!
you have been examining, and examined, long enough. Come with me, spend
the night at my house; to-morrow return to your mother, and wait
quietly for what may come next."

"But Roland," asked Eric, "how can I leave the boy behind? His heart
has turned to me, as mine has to him."

"That's well, very well. Then let him wait and long for you. Let him
learn that the rich cannot have everything. Let him feel obliged to sue
for you. All that will give you a power of incalculable influence in
the family and over your pupil. Let me act for you now; to-morrow
morning you will see with my eyes."

"There is my hand. I'll go with you!" answered Eric.

There was great surprise in the house when the announcement of Eric's
sudden departure was made; an hour had scarcely elapsed when he entered
the physician's carriage.

Eric was glad that his leave-taking of Roland was hurried. The boy
could not understand what had happened; his emotion prevented him from
speaking. After Eric had seated himself in the doctor's carriage,
Roland came with one of the puppies and laid it in his lap, but the
physician gave it back, saying that he could not take it, it was too
young to be taken from the mother; but he would see that Eric should
have it eventually.

Roland gazed wonderingly after the departing guests. In the boy's heart
there was a confused whirl of all the feelings which he had experienced
in the few days since Eric's arrival; but Eric did not look back. In
his father's house the boy felt as if abandoned in a strange land. He
took the young dog by the nape of the neck, and was about to throw it
from him, but the puppy whimpered pitifully, and he pressed it to his
breast, saying,--"Be quiet, nothing is hurting you; but I'm not a dog,
and I don't whine, now don't you whine any more either. He didn't want
either of us." Roland carried the dog to its mother, who was very glad
to see her pup again.

"I'll go to my mother, too," said Roland; but he had first to be
announced. She allowed him to enter, and when he lamented that Eric had
gone so suddenly, she said,--

"That's right; I advised him to go."

"You? Why?"

"Oh, your stupid _why_! One can't be always answering your why!"

Roland was silent, and his mother's kiss almost pained him.

He wanted to go to his father, but found that he had driven to the
castle with the Major.

Deserted and lonely, he stood in the court; at last he went into the
stable, sat down by his dogs an