erfectly sure of her reciprocal love. Well, I succeeded at
last; I will even assert that Anna Maria was right. We were
ill-suited to each other; perhaps she would have been unhappy
with a man of such entirely different inclinations. Then I see
Susanna and--love the betrothed of my best friend!

"'What remains to me? Again I turn my back on my home and seek
to forget.

"'In Buetze everything will remain as of old, and I--go. But I
do not like to leave you, who have suspected it, in darkness.
Pardon me if have caused you anxiety; I did so unconsciously.
Think of me kindly! When I come home again some day, Susanna
will be the wife of my friend, and I--a calm man, who will have
forgotten all the dreams of youth. I kiss your dear hands, and
beg you to let what I have said here remain our secret. Susanna
will be most likely of all to suspect why I went--she will
secretly mourn for me, but only soon to forget me in her young
happiness.

"'Farewell, with most heartfelt respect,

"'Your most devoted

"'EDWIN VON STUeRMER.'

"The sheet trembled in my hands, and every instant tears hindered my
reading.

"About half-past three in the afternoon Pastor Gruene came with his
sister to offer congratulations on the engagement. Ah, me! yes,
yesterday the appointment for publishing the banns was made. Anna Maria
and I sat in painful embarrassment, receiving the hearty congratulations
of the two old friends. They inquired for the young bride-elect, and the
pastor praised her beauty and her happy, child-like nature. When he saw
Anna Maria's pale face, he took her hand:

"'My dear child,' said he, kindly and earnestly, 'marriages are made in
Heaven. God leads the hearts together, and when they have found each
other no human being may disturb them. So few marriages are made to-day
out of true, unselfish love that it ought to be a real joy for every one
who experiences it, to see a couple go before the altar who are
restrained by no earthly consideration from belonging to each other in
true love. God's blessing be upon Klaus von Hegewitz and his bride!' He
was much moved, the old man who had held Klaus and Anna Maria over the
font, but in surprise he let the girl's hand drop, with a look of
disapprobation at the cold, unsympathetic face. She did not answer a
syllable.

"My old friend had, a little while before, drawn a sheet of paper from