replied Von Barwig. "I am only a
teacher! There are so many. I thought perhaps you had replaced me."

"Don't talk like that, please," said Helene quickly, and shutting the
piano up with a bang, she arose. "You know that I esteem you very
highly," and she stopped suddenly. "I am going to find out all about
these stolen letters and father will punish the culprit. He is very
strict in these matters; he always punishes the guilty."

"But it is over and done now, so why punish any one?" began Von Barwig.
Helene shook her head.

"It hasn't begun yet," she said, ringing the bell. Denning answered
it. "Send Joles please," she said.

Denning bowed and a little later Joles appeared.

"Herr Von Barwig, my music master, will be here at three o'clock
to-morrow afternoon. You will please admit him at once."

"Yes, madam," and Joles bowed his head rather lower than usual.

Von Barwig took leave of his pupil, appearing not to notice her
outstretched hand, but merely bowing to her as he said good-bye. Joles
opened the front door for him and Von Barwig looked at him pityingly.
His triumph over the servant was so complete that he felt sorry for him.

"Perhaps you did not mean to keep back the letters," said Von Barwig to
him in a low, sympathetic voice.

Joles looked at him in blank astonishment.

"You have perhaps a family to support," went on Von Barwig. "I will
ask Mr. Stanton to forgive you."

"Sir!" said Mr. Joles, with some slight show of indignation, "I do not
understand you."

Von Barwig looked at the man a moment, and seeing that it was useless
to discuss the matter with him he walked slowly down the stone steps,
wondering what it all meant.

On the following morning Mr. Stanton arrived home. He appeared to be
in very high spirits. Helene could not remember when her father had
been so light-hearted and gay. She wanted to tell him about the
suppression of her letters, of Joles's contempt for her orders, and his
lies about Von Barwig, but these were matters that evidently did not
interest Mr. Stanton, for he paid very little attention to her
complaints.

"It is your birthday," he said, "let no unpleasant features mar the
day! See, I have not forgotten!" and Mr. Stanton produced a box that
came from the most fashionable and most expensive jewelry establishment
in America. "A trifle," he said. "Put it with your other gifts and
show it to your friends when they come this afternoon."

Helene opened