saidhisoldfoster-mother;andherstrange-lookingeagle-eyessparkled,whileshewriggledandtwistedherskinnyneckmorequicklyandstrangelythanever."youhavebroughtgoodluckwithyou,rudy.imustgiveyouakiss,mydearboy."

rudyallowedhimselftobekissed;butitcouldbeseenbyhiscountenancethatheonlyenduredtheinflictionasahomelyduty.

"howhandsomeyouare,rudy!"saidtheoldwoman.

"don'tflatter,"saidrudy,withalaugh;butstillhewaspleased.

"imustsayoncemore,"saidtheoldwoman,"thatyouareverylucky."

"well,inthatibelieveyouareright,"saidhe,ashethoughtofbabette.neverhadhefeltsuchalongingforthatdeepvalleyashenowhad."theymusthavereturnedhomebythistime,"saidhetohimself,"itisalreadytwodaysoverthetimewhichtheyfixedupon.imustgotobex."

sorudysetouttogotobex;andwhenhearrivedthere,hefoundthemillerandhisdaughterathome.theyreceivedhimkindly,andbroughthimmanygreetingsfromtheirfriendsatinterlachen.babettedidnotsaymuch.sheseemedtohavebecomequitesilent;buthereyesspoke,andthatwasquiteenoughforrudy.themillerhadgenerallyagreatdealtotalkabout,andseemedtoexpectthateveryoneshouldlistentohisjokes,andlaughatthem;forwasnothetherichmiller?butnowhewasmoreinclinedtohearrudy'sadventureswhilehuntingandtravelling,andtolistentohisdescriptionsofthedifficultiesthechamois-hunterhastoovercomeonthemountain-tops,orofthedangeroussnow-driftswhichthewindandweathercausetoclingtotheedgesoftherocks,ortolieintheformofafrailbridgeovertheabyssbeneath.theeyesofthebraverudysparkledashedescribedthelifeofahunter,orspokeofthecunningofthechamoisandtheirwonderfulleaps;alsoofthepowerfulfohnandtherollingavalanche.henoticedthatthemorehedescribed,themoreinterestedthemillerbecame,especiallywhenhespokeofthefiercevultureandoftheroyaleagle.notfarfrombex,inthecantonvalais,wasaneagle'snest,morecuriouslybuiltunderahigh,over-hangingrock.inthisnestwasayoungeagle;butwhowouldventuretotakeit?ayoungenglishmanhadofferedrudyawholehandfulofgold,ifhewouldbringhimtheyoungeaglealive.

"thereisalimittoeverything,"wasrudy'sreply."theeaglecouldnotbetaken;itwouldbefollytoattemptit."

thewinewaspassedroundfreely,andtheconversationkeptuppleasantly;buttheeveningseemedtooshortforrudy,althoughitwasmidnightwhenheleftthemiller'shouse,afterthishisfirstvisit.

whilethelightsinthewindowsofthemiller'shousestilltwinkledthroughthegreenfoliage,outthroughtheopenskylightcametheparlor-catontotheroof,andalongthewater-pipewalkedthekitchen-cattomeether.

"whatisthenewsatthemill?"askedtheparlor-cat."hereinthehousethereissecretlove-makinggoingon,whichthefatherknowsnothingabout.rudyandbabettehavebeentreadingoneachother'spaws,underthetable,alltheevening.theytrodonmytailtwice,butididnotmew;thatwouldhaveattractednotice."

"well,ishouldhavemewed,"saidthekitchen-cat.

"whatmightsuitthekitchenwouldnotsuittheparlor,"saidtheother."iamquitecurioustoknowwhatthemillerwillsaywhenhefindsoutthisengagement."

yes,indeed;whatwouldthemillersay?rudyhimselfwasanxioustoknowthat;buttowaittillthemillerheardofitfromotherswasoutofthequestion.therefore,notmanydaysafterthisvisit,hewasridingintheomnibusthatrunsbetweenthetwocantons,valaisandvaud.thesecantonsareseparatedbytherhone,overwhichisabridgethatunitesthem.rudy,asusual,hadplentyofcourage,andindulgedinpleasantthoughtsofthefavorableanswerheshouldreceivethatevening.andwhentheomnibusreturned,rudywasagainseatedinit,goinghomewards;andatthesametimetheparlor-catatthemiller'shouseranoutquickly,crying,-

"here,youfromthekitchen,whatdoyouthink?