eturn
to the beautiful metals, and the modelling, and that the sooner the
better.

When the world was wrapt in twilight, Friedrich, and with him Reinhold,
who had been hard hit by the hoop, and felt sore in every bone of his
body, crept, very unhappy, back to town. At the back of a hedge they
heard a low sobbing and sighing. They stopped: and presently a tall
figure rose from the earth, which they at once recognised to be Conrad;
and they started back, alarmed. "Ah! don't fear me, you dear fellows!"
Conrad cried. "You think I am a diabolical, murdering dog; but I really
am nothing of the kind. Only I couldn't help myself. I was _obliged_ to
dash the life out of that fat old master--shiver all the bones in his
body--settle the hash of him; oh! come along back with me now, and let
me do it properly! Ah! no!--no, no! The whole thing is over! you won't
see me any more. Give my deepest homage to the beautiful Rosa, whom I
love so dearly, so dearly. Tell her I will wear her flowers on my heart
as long as I live, and that they shall be upon me when I--but perhaps
she may hear of me again yet. Good-bye! good-bye! dear old friends and
comrades!" With which he ran off across the fields without a stop.

"There's something very strange about that young fellow," Reinhold
said. "We can't judge what he does by every-day standards. Perhaps the
future may unravel this mystery which so weighs on us now."

REINHOLD LEAVES MASTER MARTIN'S HOUSE.

Master Martin's workshop was now as melancholy a place as it had once
been merry. Reinhold, unable to work, remained in his room. Master
Martin, with his arm in a sling, railed and rated unceasingly on the
subject of his late evil, unintelligible journeyman. Rosa and Frau
Martha with her children avoided the scene of the mad attempt, so that
Friedrich's hammer on the wood sounded mournful and hollow, as he went
on, finishing the job by himself.

Soon his heart was filled with the deepest sorrow. For he fancied he
now saw very clearly that what he had long dreaded was the truth. He
was _sure_ that Rosa loved Reinhold. It was not only that all her real
friendliness, besides many a sweet word, had all along been given to
him; but it was proof sufficient that, now that Reinhold was unable to
come to the workshop, she never thought of leaving the house, either,
doubtless, to nurse and take care of her lover. On Sunday, when
everybody went out to make holiday, and Master Martin-