which had befallen him. He took a firm
hold of his horse's bridle, full of that confident spirit to which
every undertaking seems sure of success, or, at least, of only short
and temporary failure. He congratulated himself on the good fortune
that had helped him to win so easily and entirely a man of refined
character, who was evidently somewhat cautiously reserved towards most
men.

He had left his past life on the mountain behind him, and a new one was
beginning. Smiling, he thought, The heroes of old must have felt in my
mood, when they knew that they were under the protection of one of the
gods of Olympus.

At a turn in the wood he stopped, and, taking Clodwig's unsealed letter
from his pocket, read as follows:

"A neighbor's greeting to Herr Sonnenkamp, at Villa Eden.

"Had Fate granted me a son, I should consider it as a completion of the
great blessing, to be able to give him this man as a tutor.

"CLODWIG, COUNT VON WOLFSGARTEN.
WOLFSGARTEN CASTLE, May 4, 186-."

Eric set spurs to his horse, and rode gaily on through the wood, where
birds were singing amid the fresh young leaves. As he passed through
the village, he saw at the window of the Rath-haus, behind blooming
wall-flowers, a rosy, fair-haired maiden, who drew back quickly as he
bowed to her. He would have liked to turn his head to see whether she
was looking after him, but he did not venture to do so.

After a little while, it occurred to him that he was very vain to
believe that this lingering behind the flowers concerned him at all;
Lina had undoubtedly expected to see Baron von Pranken, when she heard
his horse approaching.

Eric was now riding along the river-bank in the valley. He was so full
of cheerfulness, that songs rose to his lips as they had not done for a
long time; he did not give them voice, but sang them in his soul. The
whole fulness and variety of thought, perception, and feeling were
stirring in his heart. As he saw the sun shining on the glass dome of
Villa Eden, it struck him like a lightning flash,--

Why is such a free, delightful existence denied me? why must I labor in
the service of others? Then came the thought. But what should I do with
such an indolent, selfish life? Then the riddle presented itself, How
is one to educate a wealthy boy?

And so strangely are thoughts associated in the human mind that Eric
felt, not that he could solve this riddle, but that he could understand
how th