te song! Be careful, Babette, he must not hear us."

She went in on tiptoe, as noiselessly as an elf, across the old hall,
and softly opened the door of a little, low-ceilinged corner room;
Babette, who, overcome by joy and surprise, had not noticed the stranger
standing in the shadow, followed her dear Fraeulein. The door was left
open, and Willibald could hear a cover laid back cautiously and a chair
pushed gently in place. Then she began a low prelude. The sounds which
the old worn out spinet gave forth were tremulous and thin, and made one
think of an ancient harp; but the maiden's voice recalled the lark's
song of rejoicing.

The singing was not long continued, for a door opposite was opened
hastily, and an old man with white hair appeared upon the threshold.

"Marietta! my Marietta, is it really you?"

"Grandpapa!" cried the young girl exultantly, as she ceased her song and
rushed forward to throw herself in the old man's arms.

"You bad child. Why did you frighten me so?" he said, tenderly. "I did
not expect you until day after to-morrow, and intended going to the
railway station to meet you. When I heard your voice so suddenly just
now, I believed my ears had deceived me."

The girl laughed out gaily like an excited child.

"Ah, I have succeeded in surprising you, grandpapa, haven't I? I came up
the back road, but the wheels stuck so in the mud that I had to get out
and walk part of the way. I came in through the garden and by the back
door--well, Babette, what is it?"

"Fraeulein, the carrier is still waiting with the satchel," Babette had
just discovered that a stranger was on the premises. "Shall I give him
money for a drink and let him go?"

The young man, thus designated as the carrier, still stood, satchel in
hand, awaiting Marietta's pleasure. Dr. Volkmar turned at once, and
recognizing who it was, cried in a frightened tone:

"Good heavens--Herr von Eschenhagen!"

"Do you know the gentleman?" asked Marietta, without any especial
interest or surprise, for her grandfather, being the only physician in
the region, of course knew every one.

"To be sure I know him. Babette, take the valise at once. I beg your
pardon, sir. I did not know that you were acquainted with my
granddaughter."

"Why, we never saw each other before to-day," explained Marietta. "But,
grandpapa, will you not introduce me to this gentleman?"

"Certainly, my child. Herr Willibald von Eschenhagen of Burgsdorf--"

"Toni's b