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playfellows so well as Jehan Daas's grandson and his dog。
One day her father； Baas Cogez； a good man； but somewhat stern；
came on a pretty group in the long meadow behind the mill； where the
aftermath had that day been cut。 It was his little daughter sitting amid the
hay； with the great tawny head of Patrasche on her lap； and many wreaths
of poppies and blue corn…flowers round them both； on a clean smooth slab
of pine wood the boy Nello drew their likeness with a stick of charcoal。
The miller stood and looked at the portrait with tears in his eyesit
was so strangely like； and he loved his only child closely and well。 Then
he roughly chid the little girl for idling there while her mother needed her
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within； and sent her indoors crying and afraid； then； turning； he snatched
the wood from Nello's hands。 〃Dost do much of such folly？〃 he asked； but
there was a tremble in his voice。
Nello coloured and hung his head。 〃I draw everything I see；〃 he
murmured。
The miller was silent； then he stretched his hand out with a franc in it。
〃It is folly； as I say； and evil waste of time； nevertheless； it is like Alois；
and will please the house…mother。 Take this silver bit for it and leave it for
me。〃
The colour died out of the face of the young Ardennois； he lifted his
head and put his hands behind his back。 〃Keep your money and the
portrait both； Baas Cogez；〃 he said； simply。 〃You have been often good to
me。〃 Then he called Patrasche to him； and walked away across the fields。
〃I could have seen them with that franc；〃 he murmured to Patrasche；
〃but I could not sell her picturenot even for them。〃
Baas Cogez went into his mill…house sore troubled in his mind。 〃That
lad must not be so much with Alois；〃 he said to his wife that night。
〃Trouble may come of it hereafter； he is fifteen now； and she is twelve；
and the boy is comely of face and form。〃
〃And he is a good lad and a loyal；〃 said the housewife； feasting her
eyes on the piece of pine wood where it was throned above the chimney
with a cuckoo clock in oak and a Calvary in wax。
〃Yea； I do not gainsay that；〃 said the miller； draining his pewter flagon。
〃Then； if what you think of were ever to come to pass；〃 said the wife；
hesitatingly； 〃would it matter so much？ She will have enough for both； and
one cannot be better than happy。〃
〃You are a woman； and therefore a fool；〃 said the miller； harshly；
striking his pipe on the table。 〃The lad is naught but a beggar； and； with
these painter's fancies； worse than a beggar。 Have a care that they are not
together in the future； or I will send the child to the surer keeping of the
nuns of the Sacred Heart。〃
The poor mother was terrified； and promised humbly to do his will。
Not that she could bring herself altogether to separate the child from her
favorite playmate； nor did the miller even desire that extreme of cruelty to
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a young lad who was guilty of nothing except poverty。 But there were
many ways in which little Alois was kept away from her chosen
companion； and Nello； being a boy proud and quiet and sensitive； was
quickly wounded； and ceased to turn his own steps and those of Patrasche；
as he had been used to do with every moment of leisure； to the old red mill
upon the slope。 What his offence was he did not know； he supposed he had
in some manner angered Baas Cogez by taking the portrait of Alois in the
meadow； and when the child who loved him would run to him and nestle
her hand in his； he would smile at her very sadly and say with a tender
concern for her before himself； 〃Nay； Alois； do not anger your father。 He
thinks that I make you idle； dear； and he is not pleased that you should be
with me。 He is a good man and loves you well； we will not anger him；
Alois。〃
But it was with a sad heart that he said it； and the earth did not look so
bright to him as it had used to do when he went out at sunrise under the
poplars down the straight roads with Patrasche。 The old red mill had been
a landmark to him； and he had been used to pause by it； going and coming；
for a cheery greeting with its people as her little flaxen head rose above
the low mill wicket； and her little rosy hands had held out a bone or a crust
to Patrasche。 Now the dog looked wistfully at a closed door； and the boy
went on without pausing； with a pang at his heart； and the child sat within
with tears dropping slowly on the knitting to which she was set on her
little stool by the stove； and Baas Cogez； working among his sacks and his
mill…gear； would harden his will and say to himself； 〃It is best so。 The lad
is all but a beggar； and full of idle； dreaming fooleries。 Who knows what
mischief might not come of it in the future？〃 So he was wise in his
generation； and would not have the door unbarred； except upon rare and
formal occasions； which seemed to have neither warmth nor mirth in them
to the two children； who had been accustomed so long to a daily gleeful；
careless； happy interchange of greeting； speech； and pastime； with no other
watcher of their sports or auditor of their fancies than Patrasche； sagely
shaking the brazen bells of his collar and responding with all a dog's swift
sympathies to their every change of mood。
All this while the little panel of pine wood remained over the chimney
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in the mill kitchen with the cuckoo clock and the waxen Calvary； and
sometimes it seemed to Nello a little hard that while his gift was accepted；
he himself should be denied。
But he did not complain； it was his habit to be quiet。 Old Jehan Daas
had said ever to him； 〃We are poor； we must take what God sendsthe ill
with the good； the poor cannot choose。〃
To which the boy had always listened in silence； being reverent of his
old grandfather； but nevertheless a certain vague； sweet hope； such as
beguiles the children of genius； had whispered in his heart； 〃Yet the poor
do choose sometimeschoose to be great； so that men cannot say them
nay。〃 And he thought so still in his innocence； and one day； when the little
Alois； finding him by chance alone among