Part 12 (1/2)

The bear growled at Mimi.

”Oh! keep him off!” gasped Mimi.

”I shall,” said Siegfried, ”if you will promise to answer all I ask.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”EAT HIM, BRUIN,” LAUGHED SIEGFRIED]

”I will! I will! I will tell you anything you want to know,” stammered Mimi.

Siegfried untied the rope.

”Good-bye, Bruin,” he said, as he gave him a friendly slap on the back, and the big bear trotted off to the woods.

SIEGFRIED AND MIMI

Mimi and Siegfried sat down upon the rocks in the cave, and Mimi told how he had found the baby in the woods and how he had brought him to the cave.

Mimi put in many words of how much Siegfried owed for all this care and trouble.

”Thou givest me always trouble and pain, I wear to shreds poor foolish me!

Now, for my care, this is my gain,-- Only abuse and hate from thee.”

Siegfried looked straight into Mimi's eyes.

He tried to see if Mimi were telling the truth.

”How did you know my name was Siegfried?” he asked.

Then Mimi told of the strange voice which said:--

”Siegfried is his name.”

But not once did the dwarf mention the sword.

”You cowardly little wretch!” cried Siegfried. ”You have told me so much that is not true that I can never believe you.

”How do I know that this is not another of your miserable falsehoods?

”Prove to me that this is true, or I shall make you sorry that you ever saw me. Prove it to me, I tell you!” cried Siegfried, as he grasped the shrinking dwarf by the shoulders.

”I will! I will!” gasped the frightened Mimi; and he brought out the broken sword.

SIEGFRIED MENDS HIS FATHER'S SWORD

Siegfried looked at the sword.

Then handing it back to Mimi, he said:--

”Mend it for me, Mimi! Mend it! Now is your chance to prove your skill!”