acked faith. Then as she sat there she began
to reflect that it might be that she herself was not of the elect.
What if, after all, she had been wrong throughout! "Is anything to be
done?" said Tetchen, who was still standing by her side.

"What ought I to do, Tetchen?"

"Wring Peter Steinmarc's neck," said Tetchen. "That would be the best
thing." Even this did not bring forth an angry retort from Madame
Staubach. About an hour after that Peter came in. He had already
heard that the bird had flown. Some messenger from Jacob Heisse's
house had brought him the tidings to the town-hall.

"What is this?" said he. "What is this? She has gone again."

"Yes," said Tetchen, "she has gone again. What did you expect?"

"And Ludovic Valcarm is with her?"

"Ludovic Valcarm is not with her!" said Madame Staubach, with an
expression of wrath which made him start a foot back from where he
stood.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, when he had recovered himself, and reflected that
he had no cause for fear, "she is no better than she should be."

"She is ten times too good for you. That is all that is the matter
with her," said Tetchen.

"I have done with her,--have done with her altogether," said Peter,
rubbing his hands together.

"I should think you have," said Tetchen.

"Tell him to leave me," said Madame Staubach, waving Peter away with
her hand. Then Tetchen took the town-clerk by his arm, and led him
somewhat roughly out of the room. So he shall disappear from our
sight. No reader will now require to be told that he did not become
the husband of Linda Tressel.

Madame Staubach did nothing and said nothing further on the matter
that night. Tetchen indeed went up to the railway station, and found
that Linda had taken a ticket through to Mannheim, and had asked
questions there, openly, in reference to the boats from thence down
the Rhine. She had with her money sufficient to take her to Cologne,
and her aunt endeavoured to comfort herself with thinking that no
further evil would come of this journey than the cost, and the
rumours it would furnish. As to Peter Steinmarc, that was now all
over. If Linda would return, no further attempt should be made.
Tetchen said nothing on the subject, but she herself was by no means
sure that Linda had no partner in her escape. To Tetchen's mind it
was so natural that there should be a partner.

Early on the following morning Madame Staubach was closeted with
Herr Molk in the panelled chamber of