ther's permission. No, not if he were heir
to Burgsdorf ten times over."

With this she turned her back upon the heir, and a second later left the
room.

"Will, what does this mean?" sounded the voice of Frau von Eschenhagen,
who stood in the half-open door. As she received no answer, she crossed
the room to her son's side with a step and manner which prophesied no
good for that young man.

"That was a most remarkable scene which I have just witnessed. Will you
be good enough to explain to me what it signifies? That little
insignificant thing, bubbling over with passion and anger, telling you
the most disgraceful things to your very face, and you standing there
like a sheep, taking them all."

"Because she had the right to say them," said Will, still looking down
at the scattered rose leaves.

"She had what?" asked the mother, who could not believe she heard
aright.

The young heir raised his head and looked at her; his face wore a new
and singular expression.

"She had the right of it, mother. It is true you have always treated me
like a school-boy, so how could I defend myself against such an
accusation?"

"Boy, I believe you have lost your senses," said Frau Regine.

Willibald was roused now. He continued: "I am no boy, I am the heir of
Burgsdorf, and twenty-seven years old. You have always forgotten that,
mother, and so have I, for that matter, but I remember it to-day."

Frau von Eschenhagen gazed astonished at her son, so tractable all his
life until this moment. "I verily believe you are becoming refractory.
Let us have no more of it, for you know I would never permit such a
thing. What has come over you that you make such reckless assertions?
Because I have seen fit to bring this very unsuitable intercourse to an
end, and dismiss this Marietta, do you take it upon yourself, as soon as
my back is turned, to make formal apologies and present her with roses
which you have just plucked for your bride? I don't know what's come
over you. It's the first time in your life you ever acted so. Toni will
be very much displeased when she learns what has become of her roses. It
served you just right to have the little vixen trample them under foot.
You won't be guilty of such idiotic folly soon again, I fancy."

"I did not pluck the roses for Toni, but for Fraeulein Volkmar," Will
explained, defiantly.

"For--?" the name stuck in the excited woman's throat.

"For Fraeulein Volkmar! She was wishing she had a r