hour," he said. "How long will it take you to pack?" he asked. "You
are going with us now, father," he added, patting the old man on the
back and shaking him by the hand. Von Barwig seemed dazed.

"Come, father," pleaded Helene, "no foolish pride! My home is your
home after this. Now don't hesitate!"

"Hesitate? I, hesitate?" and rushing to the stairway the old man
shouted loudly for Miss Husted. Poons was just coming up the stairs to
find out why Von Barwig didn't come down to drink Jenny's health. Von
Barwig gave him a message which brought them all up in breathless haste.

Mr. and Mrs. Cruger had gone below, and Von Barwig had finished packing
and was locking his portmanteau as his friends stood around begging him
to tell them why he was going and where.

"I go on a honeymoon," he said, and they all laughed. "I go home," he
added. "No cruel farewells, no sad partings! Jenny will tell you. I
am called away. Sit down, all of you, where you always sit. Fico,
your mandolin; Pinac, your violin! Poons, your 'cello!" They did as
he asked them, "So, now! Play, sing, be happy, just as always! Come,
the old dinner song we always sang; let it ring in my ears as I go!"
Though their hearts were heavy, they burst into their oft-sung glee,
Miss Husted and Jenny joining in the chorus.

"So, so!" murmured the old man, beating time and smiling approval. "I
want to go away seeing you all happy, as happy as I am, smiling, happy
faces!"

"You will come back?" whispered Jenny as the old man kissed her
tenderly.

"I come back," he said gently, "I come back! Good-bye, good-bye all of
you! Yes, I come back, I come back," and Anton Von Barwig disappeared
down the stairs and out of their lives. His eyes were still wet with
tears as he took his seat in the carriage. Helene dried them with a
beautiful Duchesse lace handkerchief.

"Don't cry, father," she pleaded.

"Ach, I don't cry!" said the old man as he patted her hand. "I--I--"
he hesitated. "When I think of the many, many kind hearts in this
world--I--I just feel happy, that's all!"

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MUSIC MASTER***

******* This file should be named 23603.txt or 23603.zip *******

This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/3/6/0/23603

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain pr