ion Brother Friedsam's slight had with Daniel Scheible's love
letters I leave the reader to determine. But in her anger she fished
these notes out of a basket used to hold her changes of white raiment,
and read them all over slowly, line by line, and for the first time
with a lively interest in their contents. They were very ingenious; and
they very cleverly pictured to her the joys of a home of her own with a
devoted husband. She found evidences of very amiable traits in the
writer. But why should I trace in detail the curious but familiar
process by which a girl endows a man with all the qualities she wishes
him to possess?

The very next day Scheible, who had been melancholy ever since he began
to send to Tabea letters that brought no answer, was observed to be in
a mood so gleeful that his companions in the paper mill doubted his
sanity. The fountain of this joy was a note from Tabea stowed away in
the pocket of his gown. She had not signed it with her convent title,
but with the initials M. T., for her proper name, Margaretha Thome.
There were many fluctuations in Tabea's mind and many persuasive notes
from Scheible before the nun at length promised to forsake the convent,
now grown bitter to her, for the joys of a home. Even then Daniel could
not help feeling insecure in regard to a piece of good fortune so
dazzling, and he sent note after note to urge her to have the day for
the wedding fixed.

Meantime the young man created but little sensation by leaving the
mill, as his term of apprenticeship had expired, and he had never
professed much attachment to the brotherhood.

Sister Tabea had persistently omitted the rehearsals, and so the grand
chorals were now given on the Sabbaths without her voice, and Jael felt
no little exultation at this state of things. At length, after much
wavering, Tabea made a final resolution to leave the convent, and to
accept the love of the adventurous youth who had shown so persistent an
affection for her.

As soon as the day of the wedding was arranged by means of the
surreptitious notes which she continued to exchange with Scheible, she
prepared to leave Sharon and Ephrata. But nothing could be farther from
her plans than the project proposed by her lover that she should elope
with him at night. Tabea meant to march out with all her colors flying.

First of all she went to see the sinister prophetess, Sister Jael.

"I've finished that turtledove, Sister Jael, and now I am goin