pecial work."

"I understand, I understand. And do you think that you can train a boy,
of whom you have formed so low an opinion?"

"I have not a low opinion of Roland, neither of his head nor his heart.
He seems to me not unsusceptible of love, but it is to him an
enjoyment, not also a duty; he has the qualities belonging to the
average of men not marked by any special characteristic, and those are
entirely sufficient to form him, under judicious and proper direction,
into a good and honorable man, happy himself, and able to make others
happy. And I shall be very glad, in the meanwhile, if I am mistaken in
attributing to Roland no special genius."

"I honor and value highly your great earnestness," Sonnenkamp
interposed, "but I am just now in great haste. Inform Roland of your
position."

He seemed out of humor, as he rolled his cigar from one corner of his
mouth to the other, and busied himself with his papers, just as if Eric
were no longer present.

Eric left the work-room of Sonnenkamp, and betook himself to Roland. He
found the boy busily employed in chewing a piece of half-raw meat, and
giving the chewed morsels to the lately broken-in dog; the huntsman
affirmed that that would attach the dog to him inseparably. Eric looked
on a while, and then requested Roland to send the dog away, as he had
something to say to him.

"Can't the dog stay with us?"

Eric made no reply, for he saw that he must first settle whether he or
the dog had the deepest hold. On his casting a sharp look again upon
Roland, the boy said, "Come, Devil, wait here at the door," and
returning, he exclaimed, "There, now go on."

Eric took Roland's hand, and informed him that he had come to be his
tutor. Roland leaned his handsome head upon his partly closed hand,
gazing at the speaker fixedly with his large, restless, glowing eyes.

"I knew it," he said at last.

"And who told you?"

"The huntsman and Joseph."

"And why did you say nothing to me about it?"

Roland made no answer to this, only looking at the speaker, as if he
would say, "I can wait." He only once removed his gaze, when Eric
added, that he had wished to try first whether he was adapted to the
family. Roland still remained silent. The dog scratched at the door;
Roland looked towards it, but did not venture to open it. Eric opened
it. The dog sprang in, crouched down before Roland, and then went to
Eric and licked his hands; he seemed to be a mysterious messenger, a
s