een a pleasure to you either, sir, to be laid up so far
from home."

"No, indeed."

"I may as well tell you now, sir, that we had to look over your papers
and clothes. In the first place, when you were so ill I would fain have
let your kinsfolk know, if I could have found a clue; and besides, you
needed linen."

"I am wearing a shirt of yours though," said I, touching my sleeve.

"Yes, sir!" said he again, reddening a little. "I told Thekla to take
the finest out of the chest; but I am afraid you find it coarser than
your own."

For all answer I could only lay my weak hand on the great brown paw
resting on the bed-side. He gave me a sudden squeeze in return that I
thought would have crushed my bones.

"I beg your pardon, sir," said he, misinterpreting the sudden look of
pain which I could not repress; "but watching a man come out of the
shadow of death into life makes one feel very friendly towards him."

"No old or true friend that I have had could have done more for me than
you, and your wife, and Thekla, and the good doctor."

"I am a widower," said he, turning round the great wedding-ring that
decked his third finger. "My sister keeps house for me, and takes care
of the children,--that is to say, she does it with the help of Thekla,
the house-maiden. But I have other servants," he continued. "I am well
to do, the good God be thanked! I have land, and cattle, and vineyards.
It will soon be our vintage-time, and then you must go and see my
grapes as they come into the village. I have a '_chasse_,' too, in the
Odenwald; perhaps one day you will be strong enough to go and shoot the
'_chevreuil_' with me."

His good, true heart was trying to make me feel like a welcome guest.
Some time afterwards I learnt from the doctor that--my poor fifty pounds
being nearly all expended--my host and he had been brought to believe in
my poverty, as the necessary examination of my clothes and papers showed
so little evidence of wealth. But I myself have but little to do with
my story; I only name these things, and repeat these conversations, to
show what a true, kind, honest man my host was. By the way, I may as
well call him by his name henceforward, Fritz Mueller. The doctor's name,
Wiedermann.

I was tired enough with this interview with Fritz Mueller; but when Dr.
Wiedermann came he pronounced me to be much better; and through the
day much the same course was pursued as on the previous one: being
fed, lying still, and s