Page:Balkan Short Stories.djvu/197

Rh toward him again, as the hand with the bottle fell slowly to his knee.

“I sang to pass away the time. I’m not so afraid either—in the night—when I sing. The witches don’t dare come near then.”

“I was really worried. I was afraid you’d gone too far toward Banovica. Old people say that once—there, a man was murdered. The witches choked him to death.”

“Nothing like that will ever happen to me.”

“Keep still! Keep still! Tell me the truth—didn’t you go too near the horse herdsmen? What if they had seen you? Heavens!”

“They didn’t see me, and if they did—what do I care? I’m not doing anything wrong.”

“But, God in Heaven, you know what sort of fellows they are. They are all mad because you come from another parish—to see me. They might do something to you and, as it falls out, to-night Mihalčic’ Tono is with them—on the meadow. He’s the devil.”

“Ah—shut-up with that. Did you get through in the vineyard today?”

“Only a little hoeing left to do. Early tomorrow I go with my sister to finish thework.”