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Whether the hard polished stool offered by Dame Brinker did not look particularly tempting； or whether the dame herself frightened him； partly because she was a woman； and partly because an anxious； distressed look had suddenly appeared in her face； I cannot say。 Certain it is that our eccentric doctor looked hurriedly about him； muttered something about 〃an extraordinary case；〃 bowed； and disappeared before Dame Brinker had time to say another word。
Strange that the visit of their good benefactor should have left a cloud； yet so it was。 Gretel frowned； an anxious； childish frown； and kneaded the bread dough violently without looking up。 Dame Brinker hurried to her husband's bedside； leaned over him； and fell into silent but passionate weeping。
In a moment Hans entered。
〃Why； Mother；〃 he whispered in alarm； 〃what ails thee？ Is the father worse？〃
She turned her quivering face toward him； making no attempt to conceal her distress。
〃Yes。 He is starvingperishing。 A meester said it。〃
Hans turned pale。
〃What does this mean； Mother？ We must feed him at once。 Here； Gretel； give me the porridge。〃
〃Nay！〃 cried his mother； distractedly； yet without raising her voice。 〃It may kill him。 Our poor fare is too heavy for him。 Oh； Hans； he will diethe father will DIE； if we use him this way。 He must have meat and sweet wine and a dekbed。 Oh； what shall I do； what shall I do？〃 she sobbed； wringing her hands。 〃There is not a stiver in the house。〃
Gretel pouted。 It was the only way she could express sympathy just then。 Her tears fell one by one into the dough。
〃Did the meester say he MUST have these things； Mother？〃 asked Hans。
〃Yes； he did。〃
〃Well； Mother； don't cry； HE SHALL HAVE THEM。 I shall bring meat and wine before night。 Take the cover from my bed。 I can sleep in the straw。〃
〃Yes； Hans； but it is heavy； scant as it is。 The meester said he must have something light and warm。 He will perish。 Our peat is giving out； Hans。 The father has wasted it sorely； throwing it on when I was not looking； dear man。〃
〃Never mind； Mother；〃 whispered Hans cheerfully。 〃We can cut down the willow tree and burn it； if need be； but I'll bring home something tonight。 There MUST be work in Amsterdam； though there's none in Broek。 Never fear； Mother； the worst trouble of all is past。 We can brave anything now that the father is himself again。〃
〃Aye！〃 sobbed Dame Brinker； hastily drying her eyes。 〃That is true indeed。〃
〃Of course it is。 Look at him； Mother； how softly he sleeps。 Do you think God would let him starve； just after giving him back to us？ Why； Mother； I'm as SURE of getting all the father needs as if my pocket were bursting with gold。 There； now； don't fret。〃 And； hurriedly kissing her； Hans caught up his skates and slipped from the cottage。
Poor Hans！ Disappointed in his morning's errand； half sickened with this new trouble； he wore a brave look and tried to whistle as he tramped resolutely off with the firm intention of mending matters。
Want had never before pressed so sorely upon the Brinker family。 Their stock of peat was nearly exhausted； and all the flour in the cottage was in Gretel's dough。 They had scarcely cared to eat during the past few days； scarcely realized their condition。 Dame Brinker had felt so sure that she and the children could earn money before the worst came that she had given herself up to the joy of her husband's recovery。 She had not even told Hans that the few pieces of silver in the old mitten were quite gone。
Hans reproached himself； now； that he had not hailed the doctor when he saw him enter his coach and drive rapidly away in the direction of Amsterdam。
Perhaps there is some mistake； he thought。 The meester surely would have known that meat and sweet wine were not at our command； and yet the father looks very weakhe certainly does。 I MUST get work。 If Mynheer van Holp were back from Rotterdam； I could get plenty to do。 But Master Peter told me to let him know if he could do aught to serve us。 I shall go to him at once。 Oh； if it were but summer！
All this time Hans was hastening toward the canal。 Soon his skates were on； and he was skimming rapidly toward the residence of Mynheer van Holp。
〃The father must have meat and wine at once；〃 he muttered； 〃but how can I earn the money in time to buy them today？ There is no other way but to go； as I PROMISED； to Master Peter。 What would a gift of meat and wine be to him？ When the father is once fed； I can rush down to Amsterdam and earn the morrow's supply。〃
Then came other thoughtsthoughts that made his heart thump heavily and his cheeks burn with a new shame。 It is BEGGING； to say the least。 Not one of the Brinkers has ever been a beggar。 Shall I be the first？ Shall my poor father just coming back into life learn that his family has asked for charityhe； always so wise and thrifty？ 〃No；〃 cried Hans aloud； 〃better a thousand times to part with the watch。〃
I can at least borrow money on it； in Amsterdam！ he thought； turning around。 That will be no disgrace。 I can find work at once and get it back again。 Nay； perhaps I can even SPEAK TO THE FATHER ABOUT IT！
This last thought made the lad dance for joy。 Why not； indeed； speak to the father？ He was a rational being now。 He may wake； thought Hans； quite bright and restedmay tell us the watch is of no consequence； to sell it of course！ And Hans almost flew over the ice。
A few moments more and the skates were again swinging from his arm。 He was running toward the cottage。
His mother met him at the door。
〃Oh； Hans！〃 she cried； her face radiant with joy； 〃the young lady has been here with her maid。 She brought everythingmeat； jelly； wine； and breada whole basketful！ Then the meester sent a man from town with more wine and a fine bed and blankets for the father。 Oh！ he will get well now。 God bless them！〃
〃God bless them！〃 echoed Hans； and for the first time that day his eyes filled with tears。
The Father's Return
That evening Raff Brinker felt so much better that he insisted upon sitting up for a while on the rough high…backed chair by the fire。 For a few moments there was quite a commotion in the little cottage。 Hans was all…important on the occasion； for his father was a heavy man and needed something firm to lean upon。 The dame； though none of your fragile ladies； was in such a state of alarm and excitement at the bold step they were taking in lifting him without the meester's orders that she came near pulling her husband over； even while she believed herself to be his main prop and support。
〃Steady； vrouw； steady；〃 panted Raff。 〃Have I grown old and feeble； or is it the fever makes me thus helpless？〃
〃Hear the man！〃Dame Brinker laughed〃talking like any other Christian！ Why； you're only weak from the fever； Raff。 Here's the chair； all fixed snug and warm。 Now； sit thee downhi…di…didythere we are！〃
With these words Dame Brinker let her half of the burden settle slowly into the chair。 Hans prudently did the same。
Meanwhile Gretel flew about generally； bringing every possible thing to her mother to tuck behind the father's back and spread over his knees。 Then she twitched the carved bench under his feet； and Hans kicked the fire to make it brighter。
The father was sitting up at last。 What wonder that he looked about him like one bewildered。 〃Little Hans〃 had just been almost carrying him。 〃The baby〃 was over four feet long and was demurely brushing up the hearth with a bundle of willow wisps。 Meitje； the vrouw； winsome and fair as ever； had gained at least fifty pounds in what seemed to him a few hours。 She also had some new lines in her face that puzzled him。 The only familiar things in the room were the pine table that he had made before he was married； the Bible upon the shelf； and the cupboard in the corner。
Ah！ Raff Brinker； it was only natural that your eyes should fill with hot tears even while looking at the joyful faces of your loved ones。 Ten years dropped from a man's life are no small loss； ten years of manhood； of household happiness and care； ten years of honest labor； of conscious enjoyment of sunshine and outdoor beauty； ten years of grateful lifeone day looking forward to all this； the next； waking to find them passed and a blank。 What wonder the scalding tears dropped one by one upon your cheek！
Tender little Gretel！ The prayer of her life was answered through those tears。 She LOVED her father silently at that moment。 Hans and his mother glanced silently at each other when they saw her spring toward him and throw her arms about his neck。
〃Father； DEAR Father；〃 she whispered； pressing her cheek close to his； 〃don't cry。 We are all here。〃
〃God bless thee；〃 sobbed Raff； kissing her again and again。 〃I had forgotten that！〃
Soon he looked up again and spoke in a cheerful voice。 〃I should know her； vrouw；〃 he said； holding the sweet young face between his hands and gazing at it as though he were watching it grow。 〃I should know her。 The same blue eyes and the lips； and ah！ me； the little song she could sing almost before she could stand。 But that was long ago；〃 he added； with a sigh； still looking at her dreamily。 〃Lo