Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 2).djvu/605

 in his house were being prepared for the banquet.

Otto was busy in the stables and coachhouse, and as he made ready his fireworks he kept saying to himself: "To-morrow I will force her to dance with me!"

Late in the afternoon Anna came up to the big house, round by the upper bridge; she had many things to talk over for the morrow with her friend, Adelheid, Otto's sister.

"Your dear mother is to have a lovely bridal wreath," said Adelheid, "but you must not tell her that it is already the second one I have made. Otto spoilt the first one altogether. I had taken such a lot of trouble over it, and put in rosemary and evergreens, and my three first peonies which flower so late this year, when up comes this mad boy, seizes the wreath out of my hands and runs dancing away with it on his own head. I think I cried for almost an hour just with rage and despair. Otto is sometimes so dreadfully high-spirited and wild he turns the house topsy-turvy. You don't know how wild he is, Anna; I must tell it you, even though he were ten times my brother. You should just see him when he fires up! But when the storm is over then he is ashamed of himself, and is very anxious to make peace."

How true was this description Anna was soon to learn.

When she was leaving, Otto wanted to row her across the river. His mother declared he was not capable of doing it. At last, however, she had to give in, and the headstrong lad, flinging away his riding whip, rolled up his sleeves, and running down to the river bank, launched the boat out on to the swelling waves and loosened the anchor.

When Anna came up, carrying her little basket, he took off his straw hat, and led her carefully along the plank and into the dancing boat.

"For Heaven's sake, children, take care of yourselves, and you, Otto, see you steer properly! Stay! I had better send the boatman with you!"

But Otto had already pushed off.

"Just as though I were still a boy!" he muttered.

With practised hand he dipped the paddle into the bright green waves, and the little boat glided on its way across the river.

Anna sat on the little bench and waved her handkerchief until Adelheid and her mother disappeared through the garden gate. Then she fixed her gaze on the water.

Suddenly, when they had nearly reached the middle of the river, Otto let go the paddle.

"I have something to say to you, Anna," he said.

She raised her head. The boat seemed to stand still, but the willows on the bank glided slowly onwards.

"Anna," said Otto, in a clear voice, "you must love me!" And his eyes seemed on fire.

The girl was silent.

"Anna, you shall love me!" he repeated.

"Why not?" answered the girl. "You have done me no harm. But I should hardly have thought you would have ventured to use must and shall to the 'noble maiden of the forest,' as you call me."

"Anna, do not laugh at me; I will not stand it; I am a man!"

"I shall believe that when you have grown a head taller."

The lad stood up in the boat, displaying his tall slender figure.

"You are always teasing me," he rejoined; "but I will show you that I have a good head on my shoulders, and that at any rate I have every bit as much sense and wit as any of those who stare at you and run after you—and perhaps a good deal more. Look me in the face, Anna!"

"Oh, I know what you look like."

"Look at me, Anna!" He stayed the paddle against the boat; his eyes gleamed.

"What will happen, if I don't? Perhaps you will tear my mother's bridal wreath in pieces, as you did the one your sister made this morning?" And she hid the basket behind her back.

"They shall keep their wedding-day without us!" he exclaimed, as he loosened the paddle from its fastening. "If you will neither look at me nor love me, Anna," he went on, trembling, "I will fling this paddle into the water!"

"Then fling it into the water," retorted Anna, coldly.

He turned, and without another word let the paddle drop over the side. It fell with a splash into the river, and floated away. Otto leaned back in the corner of the boat with folded arms.

Anna had jumped up, and tried to seize the paddle. She stood there pale and motionless.

The little boat glided quietly as the