yard beyond, where the mother lay sleeping.

He entered the room. "Veronica, give me your hand once more. I am going,"
he said, coming towards her.

"Where are you going, Dietrich?" she asked in a voice that was wholly
without feeling; and the cold tone seemed to stab the young man's heart as
with a knife. "It is all one to her;" he thought.

"I am going out into the world. I am going to work to pay my debts. I have
no home; and as there is no one on earth who cares for me, I can bear my
burden better anywhere than here."

"Then go, in God's name," said Veronica, and she held out her hand to him.
This was too much for Dietrich. He made one struggle for self-control and
then broke down completely.

"Can you let me go so coolly, Veronica? not one kindly word for me? If I
might stay here with you, I would work day and night like the meanest
servant; I would do anything and everything for you. But no! I must go! I
could not bear it! How could I stay and see you give yourself to some one
else--I who have lost you,--lost you forever!"

The young man threw himself into a chair, buried his face in his hands,
and cried like a child.

Veronica was as white as snow. She went to his side, and laid her hand
upon his shoulder.

"Dietrich," she said softly, "if you feel in this way, why don't you ask
me how I feel, when I think of living on here alone when you have gone;
when you have left me perhaps forever?"

Dietrich raised his eyes to hers. A look lay there, a look such as he had
dreamed of in his banishment. He sprang to his feet, and seized her hand.

"Veronica, can you love me? can you trust me?"

She did not withdraw her hand, and looked him full in the eyes.

"I have always loved you, Dietrich," she said, "and if I know that you can
pray again to God, and promise to live a life acceptable to Him, I can
trust you too."

The young man pressed her to his heart. "Is it true, is it possible?" he
cried. "Oh Veronica, can it be true?"

But suddenly he started back, and said in a frightened tone,

"No, I dare not. I cannot. Who am I? I am nothing; I have nothing, less
than nothing; and I know what you are and how far above me. Jost wrote me
that there was no hope for me. I wanted to make you so happy--I meant to
get money and provide all sorts of beautiful things for you and to make
you the happiest woman in the world. And now! now I am a beggar, and a
miserable creature into the bargain."

Veronica shook her head.