unusually
loud and excited tone in which Louise spoke. He could not be mistaken;
it was the young lady's voice--but oh! the import of her words. He
looked through an opening in the foliage, and sat thunderstruck.

"You have been attempting to guide Gerlach's overexalted spirit into a
more rational way of thinking, but the very opposite seems to be the
result. Intercourse with the son of a strait-laced mother is infecting
you with sympathy for ultramontanism. Your speech to-day," continued
she caustically, "in yon obscure meeting is the subject of the talk of
the town. I am afraid you have made yourself ridiculous in the minds of
all cultivated people. The respectability of our family has suffered."

"Of our family?" echoed he, perplexed.

"We are compromitted," continued she with excitement. "You have given
our enemies occasion to set us down for members of a party who stupidly
oppose the onward march of civilization."

"Cease your philippic," broke in the brother angrily. "Bitterness is an
unmerited return for my efforts to serve you."

"To serve me?"

"Yes, to serve you. The disturbing of that meeting made a very
unfavorable impression on your intended. He scorned the noisy mob, and
was roused by what, from his point of view, could not pass for anything
better than unpardonable impudence. To me it might have been a matter
of indifference whether your intended was pleased or displeased with
the fearless conduct of progress. But as I knew both you and the family
felt disposed to base the happiness of your life on his couple of
millions, as moreover I feared my silence might be interpreted by the
shortsighted young gentleman for complicity in progressionist ideas, I
was forced to disown the disorderly proceeding. In so doing I have not
derogated one iota from the spirit of the times; on the contrary, I
have bound a heavy wreath about the brow of glorious humanity."

"But you have pardoned yourself too easily," proceeded she, unappeased.
"The very first word uttered by a Greifmann in that benighted assembly
was a stain on the fair fame of our family. We shall be an object of
contempt in every circle. 'The Greifmanns have turned ultramontanes
because Gerlach would have refused the young lady's hand had they not
changed their creed,' is what will be prated in society. A flood of
derision and sarcasm will be let loose upon us. I an ultramontane?"
cried she, growing more fierce; "I caught in the meshes of religious
fa