"Why, how now?" cried the intruder, who proved to be Franz. "What's this for?--what have I been a doing?"
"Spying and prying," said Rudolf, bluntly.
"Spying and prying?" quoth he. "Why, what have I come this long way all across the snow for, but to ask after the Sandwirth, and to offer Theresa a root of the gems-wurz, which, if he eats before sunrise, will make him bullet-proof? There now!"
And Franz drew himself up like a man aggrieved.
"Thanks," said Theresa, carrying her milk-pail towards the dairy; "but how am I to get it to him?"
"Oh, _you_ know where he is!" said Franz, insinuatingly.
"No, I don't," said Theresa, who therein, as far as her personal acquaintance with the locality was concerned, spoke the truth.
"Will you like me to look for him, then?" said Franz, slily.
"No, I should not," answered Theresa, very quickly; adding, "I don't want you to meddle at all in our affairs."
"Well, certainly, one has not much encouragement to do so, except for good-will," said Franz, following her into the house, and putting his cold hands on the stove to warm them; "they're likely to do what I am doing now--burn their fingers."
Rudolf's mother, who had come to be a companion to Theresa in her parents' absence, now poured out the porridge, and summoned the family to breakfast. Theresa said to Franz, "You'll join us, I suppose?" to which reluctant half-invitation, he replied by drawing a stool to the table, and taking his share with the rest.
He pricked up his ears to catch any allusion to the Sandwirth, but none was made. A cloud had settled heavily on them all; but they had already learnt the needful lesson of silence.
Franz, after lounging about in his usual way, left _am Sand_, announcing his intention of going to Meran. Before he had proceeded far, however, some one said "Hist!" and he looked round and saw Donay.
"Well?" said the priest, coming up to him, and walking with him.
"Well," said Franz, "I've been there, and breakfasted there, but to no good. Theresa wouldn't drop a word that one could lay hold of."
"Ah, there are other things besides words that sharp people can lay hold of," said Father Donay. "For example, I have laid hold of something that certifies to me the Sandwirth has been to his house and from it, within these twelve hours."