amp's, Pranken had spent a few days at
Mattenheim, and in that short time had introduced a disorderly state of
things at the farm, which was not without its effects even at the
present time.

CHAPTER II.

A PEBBLE ANSWERS FOR A JEWEL.

Knopf, meanwhile, talked much with Roland, and congratulated him in
having a man like Eric for a teacher. Roland was as inattentive as
ever, asking at last only this question,--

"What is the maiden's name?"

"Lilian. And this is the miraculous part of it! You gave her in the
wood a Mayflower, and the Mayflower is also called Lily of the Valley."

"What's her father?"

"A famous lawyer, a leading opponent of slavery."

Knopf would rather have given himself a slap on the mouth, than to have
uttered what he did. But it couldn't be unsaid. He turned suddenly and
looked sharply at Roland, and, to his satisfaction, he became convinced
that no effect had been produced upon the youth.

During the whole distance they seemed to be hearing the music of the
waltz, and now, as they approached the farm, that ceased, for there
struck upon their ears the rushing and roaring of a mill-stream and the
clattering of a mill. The stream flowed underneath a large part of the
house, and turned the mill constructed there.

"You will not sleep well to-night," said Knopf to Roland.

"Why not?"

"Because you must first get used to the noise of the mill; if one is
accustomed to it, he sleeps the more soundly for it. It was so with my
little pupil."

Not far from the farm buildings, the different individuals, meeting
again, were standing near the palings of an inclosure, where Roland was
delighted with the handsome colts that were frisking about within, and
which all came up to the fence when they sniffed Herr Weidmann's
proximity.

He informed them that this was his "little children's school;" he had
established a "coltgarten" for colts, to which all the breeders of
horses in the district sent the foals. There was good pasture-land,
where they could perform their gymnastic exercises, be well-sheltered
and safely cared for. This helped the whole surrounding country in the
rearing of horses.

Roland was highly pleased with this information, and Eric took fresh
satisfaction in the thought of having brought him here. A man like
Weidmann would exert an influence over Roland such as no other person
could.

"Have you studied chemistry?" Weidma