stranger that had made such an impression on this unsophisticated child of the mountains。
After watching Peter's violent descent towards the valley for a few minutes he continued his journey。
Peter； meanwhile； with all his efforts； could not stop himself； but went rolling on； and still tumbling head over heels at intervals in a most remarkable manner。
But this was not the most terrible part of his sufferings at the moment； for far worse was the fear and horror that possessed him； feeling sure； as he did now； that the policeman had really come over for him from Frankfurt。 He had no doubt at all that the stranger who had asked him the way was the very man himself。 Just as he had rolled to the edge of that last high slope above Dorfli he was caught in a bush； and at last able to keep himself from falling any farther。 He lay still for a second or two to recover himself； and to think over matters。
〃Well done！ another of you come bumping along like this！〃 said a voice close to Peter； 〃and which of you to…morrow is the wind going to send rolling down like a badly…sewn sack of potatoes？〃 It was the baker； who stood there laughing。 He had been strolling out to refresh himself after his hot day's work； and had watched with amusement as he saw Peter come rolling over and over in much the same way as the chair。
Peter was on his feet in a moment。 He had received a fresh shock。 Without once looking behind him he began hurrying up the slope again。 He would have liked best to go home and creep into bed； so as to hide himself； for he felt safest when there。 But he had left the goats up above； and Uncle had given him strict injunctions to make haste back so that they might not be left too long alone。 And he stood more in awe of Uncle than any one； and would not have dared to disobey him on any account。 There was no help for it； he had to go back； and Peter went on groaning and limping。 He could run no more； for the anguish of mind he had been through； and the bumping and shaking he had received； were beginning to tell upon him。 And so with lagging steps and groans he slowly made his way up the mountain。
Shortly after meeting Peter； Herr Sesemann passed the first hut； and so was satisfied that he was on the right path。 He continued his climb with renewed courage； and at last； after a long and exhausting walk； he came in sight of his goal。 There； only a little distance farther up； stood the grandfather's home； with the dark tops of the fir trees waving above its roof。
Herr Sesemann was delighted to have come to the last steep bit of his journey； in another minute or two he would be with his little daughter； and he pleased himself with the thought of her surprise。 But the company above had seen his approaching figure and recognized who it was； and they were preparing something he little expected as a surprise on their part。
As he stepped on to the space in front of the hut two figures came towards him。 One a tall girl with fair hair and pink cheeks； leaning on Heidi； whose dark eyes were dancing with joy。 Herr Sesemann suddenly stopped； staring at the two children； and all at once the tears started to his eyes。 What memories arose in his heart！ Just so had Clara's mother looked； the fair…haired girl with the delicate pink… and…white complexion。 Herr Sesemann did not know if he was awake or dreaming。
〃Don't you know me； papa？〃 called Clara to him； her face beaming with happiness。 〃Am I so altered since you saw me？〃
Then Herr Sesemann ran to his child and clasped her in his arms。
〃Yes； you are indeed altered！ How is it possible？ Is it true what I see？〃 And the delighted father stepped back to look full at her again； and to make sure that the picture would not vanish before his eyes。
〃Are you my little Clara； really my little Clara？ he kept on saying； then he clasped her in his arms again； and again put her away from him that he might look and make sure it was she who stood before him。
And now grandmamma came up； anxious for a sight of her son's happy face。
〃Well； what do you say now； dear son？〃 she exclaimed。 〃You have given us a pleasant surprise； but it is nothing in comparison to what we have prepared for you； you must confess；〃 and she gave her son an affectionate kiss as she spoke。 〃But now；〃 she went on； 〃you must come and pay your respects to Uncle； who is our chief benefactor。〃
〃Yes； indeed； and with the little inmate of our own house； our little Heidi； too；〃 said Herr Sesemann； shaking Heidi by the hand。 〃Well？ are you still well and happy in your mountain home？ but I need not ask； no Alpine rose could look more blooming。 I am glad； child； it is a pleasure to me to see you so。〃
And Heidi looked up with equal pleasure into Herr Sesemann's kind face。 How good he had always been to her！ And that he should find such happiness awaiting him up here on the mountain made her heart beat with gladness。
Grandmamma now led her son to introduce him to Uncle； and while the two men were shaking hands and Herr Sesemann was expressing his heartfelt thanks and boundless astonishment to the old man； grandmamma； wandered round to the back to see the old fir trees again。
Here another unexpected sight met her gaze； for there； under the trees where the long branches had left a clear space on the ground； stood a great bush of the most wonderful dark blue gentians； as fresh and shining as if they were growing on the spot。 She clasped her hands； enraptured with their beauty。
〃How exquisite！ what a lovely sight！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Heidi； dearest child； come here！ Is it you who have prepared this pleasure for me？ It is perfectly wonderful！〃
The children ran up。
〃No； no； I did not put them there；〃 said Heidi； 〃but I know who did。〃
〃They grow just like that on the mountain； grandmamma； only if anything they look more beautiful still；〃 Clara put in； 〃but guess who brought those down to…day；〃 and as she spoke she gave such a pleased smile that the grandmother thought for a moment the child herself must have gathered them。 But that was hardly possible。
At this moment a slight rustling was heard behind the fir trees。 It was Peter； who had just arrived。 He had made a long round； having seen from the distance who it was standing beside Uncle in front of the hut； and he was trying to slip by unobserved。 But grandmamma had seen and recognized him； and suddenly the thought struck her that it might be Peter who had brought the flowers and that he was now trying to get away unseen； feeling shy about it； but she could not let him go off like that； he must have some little reward。
〃Come along； boy； come here； do not be afraid；〃 she called to him。
Peter stood still； petrified with fear。 After all he had gone through that day he felt he had no longer any power of resistance left。 All he could think was； 〃It's all up with me now。〃 Every hair of his head stood on end； and he stepped forth from behind the fir trees； his face pale and distorted with terror。
〃Courage； boy；〃 said grandmamma in her effort to dispel his shyness； 〃tell me now straight out without hesitation； was it you who did it？〃
Peter did not lift his eyes and therefore did not see at what grandmamma was pointing。 But he knew that Uncle was standing at the corner of the hut； fixing him with his grey eyes； while beside him stood the most terrible person that Peter could conceive the police…constable from Frankfurt。 Quaking in every limb； and with trembling lips he muttered a low； 〃Yes。〃
〃Well； and what is there dreadful about that？ said grandmamma。
〃Becausebecauseit is all broken to pieces and no one can put it together again。〃 Peter brought out his words with difficulty； and his knees knocked together so that he could hardly stand。
Grandmamma went up to Uncle。 〃Is that poor boy a little out of his mind？〃 she asked sympathisingly。
〃Not in； the least；〃 Uncle assured her； 〃it is only that he was the wind that sent the chair rolling down the slope； and he is expecting his well…deserved punishment。〃
Grandmamma found this hard to believe； for in her opinion Peter did not look an entirely bad boy； nor could he have any reason for destroying such a necessary thing as the chair。 But Uncle had only given expression to the suspicion that he had from the moment the accident happened。 The angry looks which Peter had from the beginning cast at Clara； and the other signs of his dislike to what had been taking place on the mountain； had not escaped Uncle's eye。 Putting two and two together he had come to the right conclusion as to the cause of the disaster； and he therefore spoke without hesitation when he accused Peter。 The lady broke into lively expostulations on hearing this。
〃No； no； dear Uncle； we will not punish the poor boy any further。 One must be fair to him。 Here are all these strangers from Frankfurt who come and carry away Heidi； his one sole possession； and a possession well worth having too； and he is left to sit alone day after day for weeks； with nothing to do but brood over his wrongs。 No； no； let us be fair to him； his anger got the upper hand and drove him an act of revengea foolish one； I own； but then we all behave foolishly when we are angry。〃 And saying this she went back to Peter； who still stood frightened and trembling。 She sat down on the seat under the fir trees and called him to her kindly；
〃Come here； boy； and stand in front of me； for I have something to say to you。 Leave off shaking and trembling； for I want you to listen to me。 You sent the chair rolling down the mountain so that it was broken to pieces。 That was a very wrong thing to do； as you yourself knew very well at the time； and you also knew that you deserved to be punished for it； and in order to escape this you have been doing all you can to hide the truth from everybody。 But be sure of this； Peter： that those who do wrong make a mistake when they think no one knows anything about it。 For God sees and hears everything； and when the wicked doer tries to hide what he has done；
then God wakes up a little watchman that He places inside us all when we are born and who sleeps on quietly till we do something wrong。 And the little watchman has a small goad in his hand； And when he wakes up he keeps on pricking us with it； so that we have not a moment's peace。 And the wa