he entry and let him pass out. "There's
nobody at home," she whispered, "my parents won't return from the
christening until seven, the Herr Doctor has gone into the country, and
only Herr Walter--"

She suddenly remembered what she had promised the lonely youth. But it
was now too late, she would apologize in the evening.

"If its something that's to be an entire secret and you do not wish to
be seen in the house, run across the courtyard as fast as you can. The
old lady up stairs might happen to look out of the window. Dear me,
what's the matter? You're so pale and don't speak a word!"

He made no reply but followed her advice. Without looking to the right
or left, both glided across the little courtyard, which was now very
dark, and entered the work-shop whose windows were directly opposite to
the bean arbor. They were all closed.

"We'll open one," whispered the brisk little maiden. "You're not
accustomed to the smell of leather and cobbler's wax, and besides
there's no danger; as I said before, there's not even a cat in the
courtyard to overhear us. Well? Have you recovered your breath a
little? I really shudder at the thought of what this secret may be."

She had seated herself on a three-legged stool, with her back to the
open window, that he might not see her face distinctly, and was
smoothing with both hands the rebellious little curls that clustered
around her forehead. "It's very hot here," she said as he still
preserved his silence, and with both hands behind his back paced
heavily up and down the dark room, absorbed in deep thought. At last he
stopped before a table, on which lay various tools and half finished
pieces of work piled upon each other.

"Reginchen," said he, "perhaps this will be the last time we shall see
each other. If all signs do not fail, I shall either be a prisoner or
on my way to America to-morrow."

"Merciful God!" she exclaimed with unconcealed anguish, "you're not in
earnest."

"Only too much so," he answered in a hollow tone. "I am not surprised;
I've seen this coming a long time. Reginchen--look at me and tell me:
do you believe I'm capable of a crime?"

"You! You're the best man under the sun! You could not hurt a child--"

"Thank you, Reginchen. To hear you say so is a great consolation,
perhaps the only one I shall take with me, if I'm compelled to fly; no,
not even the consciousness that I'm suffering for a holy cause--"

"But pray tell me--"

"You're right, the m