not
been Gertrude Baumhagen? Most certainly he would not! I consider
it my duty to tell you that mamma, as well as Arthur and I, are
of the opinion that his first thought was of the capital our good
father--" She stopped, for Gertrude stood before her, tall and
threatening.

"You may comfort yourself, Jenny," she gasped out. "I believe in him,
and I shall speak no word in his defence. You and the others may think
what you please, I cannot prevent it, cannot even resent it, you--" She
stopped, she would not utter the bitter words.--"Be so kind as to tell
mamma that I will not break my word to him." She added, more calmly, "I
shall be so grateful to you, Jenny--if any one can do anything with her
it is you--her darling!"

CHAPTER VI.

The young wife left her sister's room almost in consternation. She
could find nothing to say to Gertrude's unexpected reliance upon her.
The sisters had never understood each other. Jenny could not comprehend
now how any one could be so blinded and so unwise, and she was startled
as if by something pure and lofty as the clear girlish eyes rested on
her, which could still discover poetry amid all the dusty prose of
life. She sat down again beside the sofa.

"Mamma," she whispered, after a pause, during which she balanced
her small slipper thoughtfully on the tip of her toe, "Mamma, I
really believe you can't help it--will you have a little eau de
cologne?--Gertrude is so madly in love with him. I am sure you will
have to give your consent, notwithstanding it is so great a
disappointment."

Gertrude remained standing in the middle of the room looking after her
sister. She felt sorry for her. It must be dreadful when one could no
longer believe in love and disinterestedness, and the image of Frank
Linden's true eyes rose up before her as clear as his pure heart
itself. Can a man look like that with ulterior motives? can a man speak
so with a lie in his heart? She could have laughed aloud in her
blissful certainty. Even though she were poor, a beggar indeed, he
would still love her.

In the afternoon a great conference was held. At twelve o'clock an
order was suddenly given from the sofa to have the drawing-room heated,
the Dresden coffee service taken out, and some cakes sent for from the
confectioner's. Madame Ottilie would hold a family counsel.

The aroma of Sophie's celebrated coffee penetrated even to Gertrude's
lonely room. She could hear th