re is," said Dalton; and he laughed
heartily at the conceit, turning at the same time his look from the
dwarf, to bestow a most complacent glance at the remains of his own once
handsome stature. "Oh dear! oh dear!" sighed he; "isn't it wonderful,
but there isn't a creth or a cripple that walks the earth that hasn't a
sweetheart!"

A cough, purposely loud enough to announce his presence, here came from
the courier in the antechamber, and Dalton remembered that the letter
had not yet been despatched.

"Give it to him, Nelly," said he, curtly.

She took the letter in her hand, but stood for a second or two, as if
powerless to move.

"Must it be so, dearest papa?" said she, and the words almost choked her
utterance.

Dalton snatched the letter from her fingers, and left the room. His
voice was heard for an instant in conversation with the courier, and the
moment after the door banged heavily, and all was still.

"It is done, Kate!" said she, throwing her arms around her sister's
neck. "Let us now speak of the future; we have much to say, and short
time to say it; and first let us help poor Hans downstairs."

The dwarf, clutching up the wooden image, suffered himself to be aided
with all the submissiveness of a patient child, and, with one at
either side of him, slowly crept down the stairs to his own chamber.
Disengaging himself by a gentle effort as he gained his door, Hans
removed his cap from his head and made a low and deep obeisance to each
of the girls separately, while he bade them a good-night.

"Leb wohl, Hanserl, Leb wohl!" said Kate, taking his hand
affectionately. "Be ever the true friend that thou hast proved hitherto,
and let me think of thee, when far away, with gratitude."

"Why this? How so, Fraulein?" said Hans, anxiously; "why farewell? Why
sayest thou 'Leb wohl,' when it is but 'good-night'?"

"Kate is about to leave us for a short space," said Nelly, affecting to
appear at ease and calm. "She is going to Italy, Hanserl."

"Das schone Land! that lovely land!" muttered he, over and over. "Dahin,
dahin," cried he, pointing with his finger to the southward, "where the
gold orange blooms. There would I wander too."

"You'll not forget me, Hanserl?" said the young girl, kindly.

"Over the great Alps and away!" said Hans, still talking to himself;
"over the high snow-peaks which cast their shadows on our cold land, but
have terraces for the vine and olive-garden, yonder! Thou 'It leave us,
then