I. MISSING.
II. THE FAITHFUL DOG.
III. THE FOND FOSTER-PARENTS.
IV. THE ERRAND.
V. THE OLD MAN.
VI. THE LEGACY.
VII. THE JOURNEY.
[Illustration: "They reached the cradle and discovered the child in
it."]
THE VINEYARD ON THE HILLSIDE
CHAPTER I
MISSING
Many years ago, in a quaint little village bordering the bank of the
Rhine River, there lived a hard-working farmer, named Joseph Swift, and
his industrious wife, Caroline.
Their neat little white cottage stood very near the edge of the water,
where on the bright, sunny days it was beautifully reflected. On one
side of the cottage, there jutted out into the river a little hill,
overgrown with grapevines which Joseph had planted, and which as a
result of training and watchfulness yielded him abundant fruit. South of
the house there stretched a field, bordered on all sides by leafy
shrubbery. This plot of ground was used by Mrs. Swift as a bleachery,
and through her industry and carefulness she succeeded in making her
linen snow-white, so that all the housewives of that village and
neighboring town brought her their linens to bleach.
In this way Joseph Swift and his good little wife earned their daily
bread and a little more to lay by for time of need.
A big brown dog guarded the bleachery during the spring and summer
months; but in the early fall, when the grapes were ripening, he
transferred his attention to the vineyard. During the entire year, and
particularly in the long winter months, the house was his particular
care.
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