Page:Three stories by Vítězslav Hálek (1886).pdf/244

 “Well they all say it,” observed the servant apologetically.

“All such boors as thou,” retorted Bartos. And then he turned toward the little girl, and enquired what they called her.

“Staza,” said the little damsel.

“You shall never go with him again little Staza,” said Bartos, and took her by the hand. “You shall stay here with me and Maminka. Would you like?”

“I should like.”

And from that day forth Bartos adopted little Staza as his own.

She had been with him six years and called him ‘tatinka!’ and so she was nine years old when Loyka’s Frank brought the measure to Bartos, in order that by it Bartos might delve the grandfather’s grave.