er's table. As for the General, I had
never yet seen him in such good spirits. The table so well served, the
appetizing dishes, and the wines which he had such a delicate manner
of tasting--all this just suited his epicurean habits. Afterwards
we drank coffee in the garden, and Rolf insisted upon our drinking
a bowl of May wine; for he was most anxious to display his skill in
the composition of this very famous German beverage.

This completed the entertainment, for the country people are accustomed
to retire early; and the evening was still young when a great lumbering
coach drew up before the hall door, to convey the visitors back to
the village.

I had hoped to meet Francis and propose a walk round the garden,
but she was nowhere to be found. It appeared she had run over to
the Pauwelsens with some of the dainties for the old bed-ridden
grandmother. And her first care on her return was to inquire the
whereabouts of her grandfather.

"He must not be left alone for a moment to-day," she said to me;
"I have not been at my ease all this day."

"Because of Rudolf?" I inquired.

"I can never be sure what whim he will take into his head next. But
you are sure that he is gone?"

"Certainly, before I was awake; but he left his pocket-book on the
table. I will take it to him to-morrow."

"Don't do anything of the sort, I am sure he will come back; this
thought has pursued me like my shadow all this day. But tell me what
you thought of my dinner."

"You were a charming hostess, Francis. How I should like to see you
mistress of a well-furnished house of your own!"

"And one in which it would not be necessary to take the silver out
of pawn when I expected visitors," she replied bitterly.

"My dear cousin, I know this must have been a bitter trouble to you,"
I answered compassionately.

"This I feel the most humiliating of all; but I did it to please
my old grandfather, upon whom I can be severe enough at times about
his weaknesses. Rolf, who in spite of his faults is the best-natured
fellow in the world, went to the town of----, and we polished it up
ourselves. We would not let Fritz into the secret."

"And to me, Francis, to whom you owe nothing, you have given much
pleasure, by surprising me with this little Russian leather case----"

"Don't mention such a trifle. I only wished to mark the day on which
you became my friend."

"Yes, indeed, your friend for life," I answered, gently drawing her arm
within mine.