“Here are some flowers that I picked for you,” said George. She took the bouquet which he had been hiding behind his back, and was about to pin it to her jacket, but it was too large, so she carried it in her hand, around which she had wound the rosary. Then they walked on through green meadows and fields, where the grain had been cut and shocked, until they came to Schottwien. Here there was great excitement; it was kermess (a sort of church fair), and the street was filled with vehicles and people in holiday attire. Booths had been built near the church, where all kinds of things were displayed for sale: kerchiefs and pipes, knives and beads of glass or wax, cooking utensils, gingerbread, and toys for the children. George and Tertschka looked admiringly at all these fine things, and George felt tempted to buy a pipe. He had smoked when he was a soldier; later, during his illness, he had to give it up, but now he thought, since he was earning his bread again, and neither drank nor gambled, he could allow himself the luxury. Tertschka encouraged him when he told her of it, adding that she would go on while he made his purchase. “In the village church,” she said, “there are too many people, but about half an hour farther on is a lonely little church, where I have been before, and wish to go again to-day.” She referred to the church called “Maria Schutz,” at the foot of the Sonnwendstein. George made his way through groups of hagglers and onlookers, and succeeded in buying a neat little pipe, with a porcelain bowl with gay tassels hanging from it. Suddenly a glittering ornament of yellow glass beads attracted his attention; he could not help thinking how nice it would look around Tertschka’s neck. As the price was not too high, he bought it and put it into his pocket after wrapping it carefully in paper. With the few kreutzers left from his florin he bought a large heart of gingerbread, and some tobacco, and then, happy with all his treasures, he hastened after Tertschka. He showed her first the pipe, which she duly admired. Then he gave her the gingerbread heart; it had a picture on it of another small heart, pierced by an arrow, the whole surrounded by a wreath of flowers. “That is for you!” he said. She looked at it quietly, thanked him, and with a pleased smile put it between the bouquet and the rosary. “I have something else for you,” he continued, drawing the little parcel from his pocket, and showing her the glittering beads. “Oh, how can you spend so much money for me!” she exclaimed, but her face beamed with happy surprise and joy. “I should like to spend everything I have for you,” he said with fervor. “Please put it on now; it will be so becoming to you!” She pushed everything that she was carrying into his hands and then tried to fasten the ornament around her neck, but did not succeed very well. “Let me do it,” he said, and giving everything back to her again he stepped behind