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〃Nonsense；　Dete；　what　do　you　mean？〃　replied　Barbel；　somewhat　offended；　〃gossip　has　not　reached　such　a　dreadful　pitch　in　Prattigau　as　all　that；　and　I　am　also　quite　capable　of　holding　my　tongue　when　it　is　necessary。〃

〃Very　well　then；　I　will　tell　youbut　just　wait　a　moment；〃　said　Dete　in　a　warning　voice；　and　she　looked　back　to　make　sure　that　the　child　was　not　near　enough　to　hear　all　she　was　going　to　relate；　but　the　child　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　must　have　turned　aside　from　following　her　companions　some　time　before；　while　these　were　too　eagerly　occupied　with　their　conversation　to　notice　it。　Dete　stood　still　and　looked　around　her　in　all　directions。　The　footpath　wound　a　little　here　and　there；　but　could　nevertheless　be　seen　along　its　whole　length　nearly　to　Dorfli；　no　one；　however；　was　visible　upon　it　at　this　moment。

〃I　see　where　she　is；〃　exclaimed　Barbel；　〃look　over　there！〃　and　she　pointed　to　a　spot　far　away　from　the　footpath。　〃She　is　climbing　up　the　slope　yonder　with　the　goatherd　and　his　goats。　I　wonder　why　he　is　so　late　to…day　bringing　them　up。　It　happens　well；　however；　for　us；　for　he　can　now　see　after　the　child；　and　you　can　the　better　tell　me　your　tale。〃

〃Oh；　as　to　the　looking　after；〃　remarked　Dete；　〃the　boy　need　not　put　himself　out　about　that；　she　is　not　by　any　means　stupid　for　her　five　years；　and　knows　how　to　use　her　eyes。　She　notices　all　that　is　going　on；　as　I　have　often　had　occasion　to　remark；　and　this　will　stand　her　in　good　stead　some　day；　for　the　old　man　has　nothing　beyond　his　two　goats　and　his　hut。〃

〃Did　he　ever　have　more？〃　asked　Barbel。

〃He？　I　should　think　so　indeed；〃　replied　Dete　with　animation；　〃he　was　owner　once　of　one　of　the　largest　farms　in　Domleschg。　He　was　the　elder　of　two　brothers；　the　younger　was　a　quiet；　orderly　man；　but　nothing　would　please　the　other　but　to　play　the　grand　gentleman　and　go　driving　about　the　country　and　mixing　with　bad　company；　strangers　that　nobody　knew。　He　drank　and　gambled　away　the　whole　of　his　property；　and　when　this　became　known　to　his　mother　and　father　they　died；　one　shortly　after　the　other；　of　sorrow。　The　younger　brother；　who　was　also　reduced　to　beggary；　went　off　in　his　anger；　no　one　knew　whither；　while　Uncle　himself；　having　nothing　now　left　to　him　but　his；　bad　name；　also　disappeared。　For　some　time　his　whereabouts　were　unknown；　then　some　one　found　out　that　he　had　gone　to　Naples　as　a　soldier；　after　that　nothing　more　was　heard　of　him　for　twelve　or　fifteen　years。　At　the　end　of　that　time　he　reappeared　in　Domleschg；　bringing　with　him　a　young　child；　whom　he　tried　to　place　with　some　of　his　kinspeople。　Every　door；　however；　was　shut　in　his　face；　for　no　one　wished　to　have　any　more　to　do　with　him。　Embittered　by　this　treatment；　he　vowed　never　to　set　foot　in　Domleschg　again；　and　he　then　came　to　Dorfli；　where　he　continued　to　live　with　his　little　boy。　His　wife　was　probably　a　native　of　the　Grisons；　whom　he　had　met　down　there；　and　who　died　soon　after　their　marriage。　He　could　not　have　been　entirely　without　money；　for　he　apprenticed　his　son；　Tobias；　to　a　carpenter。　He　was　a　steady　lad；　and　kindly　received　by　every　one　in　Dorfli。　The　old　man　was；　however；　still　looked　upon　with　suspicion；　and　it　was　even　rumoured　that　he　had　been　forced　to　make　his　escape　from　Naples；　or　it　might　have　gone　badly　with　him；　for　that　he　had　killed　a　man；　not　in　fair　fight；　you　understand；　but　in　some　brawl。　We；　however；　did　not　refuse　to　acknowledge　our　relationship　with　him；　my　great…grandmother　on　my　mother's　side　having　been　sister　to　his　grandmother。　So　we　called　him　Uncle；　and　as　through　my　father　we　are　also　related　to　nearly　every　family　in　Dorfli；　he　became　known　all　over　the　place　as　Uncle；　and　since　he　went　to　live　on　the　mountain　side　he　has　gone　everywhere　by　the　name　of　Alm…Uncle。〃

〃And　what　happened　to　Tobias？〃　asked　Barbel；　who　was　listening　with　deep　interest。

〃Wait　a　moment；　I　am　coming　to　that；　but　I　cannot　tell　you　everything　at　once；〃　replied　Dete。　〃Tobias　was　taught　his　trade　in　Mels；　and　when　he　had　served。　his　apprenticeship　he　came　back　to　Dorfli　and　married　my　sister　Adelaide。　They　had　always　been　fond　of　one　another；　and　they　got　on　very　well　together　after　they　were　married。　But　their　happiness　did　not　last　long。　Her　husband　met　with　his　death　only　two　years　after　their　marriage；　a　beam　falling　upon　him　as　he　was　working；　and　killing　him　on　the　spot。　They　carried　him　home；　and　when　Adelaide　saw　the　poor　disfigured　body　of　her　husband　she　was　so　overcome　with　horror　and　grief　that　she　fell　into　a　fever　from　which　she　never　recovered。　She　had　always　been　rather　delicate　and　subject　to　curious　attacks；　during　which　no　one　knew　whether　she　was　awake　or　sleeping。　And　so　two　months　after　Tobias　had　been　carried　to　the　grave；　his　wife　followed　him。　Their　sad　fate　was　the　talk　of　everybody　far　and　near；　and　both　in　private　and　public　the　general　opinion　was　expressed　that　it　was　a　punishment　which　Uncle　had　deserved　for　the　godless　life　he　had　led。　Some　went　so　far　even　as　to　tell　him　so　to　his　face。　Our　minister　endeavored　to　awaken　his　conscience　and　exhorted　him　to　repentance；　but　the　old　man　grew　only　more　wrathful　and　obdurate　and　would　not　speak　to　a　soul；　and　every　one　did　their　best　to　keep　out　of　his　way。　All　at　once　we　heard　that　he　had　gone　to　live　up　the　Alm　and　did　not　intend　ever　to　come　down　again；　and　since　then　he　has　led　his　solitary　life　on　the　mountain　side　at　enmity　with　God　and　man。　Mother　and　I　took　Adelaide's　little　one；　then　only　a　year　old；　into　our　care。　When　mother　died　last　year；　and　I　went　down　to　the　Baths　to　earn　some　money；　I　paid　old　Ursel；　who　lives　in　the　village　just　above；　to　keep　and　look　after　the　child。　I　stayed　on　at　the　Baths　through　the　winter；　for　as　I　could　sew　and　knit　I　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　plenty　of　work；　and　early　in　the　spring　the　same　family　I　had　waited　on　before　returned　from　Frankfurt；　and　again　asked　me　to　go　back　with　them。　And　so　we　leave　the　day　after　to…morrow；　and　I　can　assure　you；　it　is　an　excellent　place　for　me。〃

〃And　you　are　going　to　give　the　child　over　to　the　old　man　up　there？　It　surprises　me　beyond　words　that　you　can　think　of　doing　such　a　thing；　Dete；〃　said　Barbel；　in　a　voice　full　of　reproach。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　retorted　Dete。　〃I　have　done　my　duty　by　the　child；　and　what　would　you　have　me　do　with　it　now？　I　cannot　certainly　take　a　child　of　five　years　old　with　me　to　Frankfurt。　But　where　are　you　going　to　yourself；　Barbel；　we　are　now　half　way　up　the　Alm？

〃We　have　just　reached　the　place　I　wanted；〃　answered　Barbel。　〃I　had　something　to　say　to　the　goatherd's　wife；　who　does　some　spinning　for　me　in　the　winter。　So　good…bye；　Dete；　and　good　luck　to　you！〃

Dete　shook　hands　with　her　friend　and　remained　standing　while　Barbel　went　towards　a　small；　dark　brown　hut；　which　stood　a　few　steps　away　from　the　path　in　a　hollow　that　afforded　it　some　protection　from　the　mountain　wind。　The　hut　was　situated　half　way　up　the　Alm；　reckoning　from　Dorfli；　and　it　was　well　that　it　was　provided　with　some　shelter；　for　it　was　so　broken…down　and　dilapidated　that　even　then　it　must　have　been　very　unsafe　as　a　habitation；　for　when　the　stormy　south　wind　came　sweeping　over　the　mountain；　everything　inside　it；　doors　and　windows；　shook　and　rattled；　and　all　the　rotten　old　beams　creaked　and　trembled。　On　such　days　as　this；　had　the　goatherd's　dwelling　been　standing　above　on　the　exposed　mountain　side；　it　could　not　have　escaped　being　blown　straight　down　into　the　valley　without　a　moment's　warning。

Here　lived　Peter；　the　eleven…year…old　boy；　who　every　morning　went　down　to　Dorfli　to　fetch　his　goats　and　drive　them　up　on　to　the　mountain；　where　they　were　free　to　browse　till　evening　on　the　delicious　mountain　plants。

Then　Peter；　with　his　light…footed　animals；　would　go　running　and　leaping　down　the　mountain　again　till　he　reached　Dorfli；　and　there　he　would　give　a　shrill　whistle　through　his　fingers；　whereupon　all　the　owners　of　the　goats　would　come　out　to　fetch　home　the　animals　that　belonged　to　them。　It　was　generally　the　small　boys　and　girls　who　ran　in　answer　to　Peter's　whistle；　for　they　were　none　of　them　afraid　of　the　gentle　goats；　and　this　was　the　only　hour　of　the　day　through　all　the　summer　months　that　Peter　had　any　opportunity　of　seeing　his　young　friends；　since　the　rest　of　his　time　was　spent　alone　with　the　goats。　He　had　a　mother　and　a　blind　grandmother　at　home；　it　is　true；　but　he　was　always　obliged　to　start　off　very　early　in　the　morning；　and　only　got　home　late　in　the　evening　from　Dorfli；　for　he　always　stayed　as　long　as　he　could　talking　and　playing　with　the　other　children；　and　so　he　had　just　time　enough　at　home；　and　that　was　all；　to　swallow　down　his　bread　and　milk　in　the　morning；　and　again　in　the　evening　to　get　through　a　similar　meal；　lie　down　in　bed　and　go　to　sleep。　His　father；　who　had　been　known　also　as　the　goatherd；　having　earned　his　living　as　such　when　younger；　had　been　accidentally　killed　while　cutting　wood　some　years　before。　His　mother；　whose　real　name　was　Brigitta；　was　always　called　the　goatherd's　wife；　for　the　sake　of　old　association；　while　the　blind　grandmother　was　just　〃grandmother〃　to　all　the　old　and　young　in　the　neighborhood。

Dete　had　been　standing　for　a　good　ten　minutes　looking　about　her　in　every　direction　for　some　sign　of　the　children　and　the　goats。　Not　a　glimpse　of　them；　however；　was　to　be　seen；　so　she　climbed　to　a　higher　spot；　whence　she　could　get　a　fuller　view　of　the　mountain　as　it　sloped　beneath　her　to　the　valley；　while；　with　ever…increasing　anxiety　on　her　face　and　in　her　movements；　she　continued　to　scan　the　surrounding　slopes。　Meanwhile　the　children　were　climbing　up　by　a　far　and　roundabout　way；　for　Peter　knew　many　spots　where　all　kinds　of　good　food；　in　the　shape　of　shrubs　and　plants；　grew　for　his　goats；　and　he　was　in　the　habit　of　leading　his　flock　aside　from　the　beaten　track。　The　child；　exhausted　with　the　heat　and　weight　of　her　thick　armor　of　clothes；　panted　and　struggled　after　him　at　first　with　some　difficulty。　She　said　nothing；　but　her　little　eyes　kept　watching　first　Peter；　as　he　sprang　nimbly　hither　and　thither　on　his　bare　feet；　clad　only　in　his　short　light　breeches；　and　then　the　slim…legged　goats　that　went　leaping　over　rocks　and　shrubs　and　up　the　steep　ascents　with　even　greater　ease。　All　at　once　she　sat　herself　down　on　the　ground；　and　as　fast　as　her　littl