of Miss Husted, as she
greeted him warmly. "I'm so glad to see you!"

The music stopped.

"Hello, Anton, old friend," cried Fico as he grasped Von Barwig by the
hand.

"Go on playing, don't stop for me!" said Von Barwig, taking off his
rubbers and brushing the snow off his hat and coat.

Poons hurriedly put away his 'cello. He was ashamed of playing
ordinary waltz music in the presence of Von Barwig. With him tradition
was strong; the old man was still Herr Von Barwig, the great Leipsic
Gewandhaus Concert conductor, with whom his father had had the honour
of playing first horn.

The boy's mother had instilled this into his very soul.

"Why, Great Scott! Look at him! Where have you been? _Ma foi_, you
look like a wedding; oh, Fico?" and Pinac pointed to Von Barwig.

"That's so, professor, you look just as handsome as a bridegroom,"
burst out Miss Husted.

Von Barwig wore a grey satin tie, a flower was pinned in the lapel of
his old Prince Albert coat, and his spotlessly clean cuffs and kid
gloves gave him an appearance of festivity that was most unusual. "A
wedding? You are right, all of you!" said Von Barwig, with a deep
breath. Then he added, "I have been to a wedding, yes, a wedding! Ah,
Jenny, how is my little girl?" Von Barwig took the flower he had in
his coat and placed it in her hand. "Wear it, Jenny, wear it! Perhaps
it will bring you good fortune! There should be two weddings, not
one," he added, looking at Poons.

"Two, indeed!" ejaculated Miss Husted, with a toss of her curls. "One
is too many sometimes!" Then she asked suddenly, "Have you had your
breakfast yet?"

Von Barwig shook his head.

"Then, professor, you won't say no to a bite of hot breakfast with me,"
and Miss Husted smiled sweetly. Von Barwig still shook his head.

"Ah, do," pleaded Jenny.

"Dear, good, kind hearts, no! Many thousand thanks, no! I have much
to do. Early to-morrow morning, my--" He was going to tell them that
the steamship on which he had taken passage was going to sail early
next morning. He looked at them all and did not complete his sentence.
"How can I tell them I am going to leave them forever," he thought.

"I am not at all hungry; I have had breakfast, I assure you," he added
quickly, partly to change the subject, and partly to avoid breakfasting
alone with Miss Husted. He was in no mood to listen to imaginary
troubles.

"I'm sorry, very sorry!" sighed that lady, and she went downs