lse, for a dim figure
hovered over him like an angel beckoning him to a fairer, happier land;
and the perfume of flowers seemed to fill the room.

"I sleep," said Von Barwig to himself, "but I shall soon wake, and
then--it will go." Soon the figure began to take form and to his
half-conscious mind it seemed to assume the shape of his dead wife. It
was her face, her figure as he had known her many, many years ago.

"Elene, Elene!" he murmured, "you have come to take me away from this
place. Oh, God, I hope I never wake up!"

The figure now stretched out its arms, and seemed to be handing Von
Barwig a bunch of flowers. The old man's eyes were fully opened now,
and, as he gazed up, he recognised the face of his beloved pupil. Then
he knew that he was not sleeping. The dreaming and waking process had
probably occupied but a few seconds of time, but it seemed to Von
Barwig to have lasted many hours. Helene was looking down at him now
as he sat there, her great blue eyes suffused with tears. She beamed
tenderness and love upon him and her outstretched hand held a bunch of
orange blossoms.

"You didn't seek me out to-day, so I came to you," she said in a low,
tender voice. "I have brought you my orange blossoms!"

Von Barwig did not speak. Another figure now outlined itself to his
vision and became flesh and blood--the figure of Beverly Cruger.

It seemed to Von Barwig that young Mr. Cruger looked pale and anxious.

"What does he know?" the old man asked himself. "Is he here to find
out?" and in that moment he determined to keep his secret.

Helene waited for Von Barwig to speak, but he remained silent.

"You must think it strange that I should call upon you to-day of all
days," she said, shaking her head sadly, "and that I should bring
my--my husband with me." She looked around at Beverly and he smiled
approvingly. "But I am going away, Herr Von Barwig, and it would be
very sad if we never met again; wouldn't it?"

Von Barwig still looked at her sadly, smilingly, but did not speak.

"I feel," she went on sadly, "I always have felt that you never meant
to see me again." Von Barwig nodded; he dared not trust himself to
speak now.

"What does she know? What does she know?" he asked himself. "Shall
her mother's disgrace fall on her young shoulders as a wedding gift
from me? No, no, no!"

Again the girl spoke: "I am beginning life all over again; from
to-day," she said.

"Ah, that is right!" murmu