ked. She nodded affirmatively.

"How did you know?"

"Ah! He is an excellent young man; I approve very highly of him."
Then he was afraid of his own temerity. "What right had he to approve?
He must curb his tongue," he thought. "I beg your pardon! I mean he
is a most excellent gentleman."

Helene hardly heard him, for her thoughts were far away at that moment.
"I wonder what father will say?" she said.

Von Barwig started. The word father sounded strange, as if a discord
had been struck in the midst of a beautiful harmony. "Why should I
feel like that?" he asked himself. "Barwig, you are a fool, a madman!
Mr. Stanton is her father; I must love him, too. My heart must not
beat every time I hear his name. Come! Let us go to work; our
studies--" he said aloud, tapping the book. "We must go to work. I
have brought with me the book of exercises."

"No! no study to-day. But please don't go--just yet," she added as Von
Barwig prepared to take his departure. "Sit down! I am going to be
very angry with you."

"Angry with me?" the old man smiled. He knew it was only the girl's
way of finding some little trivial fault with him. "Angry with me," he
repeated. "And you said you were so very, very happy."

"Yes, I forgot when you came in that I ought to be very angry with you."

"Ah, you ought to be, but you are not! No, surely not," said Von
Barwig gently.

"Why did you send me back my cheque? This one! Don't look so
innocent; you know what I mean, sir!" and Helene held up the cheque
that Von Barwig had found awaiting him at his room the night before,
and that he had carefully mailed back to her.

Von Barwig looked pained.

"Herr Von Barwig, let us have a little understanding!" said Helene in a
far more serious tone than she usually took with her music master.

"Ah, don't be angry, please don't be angry to-day! Not on such a day
as this!" he urged. "To-morrow you may scold me if you like; but
to-day, no, please, no!" and he looked at her so pleadingly that Helene
was forced to smile. "I wish nothing to happen that shall interfere
with the happiness that has come to you," he added.

But Helene was insistent. "It has been on my mind some time to ask you
why you take such an interest in me," she said, "and now this," and she
looked at the cheque.

Von Barwig was silent. What could he say? He dared not tell her the
real reason.

"When I came to your studio with the little boy and asked you t