refused another offer, as I heard from Arthur
Fredericks," cried another.

"She is probably waiting for a prince," snarled a fourth.

"I don't care," said Colonel von Brelow, "you may say what you like,
she is a magnificent creature without a particle of provincialism about
her. There is race in the girl."

Frank Linden had listened with an interest which had almost awakened a
desire in him to take part in the ball. He half promised to appear,
took the address of a glove-shop and sat for a couple of hours in
lively conversation. After the lonely weeks he had been spending it
interested him more than he was willing to confess.

"I am really stooping to gossip," he said, amused at himself. When he
went out into the street, darkness had already come down on the short
November day, the gas-lamps were reflected back from the pools in the
street, the shop-windows were brilliantly lighted, and five long
strokes sounded from the tower of St. Benedict's.

He went round the corner of the hotel into the next street, and walked
slowly along on the narrow sidewalk, looking at the shops which were
all adorned with everything gay and brilliant for the approaching
Christmas holidays.

"Good-evening!" said suddenly a timid voice behind him. He turned
round. For a moment he could not remember the woman who stood timidly
before him, with a yoke on her shoulder from which hung two shining
pails. Then he recognized her--it was Johanna.

"I only wanted to thank you so very much," she began, "the sexton
brought me the present for the baby."

"And is my little godchild well?" he asked, walking beside the woman
and suddenly resolving to learn something about "her" at any price.

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Linden; it is but a weakly thing--trouble hasn't
been good for him. But if the gentleman would like to see him--it isn't
so very far and I'm going straight home now."

"Of course I should," he said, and learned as he went along, that she
carried milk twice a day for a farmer's wife.

"Does the young lady come to see her godson sometimes?"

"Ay, to be sure!" replied the woman. "She comes and the baby hasn't a
frock or a petticoat that she hasn't given him. She is so good, Miss
Gertrude. We were confirmed together," she added, with pride.

So her name was Gertrude.

They had still some distance to go, through narrow streets and alleys,
before the woman announced that they had reached her house. "There is a
light inside--perhaps it is