at darkened his soul. She knew his painful struggle,
his great danger, and she could have given her life to save him. She
was moved, tears came into her eyes, and she hastened into the house.

Siegwart was reading the paper when his daughter hastened in such an
unusual way through the room and disappeared.

This astonished him.

"What is the matter, Angela?" he exclaimed.

There was no answer. He was about to go after her when Frank entered.

"I can give you some curious news of the assessor," said the proprietor
after some careless conversation. "The man is terribly enraged against
me and full of bad designs. The reason of this anger is known to you."
And he added, "Angela is in the next room, and she must know nothing of
his proposal."

Frank nodded assent.

"About ten paces from the last house in Salingen," continued Siegwart,
"I have had a pile of dirt thrown up. It was now and then sprinkled
with slops, to make manure of it. Herr Hamm has made the discovery that
the slops smell bad; that it annoys the inhabitants of the next house;
and he has ordered it to be removed."

Richard shook his head disapprovingly.

"Perhaps Herr Hamm will come to the conclusion that, in the interest of
the noses, all like piles must be removed from Salingen."

"But that is not all," said Siegwart. "It has been discovered that the
common good forbids my keeping fowls, because my residence is
surrounded by fields and vineyards, where the fowls do great damage.
The Herr Assessor has had the goodness, accompanied by the guards, to
examine personally the amount of destruction. So I have got
instructions either to keep my fowls confined or to make away with
them."

"Mean and contemptible!" said Frank.

Angela came into the room. Her countenance was smiling and clear as
ever; but her swollen eyes did not escape Richard's observation. She
greeted the guest, and sat down in her accustomed place near the
window. Scarcely had she done this, when Frank stood up, went toward
her, and knelt down before the astonished girl.

"Miss, I have greatly offended you, and beg your pardon."

Siegwart looked on in surprise--now at his daughter, who was perplexed;
now at the kneeling young man.

"For God's sake! Herr Frank, arise," said the confused Angela. She was
about to leave the seat, but he caught her hand and gently replaced
her.

"If I may approach so near to you, my present position is the proper
one. Hear me! I have deeply offended