ain silent or confine himself
to one of two childish expressions--clapping the hands and hissing. And
here this child is perfectly innocent, and I thank her for having
solved another problem for me."

In the morning, Martella wanted to go home. We accompanied her to the
depot, and I telegraphed to Rothfuss to meet her at the station.

My active labors for the Fatherland had restored me. In my solitary
walks, my mind was now occupied by something besides constant thoughts
of myself.

Spring was with us again, and the wondrous power that revives the human
soul had its influence on me.

I was often invited to consultations in regard to matters affecting the
common weal, and it seemed as if my little world was extending its
area, when I made the acquaintance of many brave men, who lived in a
neighboring district, and who kept alive their hopes for the future of
our Fatherland.

During the summer holidays, Richard paid us a visit. He and Baron Arven
had stocked the forest-streams with choice varieties of fish. In some
instances they had not succeeded in getting a pure breed; there were
pikes among their fish.

He was fortunate enough with several of the streams, but was greatly
provoked to find that the farmers of the neighboring villages would not
wait until the young brood had grown, and had already begun to catch
the fish. He induced the authorities to threaten the farmers with a
fine, but on the next day found the notice floating on the stream.

He appointed a forester as watchman, and spent the night in a log cabin
hastily built near by. Once they were fortunate enough to catch the
thief.

Richard and the forester brought the culprit before the authorities,
and he was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment. While we were seated
at table, Richard expressed his satisfaction at the punishment which
had been meted out to the offender. This made Martella as angry as I
have ever seen her, and she became the more provoked when Richard
quickly took down the mirror and held it up to her, saying:

"Here, look at yourself; you are prettiest when you are angry."

"It is nothing to you, how I look!" cried Martella. "Tell such things
to your Madame Annette, but not to me."

The color left Richard's cheeks.

Annette had for several weeks been living in the neighborhood, with
Baroness Arven, and Martella had hardly finished speaking, when we
heard the clatter of horses' hoofs in front of the house. Annette and
Baron Arven