then there flew out from the paralyzed circle a brilliant form, and
taking both his hands in hers, Lenore looked at him with tearful eyes,
and said, in a broken voice, "Farewell!" The door closed, and all was
over.

When life returned in the room he had left, the first words audible were
the baroness's whisper to her daughter, "Lenore, you have forgotten
yourself."

"Do not blame her," said the baron, aloud, with great presence of mind;
"the daughter only did what the father should have done. The young man
has behaved admirably, and we can not but esteem him."

A murmur, however, began to arise from different groups. "Quite a
dramatic scene," said the lady of the house; "but who then said--"

"Ay, who was it that said," interposed Von Toennchen. All eyes turned to
Fink.

"It was you, Herr von Fink, who--" Frau von Baldereck majestically
began.

"I, my dear lady!" said Fink, with the composure of a just man unjustly
accused. "What have I to do with the report? I have always contradicted
it as much as possible."

"Yes," said several voices; "but then you used to hint--"

"And you certainly did say--" interpolated Frau von Baldereck.

"What?" coldly inquired the imperturbable Fink.

"That this Mr. Wohlfart was mysteriously connected with the Czar."

"Impossible!" cried Fink, earnestly; "that is a complete
misunderstanding. In describing the appearance of the gentleman, then
unknown to you, I may possibly have mentioned an accidental likeness,
but--"

"But the American property," chimed in Herr von Toennchen; "why, you
yourself made it over to him, and requested us to keep the transaction a
profound secret."

"As you have kept my secret so well," replied Fink, "as to tell it every
where, and now in my presence, before all assembled here, you and
Zernitz are evidently answerable for the whole foolish rumor. And now
listen, gentlemen; my friend Wohlfart having once expressed a playful
wish to have land in America, I amused myself by making him a
Christmas-box of a certain possession of mine on Long Island, near New
York, which possession consists of a few sand-hills and a tumble-down
hut, built for wild-duck shooting. It was natural that I should ask you
not to mention this, and I am very sorry that, from such a trifle, you
should have spun a web that excludes a delightful man from our circle."
And then a cold irony spreading over his features, he went on: "I
rejoice to see how strongly you all share my feeli