we don't fear him. Father was acquitted
at the trial, and no appeal can be taken from that. I asked the
lawyer."

After an astonished silence his mother asked,

"What did you say? Your father is no longer master?"

"Yes, mother; don't you think I've managed it cleverly? Not even you
have noticed it. He thought, too, that I ought to keep Tobias; but I
know better."

The mother and son sat a long time together in silence; but at length
she said, "Take the wagon and go to meet your father. I feel as though
something would happen to him; I am so frightened."

"Very well, mother, I will do as you say. I'll go, but I don't know
whether I can find him or not."

"Yes, go, for heaven's sake, and be a good boy. I will try and get a
little sleep."

Peter went; but he soon turned down an alley to a tavern where they
were rolling ten-pins. Here he enjoyed himself highly, winning a good
sum of money from the woodcutters of the upper forest, and from some
ha