Then he added
quickly, "No, I don't want to see any one! I'm better now; these
attacks pass away quickly. Sit down, my dear child; I want to talk to
you. What were you saying?" he asked, anxious to hear and yet not
wishing to arouse her suspicion as to the cause of his anxiety.

"Nothing of any importance, father."

"Yes, yes; I insist! Go right on with our conversation where we left
off. You were speaking of your--your--musical professor, Anton Von
Barwig." Mr. Stanton had almost completely recovered himself now.

"How did you know his first name, father?"

"You mentioned it, you must have done so," said Mr. Stanton quickly.
"Yes, I remember you did! When you first mentioned his name, you
called him Anton. And he is upstairs," added her father with a curious
laugh, "in this house."

Helene thought his manner most strange. He was regarding her now with
a curious, searching gaze. "He can have told her nothing," he
muttered, "he must be as ignorant of the truth as she is. Good God,
what a coincidence!"

Joles came and Ditson was sent for. When the confidential secretary
arrived, Mr. Stanton and he went into the private study. Helene
followed them.

"Will you need me any more, father?" she asked anxiously.

"No, no!" replied Mr. Stanton.

Helene went out and closed the door. As she reached the stairway she
heard the key turn in the lock. "Why does he lock himself in?" she
thought. When Helene returned to the music room she found her music
master waiting patiently for her.

"Forgive me for keeping you waiting!" she said.

"There is great pleasure even in waiting for those we love; we love to
teach, I should say," he added quickly.

Inwardly Helene found herself contrasting her father with this man.
"If only he had the tenderness, the lovable qualities of this old
musician," she thought, "how I could love him!" As he was taking his
leave, her eye caught the music on top of the cabinet and in a moment
she saw it had been disturbed. She looked quickly at Von Barwig, but
he gave no sign that he knew of its existence.

"I hope some day to be able to play those compositions for you," she
said, pointing to them.

"Yes," replied Von Barwig with a smile. "I hope so."

"I'll surprise you some day," she added.

"Yes," said Von Barwig simply, and he determined to allow her to
surprise him. "Good-bye!" he said, bowing. She held out her hand.

"Good-bye!" she replied almost tenderly.

"To-morr