so sweet seems but bitter, and thy load more heavy than thou canst
bear. I will come once again;" and smiling down upon her, he was gone.

With a great cry she rose; for the light that shone all about the angel
seemed to make many things clear to her, and she would have been glad
to do his will, but it was now too late.

The tree-tops were motionless again, the wind had ceased its chanting,
the sun had withdrawn its wondrous light, and along the worn little
foot-path came Hans with his ax upon his shoulder. She said nothing to
him about her dream, for she was afraid; but she got his supper for
him, and when the stars had slipped out from behind the spare clouds,
he had dropped to sleep and left her to lie awake gazing at them
silently until each one seemed to smile at her with the smile of an
angel, and then it was morning, and she had slept, after all, and the
sun was shining.

After that Christina was always busy preparing for the gift the angel
had promised her, and she sang gayly from morning till night, and was
very glad.

So the months rolled along, and the memory of her dream had almost
faded from Christina's mind. Then one day a strange sound was heard in
the little hut,--the sound of a baby's crying. Hans heard it as he
came along, and it made his eyes shine with gladness. He hastened his
steps, and smiled to himself as he thought of his joy in having a
little child to fondle and caress.

But at the door he paused, for he heard another sound besides that of
the baby's voice. It was Christina's, and she was weeping bitterly.