real pleasure to him to
observe the interest with which his young friend had followed the
exposition. And this was nothing but the truth, for he was positively
enraptured with Cousin Hans.

"Come and sit down now, young man. We deserve a little rest after a
ten-hours' battle," he added, smiling.

Cousin Hans seated himself on the bench and felt his collar with some
anxiety. Before coming out, he had put on the most fascinating one his
wardrobe afforded. Fortunately, it had retained its stiffness; but he
felt the force of Wellington's words: "Night or Bluecher"--for it would
not have held out much longer.

It was fortunate, too, that the warm afternoon sun had kept strollers
away from the esplanade. Otherwise a considerable audience would
probably have gathered around these two gentlemen, who went on
gesticulating with their arms, and now and then prancing around.

They had had only one on-looker--the sentry who stands at the corner of
the gymnastic-school.

His curiosity had enticed him much too far from his post, for he had
marched several leagues along the highway from Brussels to Waterloo.
The captain would certainly have called him to order long ago for this
dereliction of duty but for the fact that the inquisitive private had
been of great strategic importance. He represented, as he stood there,
the whole of Wellington's reserve; and now that the battle was over the
reserve retired in good order northward towards Brussels, and again took
up _le poste perdu_ at the corner of the gymnastic-school.

III.

"Suppose you come home and have some supper with me," said the captain;
"my house is very quiet, but I think perhaps a young man of your
character may have no great objection to passing an evening in a quiet
family."

Cousin Hans's heart leaped high with joy; he accepted the invitation in
the modest manner peculiar to him, and they were soon on the way to No.
34.

How curiously fortune favored him to-day! Not many hours had passed
since he saw her for the first time; and now, in the character of a
special favorite of her father, he was hastening to pass the evening in
her company.

The nearer they approached to No. 34, in the more life-like colors did
the enchanting vision of Miss Schrappe stand before his eyes; the
blonde hair curling over the forehead, the lithe figure, and then these
roguish, light-blue eyes!

His heart beat so that he could scarcely speak, and as they mounted the
stair he had t