u've played the fool here long enough."

When he emerged from the house, Krafft had stopped whistling. He walked
with his hands in his pockets, his felt hat pulled down over his eyes.
At the corner, he was so lost in thought as to be unable to guide his
feet: he stood and gazed at the pavement. Still on the same spot, he
pushed his hat to the back of his head, and burst into such an eerie
peal of laughter that some ladies, who were coming towards him, started
back, and, picking up their skirts, went off the pavement, in order to
avoid passing him too nearly.

The following afternoon, at an hour when Maurice was safely out of the
way, Krafft climbed the stair to the house in the BRUDERSTRASSE.

The landlady did not know him. Yes, Fraulein was at home, she said;
but-- Krafft promptly entered, and himself closed the door.

Outside Louise's room, he listened, with bent head. Having satisfied
himself, he turned the handle of the door and went in.

Louise stood at the window, watching the snow fall. It had snowed
uninterruptedly since early morning; out of the leaden sky, flake after
flake fluttered down, whirled, spun, and became part of the fallen
mass. At the opening of the door, she did not stir; for it would only
be Maurice coming back to ask forgiveness; and she was too unspeakably
tired to begin all over again.

Krafft stood and eyed her, from the crown of her rough head, to the
bedraggled tail of the dressing-gown.

"GRUSS' GOTT, LULU!"

At the sound of his voice, she jumped round with a scream.

"You, Heinz! YOU!"

The blood suffused her face a purplish red; her voice was shrill with
dismay; her eyes hung on the young man as though he were a returning
spirit.

With an effort, she got the better of her first fright, and took a step
towards him. "How DARE you come into this room!"

Krafft hung his wet coat over the back of a chair, and wiped his face
dry of the melted snow.

"No heroics, Lulu!"

But she could not contain herself. "Oh, how dare you, It's a mean,
dishonourable trick--only you would do it!"

"Sit down and listen to what I have to say. It won't take long. And
it's to your own advantage, I think, not to make a noise.--May I smoke?"

She obeyed, taking the nearest chair; for she had begun to tremble; her
legs shook under her. But when he held out the case of cigarettes to
her, she struck it, and the contents were spilled on the floor.

"Look here, Lulu," he said, and crossing his legs, p