y God, I had no suspicion of
it."

He now told her all that he had heard from the woman, the previous
destination of the rooms, the understanding between the landlady and
the count, the dangers to which in her unsuspicious ignorance, she had
exposed herself. "I myself," he concluded, "although often anxious when
I thought of the mystery that surrounded your life--believe me my dear
friend--only needed to see you enter the room, hear your voice, your
laugh, to be perfectly satisfied, fully convinced, that nothing base
could ever have dominion over you. I was much more inclined to believe
you to be in reality what you were only feigning to be: a true princess
in disguise who would again re-ascend her throne some day and then
appoint the faithful servant, who during her exile had often chatted
away her cares and _ennui_, to some position that would require no
gloves, such as court book-inspector, or private secretary, or even
chief bird feeder to Her Highness Duchess Toinette."

She did not seem to hear the jest. The sweet face was bent steadily
toward the ground, the little hands trembled. She suddenly paused
again.

"And the letter?" she asked, without looking at him, "Did you bring it
with you?"

He drew it out of his pocket. "It did not disturb my slumbers," he
answered smiling. "Shall we destroy it unread and throw it into the
pond among the withered leaves?"

"No. Read it. Read it aloud." He broke the black seal and read the
following lines:

"Honored Fraulein:

"_You persist in refusing me a reply. I see that you put no faith in my
written assurances of devotion, and if it were possible for anything to
increase the strength of my love, it would be this proof of your proud
reserve, I will henceforth spare you my letters, as I shall soon be
able to reaffirm all my professions verbally, and then I hope to remove
all your doubt of the sincerity of my passion. The event I feared has
happened, my father died to-night, That the first lines I write after
this heavy loss, are addressed to you, will prove better than any words
could do, that all my hopes in life are bound up in your image, that my
happiness or misery is in your hands. Whether, in my present condition,
you will deem me worthy of kinder treatment I must humbly wait for you
to decide._

"_Ever yours_

"Franz Count R----

"If the man is to be judged from his style, we have been has