It so happened that at this moment the lord of the manor made a rather advantageous offer for the land. He wanted it to "round off" his estate.
Would it not be his most prudent course to seize this opportunity? Certainly the very least he could do was to turn the matter over carefully.
Perhaps the lord of the manor would offer more if one seemed unwilling to sell.
At last the bad weather came to an end, and it seemed possible to begin to think about the sowing.
A suggestion of a warmer spell to come mellowed the freshness of the morning air when Vogt came out of the yard with his team, The eastern horizon was gaily tinted. The rising sun shone clear and bright, sending forth prophetic rays that foretold fair weather.
The young peasant glanced into the cow-house, where the strawberry seemed scarcely able to sustain her heavy burden, though she was not due to calve for another fortnight. For the first time Vogt began to feel some return of joy and content. This strawberry cow was a magnificent animal. She brought gigantic calves into the world; lively little creatures too, that made the funniest leaps and bounds, and were always beautifully marked. One could not but feel sorry when the butcher fetched them away.
The two dun cows lowed with pleasure when they came briskly out into the yard, as though they already scented summer, with its mild air and green grass. He yoked them to the small wooden cart. Then he brought the sack of seed-corn from the barn. He had laid it in some time before, and the sack had not been disturbed. But he opened it to convince himself that all was right. He took up a large handful, and let the grains of wheat run through his fingers. The seed lay plump and heavy in the palm of his hand.
Then a current of joy made his heart beat higher. He saw the crop growing green, then ripening; the stalks crowded thickly together, and as the summer breeze passed over the field the heavy ears bowed and swayed like ripples upon the sea.
With a happy glance he looked about him; house and yard were in good order, the harrow lay waiting in the field, all was ready. And he drove his team merrily onwards.
The dun cows stopped of themselves when they reached their destination.