UNIVERSITY COURIER.
7
looking fellow, but had a cunning eye in his head, and a liking for hard cash.
"Kobus," said Mistress Katho, "the garden is looking extremely well since Cornelius has been sick and you have had charge. I will speak to my father of it."
"Many thanks for words in my favor, Jufrow."
"Ah Kobus, I am afraid your wages are small. Would you like to earn a hundred gildres to-day ?"
"Certainly, Jufrow, but what must I do?"
"If you will go to Arndt with a letter for me, and let no one find out whither you go, I will give you twenty now and the rest tomorrow."
"Very good; when shall I go, Jufrow?" asked Kobus.
"At once; here is the letter, it is to Mynheer van der Werde. You will hand it to the one who meets you at the door; leave at once, and return here. To-morrow, eighty gilders for you."
Kobus took the letter and the twenty gilders. The latter he counted carefully; the former he looked at upside down and endwise, but could make nothing of it. Then leisurely picking up his tools, he went and told the head-gardener that his brother was very sick in Arndt, and had sent for him, Kobus. This point settled after some grumbling, he set out on his mission.
Mistress Katho, meanwhile, had gone back into the house, and up into her own room. There she sat and thought with a peculiar smile on her pretty face. Some one tapping on the door interrupted her meditations.
"Mynheer, your father, wishes you immediately, Jufrow," said the tapper.
She went down and found her father pacing up and down the floor, much agitated. He was unusually excited for a calm Dutch burger. As soon as he saw her he burst out; "I don't know whether to be glad or sorry, Katie,—my old friend,—and you,—but here, read for yourself."
So saying he snatched a letter from the table and handed it her. She read as below.
APENDT, 27 May, 183-
Most revered and respected Mynheer Van Artaveld:—
Presenting my most dutiful service to you, Mynheer, I have in the absence of my cousin Willem a most sorrowful task to perform. My most worthy and beloved uncle, your old and tried friend, was yesterday suddenly seized with apoplexy. After an illness of a few short hours,—alas! too short for us who received his last counsels,—he passed from this earth to a better world. The obsequies will take place on the first day of June. According to the wishes of my revered uncle, you, as his oldest friend, are requested to be present at these last sad testimonials of our respect. I am happy to inform that my uncles' will in your favor is unchanged.
Your most respectful, grief-striken, and obedient servant.—
JAN VAN DER WERDE.
As Katho finished the letter, she looked at her father, He was sitting in his chair, looking troubled, yet glad.
"Poor Babette," said Katho, "it will grieve her much ; yet I——and she stopped short.
"But you""said van Artaveld with a laugh"——no, do not feel troubled; be glad as you can, for this day week shall be your wedding day. I will send for Dietrich-Dominie Ten Brock shall come to me to-morrow, and then we will sign the marriage contract."
He stopped and rang the bell. "Send for the notary," he said to the servant. Then to Katho; "I will make the settlement at once; yesterday I received twenty thousand gilders in part payment for a piece of land. Mynheer van der Werde's legacy will replace that."
Katho, carried away by her father's unusual excitement, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him thrice. "You dear, good father," she said; then turned quickly and left the room.
The old man sighed as he looked after her. "She is a good girl, I am sorry to lose her—then my old friend van der Werde—but we must all die and marry somtime. Then Dietrich is a good lad; when Peter comes next week he shall speak to him."
Mynheer van Artaveld never did anything by halves. Accordingly he made the necessary endowment papers that afternoon, so that Katho was mistress in her own right of thirty thousand gilders. He also drove ahead with other matters. The next day Dominie Ten Brock called with due formality, and the blushing Katho and the confused Dietrich were made to sign the marriage contract. The civil part of the affair was complete, nothing remained but the religious ceremony.
The next day Mynheer van Artaveld stepped once more into his carriage, and rolled away behind his fat horses. He was not out of sight before Mistress Katho sent for Dietrich to come to her.
IV
They held a long and earnest conversation. Dietrich was at first rebellious, but finally yielded to the arguments and stronger will of Mistress Katho.
It was a very warm day on which Mynheer van Artaveld started for Arndt. Mynheer felt the heat as he rode along under the ascending sun, and wished himself back in his own cool house at Arnheim. But he felt that he must push on, for he was going after thirty thousand gilders. Mynheer laughed to himself as he thought how easily that thousand was won.
The carriage stopped: Mynheer looked out, and saw before him the famous half-way inn, the "Grey Goose." It was a very model of Dutch inns, with its white-scoured wood-work, and vine-covered stoop. The landlord came out to welcome the distinguished Mynheer. He looked at the "Grey Goose," the stoop seemed deliciously cool; he looked up the road, it seemed terribly hot. Mynheer reflected, pulled out his fat watch, and determined to alight.
Mynheer sat down in the stoop, drew a long breath and had just commenced on a glass of anise-seed, when he saw another lumbering carriage drive up.
The carriage stopped, and a gentleman got down. Mynheer van Artaveld also stopped drinking, got up, stared, swore a round Dutch oath, then rubbed his eyes. The other gentleman spied Mynheer van Artaveld by this time, and seemed equally astonished. They stood for some moments gazing at each other, while the landlord, coachmen and helpers looked on in surprise.
At last the new-comer spoke. "Mynheer van Artaveld!" he cried. But Mynheer van Artaveld was slowly backing into the house, and shaking his head. At this juncture the host, who knew both by sight, exclaimed: "Mynheer van Artaveld, what is the matter? Mynheer van der Werde, why do you look thus? Come in out of the hot sun."
Then van Artaveld broke silence. "What are you doing here? You are dead;" he cried fiercely.
"What you doing here? You, you are dead;" answered van der Werde.
"Take this madman away" said van Artaveld to the