"Then the thought suddenly came to me, 'Now, if you were Martha, what should you do?' and I was so startled by it that my blood gushed up hotly into my face. "'Are you easily frightened, little one?' he asked. "I shook my head. "'Then come here!' "'I am here at your side.' "'Place yourself in front of me.' "I did so. My feet almost touched the flat edge of the stone. "Suddenly he raised himself, clasped me as quick as lightning about the waist, and at the same moment I felt myself suspended in mid-air above the water. I looked at him and laughed. "'Let me tell you.' said he, 'that it is not by any means a laughing matter. If I let you drop----' "'I shall be drowned--so let me drop.' "'No, first you must make a confession to me.' "'What confession?' "'Why you do not like me.' "I drew a deep breath. At the same time I felt that the soles of my feet were already being wetted by the surface of the water. He must not let me sink any lower. A delicious feeling of powerlessness came over me. "'I do like you.' I said. "'Then why do you give me such disagreeable answers? "'Because I am a disagreeable creature.' "'That is certainly plausible,' laughed he, and with rapid swing lifted me up like a feather so that I came to stand once more upon the stone. 'There, now sit down, we will talk sensibly.' Then he took my hand and continued: 'See, I am a simple fellow, have worked hard and given little thought to sharpening my wit. You with your quick little brain always kill me at the very first thrust, so that I have grown positively afraid of talking to you. I know you mean no harm, for it is not in our blood to be ill-natured; but all the same, it is not the proper thing. I am nearly twelve years older than you, and you almost a child yet. Am I right?' "'You are right.' said I, dejectedly, wondering privately where my defiance had departed to. "'Then why did you do it?' "'Because I wanted to gain your approval.' said I, and drew a deep breath. "He looked into my eyes amazed. "'Because I wanted to show you that I was not a silly thing, that my head was in its right place, that I----,' I stopped short and grew ashamed of myself. "He chewed his beard and looked meditatively before him. "'Indeed, now,' he said, 'I was in a fair way to get quite a wrong idea of your character. What a good thing that I followed Martha's advice!' "'Martha's?' I exclaimed. 'What did she advise you?' "'Take her aside alone some time,' she said, 'and have it out with her. Whomever she does not love she hates, and it would pain me if she did not grow to love you.' "'Did she say that?' asked I, and tears came into my eyes. 'Oh, you good sister, you noble soul!' "'Yes, she said that and much more besides, in order to explain and vindicate your disposition. And as I love Martha----' "'Do you?' I interrupted him, eager to learn more. "'Yes, very dearly,' he replied reflectively, and looked down into the water beneath him.