A party of girls, who were walking along hand in hand, had much to say to one another. But at last they, too, separated and joined their parents. The young couple were alone on the road. The glaring rays of the noonday sun were reflected from the lake. It was almost a full hour's walk to their house, and they had scarcely gone a few hundred steps, when the wife said: "Hansei, I oughtn't to have let Annamirl go." "Ill run after her as fast as I can, I can catch up with her yet," said the husband. "For God's sake, don't!" said his wife, holding him fast. "I'd be all alone here on the highway. Stay here! It'll soon be all right again." "Wait a second! Hold fast to the tree! That's it." The husband rushed into the meadow, gathered up an armful of hay, placed it on the pile of stones by the wayside, and seated his wife upon it. "I feel better, already," said the wife. "Don't talk now, rest yourself! Oh! dear me; if only a wagon were to come along; but there's neither man nor beast in sight. Just take a good rest, and then I'll carry you home. You're not too heavy for me. I've carried heavier loads many a time." "Do you mean to carry me, in broad daylight?" said the wife, laughing so heartily that she was obliged to rest her hand on the stones, to support herself. "You dear, good fellow! Much obliged, but there's no need of it. I'm all right now, and can walk." She got up briskly, and Hansei's face was radiant with joy. "Thank God! Here comes the doctor, in the very nick of time." The doctor, who lived in the neighboring town, was just turning the corner. Hansei raised his hat and requested him to take his wife into the carriage. He gladly consented, but Walpurga seemed loth to get in. "I never rode in a carriage in all my life," said she, repeatedly. "Everything must be tried, you know," said the doctor, laughing, as he assisted her into the carriage. He told the husband that he might get up on the box, but he declined. "I'll drive slowly," said the doctor. Hansei walked along by the side of the carriage, constantly casting happy glances at his wife. "Now we're two thousand paces from home; now we're a thousand," said he, talking to himself, while his glances showed his gratitude to the doctor, to the carriage that was kind enough to allow his wife to sit in it; and even to the horse from which he brushed the troublesome flies.