ng on your lips."

"You may have been right," he replied. "But if you'll allow me, I'll
say it some other time. I'll not interrupt you any longer to-day." He
glanced at the count and prepared to rise.

"My dear Count," said the fair girl, without the least embarrassment,
"I should like to say a few words to Herr Balder alone. If you would go
into the ante-room for five minutes--you will find books on the table,
and can amuse yourself in feeding my sparrows."

"I hope the private audience will not last too long," said the young
gentleman sharply, as he rose, and pulling his whiskers, walked slowly
toward the ante-room.

Toinette's color heightened. "Have patience," she cried. "Herr Balder
is a less frequent visitor than you, and I must avail myself of the
favorable opportunity. Besides, you'll lose nothing important, so far
as I am aware."

He made her an ironical bow and said: "You somewhat abuse your
sovereign rights, Fraeulein; but in case of necessity, the room to which
you send me has a second door of egress. _Au revoir_."

They were scarcely alone, when Balder seized Toinette's hand and
pressed it warmly. "Dear Fraeulein," he said, "I thank you for having
allowed me this interview. I shall not try the gentleman's patience
long. The object that has brought me here, in addition to the desire to
thank you in person, is soon explained. My brother has told me--from
the very beginning--the terms on which he stood with you, and that
yesterday you deprived him of all hope. I don't know whether you were
really as much in earnest as he supposed, whether it was indeed your
final answer. And Fraeulein, I'm so proud of my brother that I could not
make up my mind to utter even a syllable that might sound like
intercession to a woman who had really rejected him. It's not merely
the partiality of kindred blood: I've lived with him six years and know
his value, and I know that the best of women would scarcely be good
enough for him. Therefore, if the woman he loved did not perceive his
worth, it might at first be a great grief to him, but I should console
myself with the thought that she did not deserve him and must lack the
power to render him happy, if she could fail to appreciate his
nobleness and wealth of intellect, and her incredible piece of good
fortune to be loved by such a man. Knowing you as I do, dear Fraeulein,
through him and through my own short acquaintance with you, I have
formed too favorable an opinion of