-return after a breakfast. I left my house very
early this morning."

Weaver noticed the sudden pinched look of faintness that turned von
Rittenheim's ruddy face ashy.

"He's missed more than one meal," he thought, but said aloud only, "Any
time before two o'clock."

It was not much that the commissioner learned from von Rittenheim after
all, for food brought back self-reliance and courage, and he felt that
the whole story of his trouble would be an appeal for sympathy that he
could not make. However, he told enough to cause Weaver to say under
his breath a few condemnatory things about the deputy-marshal, and then
he asked,--

"What are you going to do?"

"I hope to find some occupation in Asheville until the time of my
tr-rial."

"What do you want to do?"

"I care not. I am well, str-rong. I fear not labor."

Mr. Weaver compared with a glance von Rittenheim's figure with his own
puny proportions, and said,--

"No, I should think not!"

Then he rubbed his head and asked,--

"Can you teach?"

"I know not. Never have I done such a thing. I am a soldier."

"That's easily seen. Still, you're a university man."

He touched his forehead just where on Friedrich's the tip of his scar
was visible.

"Oh, yes. I was at Heidelberg."

"I suspect you'll do if you-all are willing to try. My boy's fitting
for college, and he's getting badly behind in his German. If you'd
tackle his instruction for a few weeks, I'm sure it would be of great
value to him. Will you do it?"

"If you will accept a novice, I shall be gr-rateful." And again
Friedrich made his low bow.

"Then be at my house at five this afternoon, and here's a week's salary
in advance. You'll be wanting it, perhaps."

So was Baron von Rittenheim established as Tommy Weaver's tutor, and
fortunate he thought himself.

Fortunate he was, in that this engagement secured to him his simple
living; but most unlucky in that it left him with too much spare time.
Had he worked at a task that occupied seven or eight hours a day, his
thoughts would have filtered through the weariness of his body, and
been purified thereby. But his leisure was abundant, and he spent it in
brooding over his troubles.

To those that had wrung him before was added his present shame. And his
shame was embittered by his suspicion of Dr. Morgan. He held Wilder of
no account. He was beneath a gentleman's notice. But Dr. Morgan had
pretended to be his friend. He dwelt on all his inter