Year: 1875

people shut out the evening after en-
tering the forester's house, and Lotte
and her mother fell to work prepar-
ing supper.


The red checked coarse white
cloth was soon upon the table, the
wooden spoons and platters laid, and
the big tureen, lively with a pattern
of wild flowers was ready for the
soup.


Not much Of meal-but plain
soup, the beef which made it eaten
with vinegar and oil, black bread
aud strong cheese, the whole washed
down with some blackish country
wine-yet the old judge thought he
never had eaten such a meal.


To tell the truth at once, the old
Judge was in love with Lotte, though
she was only sixteen and the old
gentleman was be that time fifty
eight, if a day.


II lay ne, good judge, you will
sleep Till late in the morning." said
hFoadchested Yeri, ,.when they were
saying goodnight.


sob, no" replies the judge, wish.
Ing TO cut good Agure before Lotte
81 never was more active than am
now. | shall be up with the lark,
and out before any Of you"


Nevertheless, though they softly
called him three times, be never
woke, and, 10 fact, did not present him
self until the forester's breakfast had
been waiting q whole hour


The forest girl had been out and
away for hours, aud rs be saw her,
with the fresh morning color on her
face, and holding out to him bunch
Of wild flowers which she had gather
ed, be decided that pretty girl
looked better at sunrise even than
by sunset.


That was the beginning Of it,


The prim housekeeper wondered
what became of her master, until all
capacity for astonishment had left,
while good Yeri and his wife, though
they were wonderfully benefited and
honored by the old judges friend
ship, were marvelously puzzled to find
an answer to the riddle why Maitre
Seller came to their hut four or five
times in the week


One day barrel Of rikvir-eapitaI
wine In those parts--would be sent
with MaitreSeiler's compliments. and
within o week an admirable present
of sausage would be received.


The gravest condemnation Of the
poor old Judge, and the best proof of
the honesty Of the old couple, Yeri
and Kris:ine, were to be found in the
fact that the latter never suspected
tue real basis of all those cisilities
on the part Of the smitien old gen
tleman


As for trout, the good woman
Kristine was weary of cooking it,
so much of that fish did the good old
Judge bring to the chalet


He never said much TO Lotte, spoke
like father to her, and certainly
never enabled the pretty girlto gness
what was in his heart.


This life went on 10 the end Of
June, when the tall mountain grass
was ready for the scythe.


The old Judge, however, had never
slept at Yeri's except upon tha: one
particular night when he first visited
the forester.


He did no. know that be had been
put in Lotte's room-he supposed it
the guests chamber.


But upon that particular night In
June be had made up his mind to
speak to Yeri, and then it was that
be found that, Judge and orator as he
was, he could not plead for himself


What ails the old judge tonight? ?"
Thought the forester ale does not
seem himself.


The time went on, and when at
last the Judge decided that be would
defer it until the morning, the fores-
ter made the discovery that it was
dark, and the moon would not be up
for two hours, so the judge was in
vited to stop for the night


He had no idea that his remaining
put the primitive family to any incon-
venience, no more than at the mo-
ment be learned that be took Lotte's
room from her.


But, in fact, the young goatherd-
ess was carried off to her IN nother's
room for the night. while the forester
made himself up bed Of furs, &c,
on the ground of the living room.


He thought the girl looked pale
and anxious, bat he could not detect
that she was in deep tribulation.


A little while and the forest hut
was quite quiet-not a light to be
seen.


Now, they have habit in parts of
Switzerland of cutting the high grass
by moonlight, the belief being CON-
mon that grass so cut made better
Eay than that which tails beneath the
scythe in sunlight.


The old judge, unable to sleep, was
turning over in his mind what he
should say on the following day 10
the forester, when be heard the tinkle
of eow-bells, the numbering of heavy
wagons, and the rattle of talking and
singing voices, all of which gradual
ly approached.


Not ignorant Of the custom of
moonlight baymaking, the old judge
found the rustic sounds rather sooth-
ing than not, when he thought be
heard tapping at the window.


He listened, md the sound was re-
peated.


He knew that the window was ten
or twelve feet from the groand, and
that it could only be reached either
by ladder or by climbing the vine
which grew on the wall about the
lattice.


A thief. What thief would tap
at a window? What could a thief
hope to steal in that poor place, un-
less


The old judges heart began to
beat high.


And as though in reply to his
thoughts, soft, pleasant voice cali
ed, as the tapping was heard again,
"Lotte!'


He moved of the bed (for be had
laid down in bis clothes. too weary