THE LOST JAGER. 187 



talked, as I said, until he had no apology for talking any more ; and 

 then he paused. 



" Fritz ! my dear Fritz !" said she, without looking up, and her 

 fingers trembled in the buckle which she was still examining. " My 

 dear Fritz !" and then she paused too. 



" Why, my dear Netty," said he, answering her implied expostu- 

 lation, " I wouldn't like to disappoint old Hans after Wednesday, 

 you know" and he kissed her cheek, which glowed even deeper than 

 before. " After Wednesday, I promised never td hunt chamois again ; 

 but I must go, once just once to drink a farewell to the Monck and 

 the Aarhom, to their own grim faces and then why, I'll make cheese, 

 and cut wood, and be a very earth-clod of the valley, like our good neigh- 

 bour Jacob Biedermann, who trembles when he hears an avalanche, and 

 cannot leap over an ice-cleft without shuddering. But once just once 

 come with me luck, this time, and, for the future, the darlings may 

 come and browse in the Wergisthal for me." 



" I did not say I wished you not to go, Fritz." " No j but you looked 

 it, love ; and I would not see a tear in those bright eyes, for all the 

 gemsen between this and the Orteles; but you know, my dear, there is 

 really no danger ; and if I could persuade you to give me your hearty 

 consent and your good wishes" 



"I'll try, Fritz" 



"What! with that sigh, and that doleful look? No, no, Netty; I 

 will send an apology to old Hans." Here Blitz, as he put a small hunt- 

 ing-horn in the dog's mouth, and pointed up the hills, " Off, boy ! to the 

 Adelboden. And now, have you any thing to employ my clumsy 

 fingers, or shall we take a trip as far as Bohren's Chalet, to see if the 

 cream and cheese of my little old rival are as good as their wont. I 

 shall go and saddle old Kaisar, shall I ? he has not been out these two 

 days." 



Fritz, peasant as he was, knew something of the practical philosophy 

 of a woman's heart, and had a good idea of the possibility of pursuing 

 his own plan, by an opportune concession to her's. On the present 

 occasion he succeeded completely. 



te Najr, nay," said the maiden, with unaffected good- will, e{ you really 

 must not disappoint Hans ; he would never forgive me. So come/' said 

 she, as she unbuckled the wallet which hung over his right shoulder 

 " let me see what you have here. But" and she looked tearfully and 

 earnestly in his face et you will be back to-morrow evening, will you, 

 indeed?" 



" By to-morrow evening, love, Hans gemsen and all. My wallet 

 is pretty well stocked, you see ; but I am going to beg a little of that 

 delicious Oberhasli Kirchwasser, to fill my flaschen." 



I need not relate how Fritz had his flask filled with the said Kirch- 

 wasser, or how his stock of eatables was increased by some delicious 

 cheese, made by the pretty hands of Netty herself, or how sundry other 

 little trifles were added to his portable commissariat, or how he paid for 

 them all in ready kisses, or how Netty sat at the window and watched 

 him with tearful eyes, as he strode up the hill towards the Scheidegg. 



At the chalet he found that Hans had started alone, and proceeded 

 towards the Wetterhorn. He drew his belt tighter, and began to ascend 

 the steep and craggy path, which wound round the base of the ice- 

 heaped mass, along the face of which, half way to the summit, the 



