ked meaningly at his friends the other
farmers; Miss Estcourt's private engagement to Lohm seemed to be placed
beyond a doubt by her presence in his house on this occasion.

"How delightful of you," said Axel to her in English.

"I am glad to hear," she replied stiffly in German, for she was still
angry with him because of Letty's hair, "I am glad to hear that you will
have no losses from this."

"Losses!" cried Manske. "On the contrary, it is the best thing that
could happen--the very best thing. Those stables have long been almost
unfit for use, Herr von Lohm, and I can say from my heart that I was
glad to see them go. They were all to pieces even in your father's
time."

"Yes, they ought to have been rebuilt long ago, but one has not always
the money in one's pocket. Help yourself, my dear pastor."

"Who is the enemy?" broke in Dellwig's harsh voice.

"Ah, who indeed?" said Manske, looking sad. "That is the melancholy side
of the affair--that someone, presumably of my parish, should commit such
a crime."

"He has done me a great service, anyhow," said Axel, filling the
glasses.

"He has imperilled his immortal soul," said Manske.

"Have you such an enemy?" asked Anna, surprised.

"I did not know it. Most likely it was some poor, half-witted devil, or
perhaps--perhaps a child."

"But I saw the blaze immediately after I passed you," said Dellwig. "You
were within a stone's throw of the stables, going home. I had hardly
reached them when the fire broke out. Did you then see no one on the
road?"

"No, I did not," said Axel shortly. There was an aggressive note in
Dellwig's voice that made him fear he was going to be very zealous in
helping to bring the delinquent to justice.

"It was the supper hour," said Dellwig, musing, "and the men would all
be indoors. Had you been to the stables, _gnaediger Herr_?"

"No, I had not. Take another glass of wine. A cigar? Whoever it was, he
has done me a good turn."

"Beyond all doubt he has," said Dellwig, his eyes fixed on Axel with an
odd expression.

"Some of us would have no objection to the same thing happening at our
places," remarked one of the farmers jocosely.

"No objection whatever," agreed another with a laugh.

"If the man could be trusted to display the same discrimination
everywhere," said the third.

"Joke not about crime," said Manske, rebuking them.

"The discrimination was certainly remarkable," said Dellwig.

"That is why I think it must