eep, and take care of your appetite, and keep a corner in
your perilously full heart for your true

"PAUL"

Wilhelm smiled as he read these lines in the strong symmetrical
handwriting of his friend, and hastened to send him the news he
desired. In the meanwhile his happiness was continual and increasing,
and nothing troubled it but the thought of the coming separation. These
two innocent children could hide their love as little as the sun his
light. They were always together, their eyes always fixed on one
another, their hands as often as possible clasped in each other's. All
the people in the hotel noticed it, and were pleased about it, so
natural did it seem that this handsome couple should be united by love.
The chambermaid, rosy Bertha, saw what was going on with her sly
peasant's eye, and by way of making herself agreeable used to whisper
to him where he could find the young lady when she happened to meet him
on the staircase. Wilhelm good-naturedly forgave the girl her
obtrusiveness. Only Herr Ellrich saw nothing. In his foreign
newspapers, in the blue smoke from his cigars, in the clouds of powder
from his gun, he found nothing which could enlighten him as to the two
young people's beautiful secret.

Frau Ellrich certainly had more knowledge than that. In spite of her
correspondence and her long afternoon naps, she retained enough
observation to see the condition of things pretty clearly. She waited
for a confession from Loulou, and as this did not come soon enough for
the impatience of her mother's heart, she tried a loving question.
After a warm embrace from the girl, a few tears, a great many kisses,
the mother and daughter understood each other. Wilhelm had pleased Frau
Ellrich very much, and she had no objection to raise, but she could
make no answer on her own responsibility, as she knew the views of her
husband on the marriage of his only child, and after a few days she
made him a cautious communication. Herr Ellrich did not take it badly,
but as a practical man of the world he wished to give the feelings of
the young people opportunity to bear the trials of separation, and for
the present thought a decision useless. The projected visit to Ostend
was hastened by some ten days. At dinner he made his decision known,
adding, "You have pleased yourselves for three weeks, and now I want
you to wait so long to please me." Wilhelm felt bitterly grieved that
no one invited him to go to the fashionable waterin