down, bringing her to their little
house in the woods amid the best scenic effects.

"We won't even be able to receive a telegram tonight telling us what
has occurred, the office closes so early," Betty continued. "I wish at
least that Dick had not chosen to spend tonight in Berlin. Don't you
think he is behaving rather curiously lately, Esther? He is so unlike
himself and sometimes so cross. Of course I realized that he had a right
to be angry when those absurd German youths came wandering out here. But
I was glad enough to have him write to Franz Schmidt that he was never
to see me again. And we have not exactly the right to forbid Frederick
von Reuter's coming to this neighborhood. You don't believe, do you,
Esther child, that Dick can be staying in town so often lately to see
that abominable girl at our old pension?"

Esther chanced to be gazing at the beautiful landscape through which
they were passing, so that the younger girl had no opportunity for
observing her face. Moreover, Esther's rather weary and wistful
expression would not have altogether surprised her, as both she and her
mother had been worrying recently over Esther's appearance. Undoubtedly
she was working too hard over her music. She went into town twice a week
for lessons and the thought of her appearance in the early autumn might
also be making her nervous.

Esther made no answer now to Betty's complaints, but instead pointed
toward a hill at the left of them. Near the summit they could see a gray
stone house, looking more like a prison than the American ideal of a
home, and yet possessing a kind of lonely beauty and dignity.

"Whose castle is that, Betty, do you know?" Esther queried. Betty
wondered if the question was intended to change the current of her
thoughts.

"It looks far more like one of the castles that we saw during our trip
along the Rhine than the estates near Berlin."

Then for some absurd reason Betty blushed. "It is Fritz von Reuter's
uncle's place, I believe. I have always intended telling you, Esther, if
you will promise not to mention it to Dick. The day I first came to this
neighborhood to look for a place for us to live I had rather an odd
experience."

Betty would have continued her confession, but at this moment they were
driving through a wonderful stretch of woodland road. The way was narrow
and on one side was a sharp decline and on the other a thick growth of
evergreens. Moving toward them was a horse with a you