you, as trustee for the management of the
property, and to provide for Walter's wants until he becomes of age. I
hope you will not object to this."

"Helen!"--cried the Meister--"and you yourself?"

"Don't imagine I could forget myself," she said merrily. "I took good
care to keep enough for my own livelihood; especially as I mean to look
out for a situation in some respectable family where there is an orphan
to bring up. I have been in a good school for that you know."

"And when you are old, and feel loath to be dependent upon strangers,
though you may think it so easy now?"

"I should not be forlorn or forsaken even then," she said very
earnestly. "I shall find a home for my old age in my dear Walter's
house, and I hope his young wife will never turn me from the door." A
long silence ensued.

"You don't seem to be entirely satisfied with my plan, brother," she
began again. "But it really is the best plan for all of us. When your
son is taken off your hands, you will be able to do what you have
wished for all your life. You can sell this house and garden, give up
the business, and go to Italy for a year or two. In that lovely Italy
you rave about, you would soon shake off your horrid rheumatisms, that
torment you so. And one fine day, Walter would cross the Alps and join
you, when he finished his studies; and then you could shew him all
those marvels of Art and Nature you are always yearning after, and you
would be happy both together--and I--"

Her voice faltered, she could not continue. The Meister turned from the
window,--and, in an instant,--for she was too unsuspecting to prevent
him, he had flung himself upon his knees before her, as though he had
lost his senses. He hid his rough grey head upon her lap, smothering
the strange sounds that fell from his lips; stammering and sobbing in
wordless protestation.

"Don't, brother;" she whispered, in a trembling voice, bending over
him; "come to your senses, and hear me out. I have a favor to ask of
you in return, that you may not feel inclined to grant me, and in case
you should refuse it, the whole plan falls to the ground."

He looked up in her face, without rising from his knees. The great
strong man lay helpless and crushed by the tempest of feeling that had
swept over him. He had taken one of her hands, and pressed it to his
lips. She went on.

"This thing I am going to do would be of no use whatever, if Walter
ever came to know I did it. He is not a ch