moment, with a sudden flush sweeping across his
face, then flung all three into the lake with a gesture that made the
girl start, and muttered between his teeth:

"No, no; for me it is too late."

She affected not to hear, but making up a second bouquet, she gave
it to him, with no touch of coquetry in compassionate eyes or gentle
voice.

"Make your room bright with these. When one is ill nothing is so
cheering as the sight of flowers."

Meantime the others had descended and gone their separate ways.

As Karl crossed the courtyard a little child ran to meet him with
outstretched arms and a shout of satisfaction. He caught it up and
carried it away on his shoulder, like one used to caress and be
caressed by children.

Helen, waiting at the door of the tower while the major dusted his
coat, saw this, and said, suddenly, directing his attention to man and
child,--

"He seems fond of little people. I wonder if he has any of his own."

"Hoffman? No, my dear; he's not married; I asked him that when I
engaged him."

"And he said he was not?"

"Yes; he's not more than five or six-and-twenty, and fond of a
wandering life, so what should he want of a wife and a flock of
bantlings?"

"He seems sad and sober sometimes, and I fancied he might have some
domestic trouble to harass him. Don't you think there is something
peculiar about him?" asked Helen, remembering Hoffman's hint that her
uncle knew his wish to travel incognito, and wondering if he would
throw any light upon the matter. But the major's face was impenetrable
and his answer unsatisfactory.

"Well, I don't know. Every one has some worry or other, and as for
being peculiar, all foreigners seem more or less so to us, they are so
unreserved and demonstrative. I like Hoffman more and more every day,
and shall be sorry when I part with him."

"Ludmilla is his sister, then, or he didn't tell uncle the truth. It
is no concern of mine; but I wish I knew," thought Helen anxiously,
and then wondered why she should care.

A feeling of distrust had taken possession of her and she determined
to be on the watch, for the unsuspicious major would be easily duped,
and Helen trusted more to her own quick and keen eye than to his
experience. She tried to show nothing of the change in her manner: but
Hoffman perceived it, and bore it with a proud patience which often
touched her heart, but never altered her purpose.

VII

AT FAULT

Four weeks went by so rapidly