CHAPTER VIII.
Year after year went by until they numbered nearly six, and Michael was still an inmate of Simeon's humble home. In all that time his mode of life had remained always the same. He never visited with the neighbors and spoke but little. He had been seen to smile only twice—once when Simeon's wife prepared supper and invited him to eat, and again when the nobleman came to order the boots.
The shoemaker was very much pleased with his fellow-worker, and did not further question him as to where he came from. His one great fear was that Michael might not care to remain always with him, for he had become very much attached to the strange, taciturn man.
Once they were sitting in the room together,
