I began once more to see light, although my skill, I knew, would not
count for much. "Ah yes," I answered: "to go back to that subject, I do
not know anything about wood-carving or using colors, but I might be
able to do something--some work of a simpler kind."

"There are trees to be felled, land to be plowed, and many other things
to be done. If you will do these things some one else will be released
to perform works of skill; and as these are the most agreeable to the
worker, it would please us more to have you labor in the fields than in
the workhouse."

"I am strong," I answered, "and will gladly undertake labor of the kind
you speak of. There is, however, one difficulty. My desire is to change
these clothes for others which will be more pleasing to the eye, at
once; but the work I shall have to do in return will not be finished in
a day. Perhaps not in--well, several days."

"No, of course not," said he. "A year's labor will be necessary to pay
for the garments you require."

This staggered me; for if the clothes were given to me at the beginning,
then before the end of the year they would be worn to rags, and I should
make myself a slave for life. I was sorely perplexed in mind, and pulled
about this way and that by the fear of incurring a debt, and the desire
to see myself (and to be seen by Yoletta) in those strangely fascinating
garments. That I had a decent figure, and was not a bad-looking young
fellow, I was pretty sure; and the hope that I should be able to create
an impression (favorable, I mean) on the heart of that supremely
beautiful girl was very strong in me. At all events, by closing with the
offer I should have a year of happiness in her society, and a year of