her popularity, her voice; but he particularly
wanted to know whether I had noticed her
tiny feet, and whether I thought she had saved
much money. She was extravagant, of course,
but he hoped she wouldn't squander every-
thing, and have nothing left when she was
old. As a young man, working in Wienn, he
had seen a good many artists who were old
and poor, making one glass of beer last all
evening, and "it was not very nice, that."

When the boys came in from milking and
feeding, the long table was laid, and two brown
geese, stuffed with apples, were put down siz-
zling before Antonia. She began to carve, and
Rudolph, who sat next his mother, started the
plates on their way. When everybody was
served, he looked across the table at me.

"Have you been to Black Hawk lately, Mr.
Burden? Then I wonder if you've heard about
the Cutters?"

No, I had heard nothing at all about them.

"Then you must tell him, son, though it's a
terrible thing to talk about at supper. Now,
all you children be quiet, Rudolph is going to
tell about the murder."

"Hurrah! The murder!" the children mur-
mured, looking pleased and interested.

[[406]]

p405 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p406w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p407

v?