ey reached the station.

"Hear the whistle of the engine!" said Roland. "I feel that we are
already at home, now I hear that whistle, don't you? We seem to have
been in a different world where that sound never reaches. I hope we
shall find all right at home."

Eric rejoiced in Roland's animation, and told him they must keep up
good courage if they did find some things changed. They would not let
anything spoil the pleasure of their getting home again.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE AFTER-EFFECTS.

"You will see the effects by-and-by," the Doctor had said to Sonnenkamp
and his wife at their departure. "You will see the effect by-and-by,"
had been the point of the Cabinetsrath's parting words.

The Sonnenkamps returned to the Rhine, full of fresh expectations.

They arrived at the villa and found everything in excellent condition.
The great corridor, connecting the green-houses with the stables, a
graceful structure of cast iron which Sonnenkamp had planned before his
departure, was completed, and its iron pillars already so hung with
climbing plants, that no trace of its being a recent addition appeared.
Sonnenkamp expressed the satisfaction he felt.

Every one felt himself animated with fresh cheerfulness. The pleasant
home feeling was enhanced by the recent excitements of the journey.

Sonnenkamp asked if many strangers had visited the house and garden
during his absence, for he allowed the servants every year the
privilege of exhibiting to visitors, while he was at the Baths, the
lower story of the villa, the hot-houses, fruit-garden, and stables.

The butler replied that there had never been so many visitors as this
year, and that he had pointed out to every one the place where the
Prince and Princess had sat.

Sonnenkamp ordered the man to bring him the visitor's book, which was
kept in the billiard-room, a great hall adjoining the hot-houses.
Strict orders were given that only names should be inscribed in the
book. In an excited tone he asked, after reading a long list of
names:--

"Who wrote that?"

At first no one confessed to any knowledge of the names, but finally
the second gardener, the 'squirrel,' said that two gentlemen had come
together, one of whom wanted once to be Roland's tutor; and the other
was a tall, stately man who spoke Westphalian German. The tall man,
with the light curling hair, did not write anything, but the other,
whom he