a pillow. He was very gentle with her, and she thanked him over
and over again, and endeavoured to think that her escape had been
fortunate, and that her position was happy. Had she not succeeded in
flying from Peter Steinmarc? And after such a flight would not all
idea of a marriage with him be out of the question? For some little
time she was cheered by talking to him. She asked him about his
imprisonment. "Ah!" said he; "if I cannot be one too many for such an
old fogey as Herr Molk, I'll let out my brains to an ass, and take to
grazing on thistles." His offence had been political, and had been
committed in conjunction with others. And he and they were sure of
success ultimately,--were sure of success very speedily. Linda could
understand nothing of the subject. But she could hope that her lover
might prosper in his undertaking, and she could admire and love him
for encountering the dangers of such an enterprise. And then, half
sportively, half in earnest, she taxed him with that matter which was
next her heart. Who had been the young woman with the blue frock and
the felt hat who had been with him when he was brought before the
magistrates?

"Young woman;--with blue frock! who told you of the young woman,
Linda?" He came and knelt beside her as he asked the question,
leaving his watch for the moment; and she could see by the dim light
of the lamp outside that there was a smile upon his face,--almost
joyous, full of mirth.

"Who told me? The magistrate you were taken to; Herr Molk told me
himself," said Linda, almost happily. That smile upon his face had in
some way vanquished her feeling of jealousy.

"Then he is a greater scoundrel than I took him to be, or else a more
utter fool. The girl in the blue frock, Linda, was one of our young
men, who was to get out of the city in that disguise. And I believe
Herr Molk knew it when he tried to set you against me, by telling you
the story."

Whether Herr Molk had known this, or whether he had simply been fool
enough to be taken in by the blue frock and the felt hat, it is not
for us to inquire here. But Ludovic was greatly amused at the story,
and Linda was charmed at the explanation she had received. It was
only an extra feather in her lover's cap that he should have been
connected with a blue frock and felt hat under such circumstances as
those now explained to her. Then he went back to the window, and she
turned on her side and attempted to sleep.

To be in all