r here, a week from to-day,
at the opening of the sealed opinions; and then we will come to a
decision. It is our duty to find some punishment that will make
atonement without striking the guiltless."

In a faltering voice, the Major entreated the friends not to separate:
they had, as yet, come to no proper decision; and he could not help
himself out of the difficulty. He would have been very glad to ask that
he might be allowed to take Fraeulein Milch into counsel, for he was
sure that she could help him; but in a jury one must make up an opinion
for himself.

The heavy head of the Major swayed this side and that, and seemed to be
almost too heavy for him to hold up.

Those assembled seemed to desire to be freed from the painful
situation; and Weidmann exclaimed,--

"I pronounce the meeting adjourned."

They all rose as if they must escape from imprisonment, or from an
infected atmosphere. They would have liked to go out into the fresh
air; but it rained steadily, and there were puddles and small rills
in the garden walks. They went into a spacious apartment, and Claus
said,--

"How would it answer--allow me, gentlemen, to ask--how would it answer,
if we sentenced Herr Sonnenkamp to go back home, and sell himself for a
slave?"

As no one replied, he went on timidly,--

"I don't know whether that would be just the thing; but 'twould be
something, anyhow."

Weidmann told him that no white man could be made a slave.

"This Herr Sonnenkamp," said Clodwig with quivering lips to Eric, "is
nothing but a victim of the distracted condition of our age. The whole
of humanity at the present time has a troubled conscience; it knows
that it is not in harmony with, itself, and this creates a universal
unrest. This individual man, driving hither and thither, prosecuting
iniquity by night, and extremely respectable by day, this is the
outbirth of our life. Ah! excuse me, I feel quite sick."

Clodwig requested the Doctor to accompany him to Wolfsgarten, as he
felt very unwell; but, just as the Doctor was getting into the carriage
with him, he was called to Frau Ceres.

Joseph came, in a short time, and informed Clodwig that the Doctor
could not leave his patient.

The Doctor remained with Frau Ceres, who had strangled the parrot in a
paroxysm of madness, and smashed every thing in the room.

He opened a vein, from which the blood flowed very dark; and she became
more quiet.

Sonnenkamp did not leave his room when th