The mother stood still and folded her hands.
"Lay your hands together Toneli," she said, "it is the Angelus."
The child obeyed.
"What must I pray, Mother?" he asked.
"Give us and all tired people a blessed Sunday! Amen!" said the mother devoutly.
Toneli repeated the prayer. Suddenly he screamed: "Father is coming!"
Down from the farm some one was running as fast as he could come.
"That is not Father," said his mother, and both went towards the running man. When they met, the man stood still and said, gasping:
"Don't go any farther, turn around, Elsbeth. I came straight to you, for something has happened."
"Oh, my God!" cried the woman in the greatest anguish, "has something happened to Toni?"