Page:Tales of old Lusitania.djvu/74

62 you believe he has been hard at work all the time. I could tell you a great deal more about him, but I do not wish to make you unhappy."

The sister, who had perfect faith in her brother's love and goodness, told the old woman that she did not believe a word of what she said. But the wicked old hag, finding she could make no mischief there, went away to see if she could not influence the brother against the happy girl. She was not long in finding an opportunity. As she was walking along a path in the pine forest which skirted their village, she suddenly came upon the brother, who was engaged in felling trees. She stopped short and looked on for some minutes, and then began to say: "Poor man, you lead a life of toil to maintain in comfort and ease a sister who only repays your kindness by a great pretence of industry and economy, which I can assure you is more talk than anything else; she makes you live on the plainest food, while she takes care to dine before you return home on some nice little dainty in company with a young beau. I could tell you much more about her, but I do not wish to make you unhappy."

The man foolishly believed every word the old hag said against his sister. He went home and, without saying a word, put on his best suit of clothes, threw a sack over his shoulder, into which he put some loaves of bread, took down his gun and left the