PART II.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 30, 16 November 1888, Page 25

PART 11.

You are psrhaps wondering how it come i to pass that an Inn can exist placed alone in the midst of green pasture land, and only approacbed by a simple foot track, which more than one* leads the wayfarer across msre plank bridges, and which passes only at long intervals small groups of cottages that call themselves villages. You naturally woader how tbe guests at this lonely inn fare with regard to provisions. It is true that milk is sent down every day from the cows on the graeu Alps higher up the mountain, and that the farm boasts of plenty of ducks and fowls, of eggs and honey. There are a few sheep aad goats, too ; we have seen that there are pigs. Fraulein Christina Fasch makes good bread, and she is famous for her delicate puddings and sauces. The puzale is, whence come the groceries, and the extras, and the wines that are consumed in the inn.

A mile or bo beyond, on a lower spur of the mountain ridge that overlook^ the Bhine, a gap comes in the hedge that screens an almost precipitous descent into the broad, flit valley. The descent looks moro perilous than it is, for constant use has worn the slender track into a series of rough steps, which load to the vine clad knoll on which is situated Malans, and at Malans George Fasch, the landlord of our inn, can purchase all he needs, for it is near a station on the railway line between Zurich aud Coire and close to the busy town of Mayenteld in the valley below.

Just now there are no visitors at the Inn, so the landlord only makes hja toilsome journey ooco a fortnight ; but when thert is a family in the house he visits the valley more frequently, for he cannot bring very large stores with him, aithougn he does not spare himself fatigue, and ho mounts the natural l*dder with surprising rapidity, considering the load he carrie 3 strapped to his shoulders,

The great joy of Anna waa to meet her father at the top of the pass and peisuade him to lighten his burden by giving her some of it to carry ; and to-day, when she bad washed her face and bands, andfbad changed her clothes, she wished that he had gone to Malans ; his coming back would have helpjd her to forget her disaster. Her aunt's words clung to the giil like burs; and now, as they rang in her ears again, she went into the woods to have her cry out unobserYed. She stood leaning against a tree ; and, as the tears rolled down her face, Bbc turned and bid it against the rough red bark of the pine. She was crying for the loss of the dear, gentle mother, who bad always helped her. Her mother had sj screened her awkwardness from public notice that Anna had tcarcely been aware of it. Her aunt Christina had said, wht n she v?*h summoned four years ago to manage her brothei'a hou«> hold : " Tour wife has ruined Anna, brother. I shall have hard work to improve her." Anna was not crying now about her aunt's constant fault finding ; there was something in her grief more bitter even than the tears she shed for her mother ; it se p med to the girl tnat day by day she was becoming more clumsy and stupid ; she broke the crockery, and even the furniture ; she spoiled her frocks ; and, worst of all, she bad more than once met her fathei's kind blue eyes fixed on her with a look of sadness that went to her heart. Did he, too, think that she never would be useful to her self or to any one ? At this thought her tears came more freely, and Bhe pressed her hot face against the tree : " I wonder why I was made ?" she sobbed. Then came a sharp crackling sound, as the twigs and pine needles snapped under a heavy tread. Anna caught up her white apron and vigorously rubbed her eyes ; then she hurried out to the path from her shelter among the trees. In another minute her arrcs were round her father, and she was kissing him on bath cheeks. G»orge Faech kissed her and patted herlshonlder ; then a suppressed sob caught his ear. He held Anna away from him and looked at her face. It was red and green in streaks, and her eyes were red and inflamed. The father was startled by her appearance. " What is the matter, dear child ?" he said " You are ill." Then his eyes toll on her apron. Its crumpled state, and the red and green smears on it, showed the use to which it had been put, and he began to guess what had happened. Anna hung her head. " I was crying, and I leaned against a tree. Oh, dear, it was a clean apron ! Aunt will be vexed. Her father sighed, but he pitied her confusion. " Why did you cry, my child ?" he said, half tenderly, half in rebuke. "Aunt Christina means well, though she speaks abruptly." He only provoked fresh tears, but Anna tried so hard to keep them back that she was soon calm again. '■ I am not vexed with Aunt Christina for Bcolding me," she said ; " I deserved it ; I am sorry for myself." " Well, well,"' he said, cheerfully, " we cannot expect old beads on young shoulders." His honest, sunburned face was slightly troubled ns he looked at her " You will have to brush up a bit, you know, when Christina ?oes to Zurich. You are going to be left in charge of the house lor a week or so." Anna pressed her naiids nei\ously together. She felt that the house would sufE t greatly under her guidnnee • but then bhe should have her aunt d absence, and she should be irie from those scathing rebukes winch made her ieel all the more clumsy and helpless when they were uttered in her father's presence. George Fas-ch, however, had of late become aware of his daughters awkwardness, and secretly he was troubled by the prospect of her aunt's absence. He was a kind man and an affectionate father, but he objected to Gretcben'a unaided coc kery, and he had, therefore, resolved to transact feme l"iig deferred business in Zurich during his sister's stay there. This would lessen the amount of his badly-cooked dinners at home. " I shall start with Christina," be said — ■' some one must go with her to t'ardisla ; and next day 1 shall come home by Malans, so you wiil have to meet, me on Weuae3day evening at the old place, eh, Anna ? " She nodded and smiled, but she felt a little disappointed. She reflected, how erer, that she should have her father alone for some days after his return. Ohnstin i was surprised to see how cheerful tbe girl looked when she came indoor?.