and she felt for him.

They were left standing alone together. The room looked quite empty
without the piano; it was like the breaking up of a home. Neither of
them spoke for a moment, and Von Barwig could see that she had found
him out again.

"What an awful liar she must think I am," thought he.

"Poor, dear old man trying to conceal his poverty," thought she. Then
an idea came to her.

"I want you to come and see me, Herr Von Barwig," she said. "I am
going to take up piano study again, and I want you to help me. I shall
be at home to-morrow afternoon at three. Of course you must be very
busy, but if you have no other engagement will you call?"

"I will call, madam. I--I am--not engaged at that hour," said Von
Barwig gratefully, as he bowed to her. Miss Stanton acknowledged the
bow.

"You won't find me a very apt pupil, but you'll take me, won't you?
Do, please take me!"

The old man could not speak; too many conflicting thoughts were working
in his mind. "Take her! Good God--" The very idea overwhelmed him.

"You will take me, won't you?" she urged gently.

He took the card, and nodded. He dared not trust himself to speak; he
would have broken down and he knew it.

"Good-bye!" she said. "Good-bye; it's getting so late, I must go!" She
held out her hand. He took it and kissed it reverently, bowing his
head as if she were a queen.

"Good-bye," she said again at the hall door. "Don't forget!" she
added, as she waved her hand from the carriage window. Joles slammed
the door shut and got on the box, and she was driven away.

The old man watched the carriage until it was out of sight, returning
to his room in a dream. He could not realise or explain his feelings.
He had been happy, perfectly happy; that was all he knew. He had been
at rest, contented, satisfied for a few brief moments, and that glimpse
of heaven had put new, strange thoughts into his life--thoughts that
made his blood pulsate. He recognised that life had taken on a new
aspect; how or why he knew not. A strange young lady had called upon
him, and had left a card; he was to see her again, and his whole life
was changed. This was the only point that was clear to him, that his
life had changed. How long he sat there, trying to think it out and
understand, he knew not.

The old crack-faced clock, with one hand, that Miss Husted had put on
the mantelpiece, struck the hour with its old cracked bell, and it
startled him. He