sketched the castle. After
that we met again and again, nearly every day. This sort of story tells
itself. I became madly in love with her, and I am sure she liked me very
well; at all events I was a companion of her own age and tastes, and
such a one, she assured me, she had never known before, and probably
would never know again."

"There was some excuse for her," said Aunt Martha; "but still she had no
right to act in that way, especially as she was so soon to be married."

"I do not think that she reasoned much upon the subject," said the young
man, "and I am sure I did not. We made no plans. Every day we thought
only of what we were doing or saying, and not at all what we had done or
would do. We were very happy.

"One morning I was sitting by Marie in the very place where I had first
met her, when we heard some one rapidly approaching. Looking up I saw a
tall man in military uniform. 'Heavens!' cried Marie, 'it is Colonel
Kaldhein.'

"The situation was one of which an expectant bridegroom would not be
likely to ask many questions. Marie was seated on a low stone with her
drawing-block in her lap. She was finishing the sketch on which she was
engaged when I first saw her, and I was kneeling close to her, looking
over her work and making various suggestions, and I think my countenance
must have indicated that I found it very pleasant to make suggestions in
that way to such a pretty girl. Our heads were very close together.
Sometimes we looked at the paper, sometimes we looked at each other. But
in the instant I caught sight of the Colonel the situation had changed.
I rose to my feet, and Marie began to pick up the drawing materials,
which were lying about her.

"Colonel Kaldhein came forward almost at a run. His eyes blazed through
his gold spectacles, and his close-cut reddish beard seemed to be
singeing with the fires of rage. I had but an instant for observation,
for he came directly up to me, and with a tremendous objurgation he
struck me full in the face with such force that the blow stretched me
upon the ground.

"I was almost stunned; but I heard a scream from Marie, a storm of
angry words from Kaldhein, and I felt sure he was about to inflict
further injury. He was a much stronger man than I was, and probably was
armed. With a sudden instinct of self-preservation I rolled down a
little declivity on the edge of which I had fallen, and staggering to my
feet, plunged into a thicket and fled. Even had I