"To nobody now—my father was Josenhans."
"What! Josenhans, who served at Farmer Rodel's?"
"Yes."
"I knew him well. It was too bad that he died so soon. Wait, child—I'll give you something." He drew a large leather bag out of his pocket, groped about in it for a long time, and said at last: "There, take this."
"No, thank you—I don't accept presents—I'll take nothing."
"Take it—you can accept it from me all right. Is Farmer Rodel your guardian?"
"Yes."
"He might have done something better than make a goose-girl of you.
Well, God keep you."
Away rolled the wagon, and Amrei found herself alone with a coin in her hand.
"'You can accept it from me all right.'—Who was he that he could say that? And why didn't he make himself known? Why, it's a groschen, and there's a bird on it. Well, it won't make him poor, nor me rich."