tention, and she had
not caught a sight of the woman's face or figure. Could it be her aunt
come to torture her again--her and her father? She knew that Souchey
was down-stairs, hanging somewhere in idleness about the door, and
therefore she did not leave her place. If it were indeed her aunt, her
aunt might come up there to seek her. Or it might possibly be Lotta
Luxa, who, next to her aunt, was of all women the most disagreeable to
Nina. Lotta, indeed, was not so hard to bear as aunt Sophie, because
Lotta could be answered sharply, and could be told to go, if matters
proceeded to extremities. In such a case Lotta no doubt would not
go; but still the power of desiring her to do so was much. Then Nina
remembered that Lotta never wore her petticoats so full as was the
morsel of drapery which she had seen. And as she thought of this
there came a low knock at the door. Nina, without rising, desired the
stranger to come in. Then the door was gently opened, and Rebecca Loth
the Jewess stood before her. Nina had seen Rebecca, but had never
spoken to her. Each girl had heard much of the other from their younger
friend Ruth Jacobi. Ruth was very intimate with them both, and Nina had
been willing enough to be told of Rebecca, as had Rebecca also to be
told of Nina. "Grandfather wants Anton to marry Rebecca," Ruth had said
more than once; and thus Nina knew well that Rebecca was her rival. "I
think he loves her better than his own eyes," Ruth had said to Rebecca,
speaking of her uncle and Nina. But Rebecca had heard from a thousand
sources of information that he who was to have been her lover had
forgotten his own people and his own religion, and had given himself
to a Christian girl. Each, therefore, now knew that she looked upon an
enemy and a rival; but each was anxious to be very courteous to her
enemy.

Nina rose from her chair directly she saw her visitor, and came forward
to meet her. "I suppose you hardly know who I am, Fraeulein?" said
Rebecca.

"Oh, yes," said Nina, with her pleasantest smile; "you are Rebecca
Loth."

"Yes, I am Rebecca Loth, the Jewess."

"I like the Jews," said Nina.

Rebecca was not dressed now as she had been dressed on that gala
occasion when we saw her in the Jews' quarter. Then she had been as
smart as white muslin and bright ribbons and velvet could make her. Now
she was clad almost entirely in black, and over her shoulders she wore
a dark shawl, drawn closely round her neck. But she had