To this he made no answer, but continued his path up the mountain-side.

'There will be plenty of feed for the cows this autumn,' said Marie Bromar.

'That is a great comfort.' 'Plenty,' said Michel; 'plenty.' But Marie knew from the tone of his voice that he was not thinking about the grass, and so she held her peace.

But the want or plenty of the pasture was generally a subject of the greatest interest to the people of Granpere at that special time of the year, and one on which Michel Voss was ever ready to speak.

Marie therefore knew that there was something on her uncle's mind.