he refining of that ore to be done
outside of its own country! Folly, folly, criminal folly! But it is
all the same in this country, too. The mining work in America is
unscientific, slovenly, unorganised, wasteful. I am sorry to say," he
continued, turning suddenly upon Larry, "in your western coal fields
you waste more in the smoke of your coke ovens than you make out of
your coal mines. Ah, if only those wonderful, wonderful coal fields were
under the organised and scientific direction of my country! Then you
would see--ah, what would you not see!"

"Your country?" said Hugo Raeder, smiling. "I understood you were an
American, Professor Schaefer."

"An American? Surely! I have been eighteen years in this country."

"You are a citizen, I presume?" said Mr. Wakeham.

"A citizen? Yes. I neglected that matter till recently; but I love my
Fatherland."

"Speaking of citizenship, I have always wanted to know about the
Delbruck Law, Professor Schaefer, in regard to citizenship," said Larry.

The professor hesitated, "The Delbruck Law?"

"Yes," said Larry. "How does it affect, for instance, your American
citizenship?"

"Not at all, I should say. Not in the very least," replied Professor
Schaefer curtly and as if dismissing the subject.

"I am not so sure of that, Professor Schaefer," said Hugo Raeder. "I
was in Germany when that law was passed. It aroused a great deal of
interest. I have not looked into it myself, but on the face of it I
should say it possesses certain rather objectionable features."

"Not at all, not at all, I assure you," exclaimed Professor Schaefer.
"It is simply a concession to the intense, but very natural affection
for the Fatherland in every German heart, while at the same time it
facilitates citizenship in a foreign country. For instance, there are
millions of Germans living in America who like myself shrank from taking
the oath which breaks the bond with the Fatherland. We love America, we
are Americans, we live in America, we work in America; but naturally our
hearts turn to Germany, and we cannot forget our childhood's home. That
is good, that is worthy, that is noble--hence the Delbruck Law."

"But what does it provide exactly?" enquired Mr. Wakeham. "I confess I
never heard of it."

"It permits a German to become an American citizen, and at the same
time allows him to retain his connection, his heart connection, with the
Fatherland. It is a beautiful law."

"A beautiful law," echo