But somehow he held that hand rather a long time, as if what he said to her was not easy of comprehension. He pressed her hand in order that she might the better remember it, and Lidunka pressed his. Their eyes sparkled like the drops of dew on the corn land in early morning. A kind of moisture fell upon them that was mutually attractive.
When they took their places again in the round game, a certain embarrassment was perceptible in them, as though now they had both the circlet round their necks. They made frequent blunders, and once it happened that Vojtech quite forgot to look at the circlet which flew towards him and remained gazing at Lidunka—at her eyes as though they were the real circlets. Then again it happened that his circlet flew a long way past Lidunka and alighted by the stream behind some bushes. Both ran to the spot, the children after them and now Lidunka protested that she alone must search for it since it was she who failed to catch it.
Vojtech made no objection to this but held her by the hand, while she with the other poked about for the circlet with the stick. Little by little it approached the water’s edge and when it was already at the very edge Vojtech felt convinced that Lidunka would fall into the stream. He caught her quickly in his arms and held her firmly lest she should fall into the water. And as they searched for the circlet together they were immeasurably happy.
Presently the children brought word that dinner was prepared. When they sat down Pani Horska said, “What fun you have had, my children.”
The children even before Pan Vojtech glanced slily at one another and the children laughed, for none of them had had half so much fun as Pan Vojtech, and Lidunka and mamma indeed had had least of all.
Lidunka would not permit that her mother should be an exception to the general merriment and kissed both her cheeks until they were as rosy as her own.
In the afternoon our little company were minded to carry out a plan which had been devised before dinner. First of all they went out to seek some pretty shady spot. They found a little lawn among bushes and settled there like birds in a nest. A nest formed of greensward and bushes and birds twittering with human voices.
While they were so seated, the air began to grew heavy. The sun’s rays fell to earth like arrows and under the spell of an un-
