to
Tobelurban, would Landolin of Reutershoefen have acted differently
toward him?"

Landolin shrugged his shoulders and whistled softly. He followed her
through the first, second, even the third thought, but at the fourth he
stopped, and, like a balking horse, was not to be moved from the spot.
With an encouraging smile the lady said:

"I will answer for you. 'Yes, Madam Pfann; I should have acted toward
the others just as they have acted toward me.'"

Landolin nodded.

"You are sharp; you cut one through and through."

"Very well; then do not be so timid and afraid."

"I afraid? Of what?"

"Of your own thoughts. Within Landolin there are two Landolins, and one
of them wants to cast out the other. And now I want to say, don't turn
away the only one who can help you."

"Nobody can help me."

"Yes, yes, there is one, and he is a strong man; only he does not know
it now. And do you know what his name is? Landolin of Reutershoefen. You
alone can help yourself, and then you will have no one else to thank."

"Yes; but how?"

"Take a drink first, and give me one, and then listen."

CHAPTER LIX.

"Landolin," began the judge's wife anew, "if we could rely upon it that
people would lay penance upon themselves, and do good where they had
done evil, or when a bad accident had happened to them--if we knew that
surely, we should need no courts and no punishment in the world.
Landolin, there is a way in which you can free yourself and your whole
house from unhappiness."

"Does this look like an unhappy house?"

"It does not look so, but it is so, Landolin. Outside, there sits a
poor woman, whose only son is dead. In field and forest this woman
has only the one little spot of earth in which her son rests, where
grows----"

"The woman is nothing to me."

"Your mouth only says that; the soul within you speaks quite
differently. If you had been found guilty you would have had to support
this desolate widow."

She was startled when she was suddenly interrupted by a laugh from
Landolin. To be sure, it was a forced one, but a laugh nevertheless.
She looked at him inquiringly, and he cried:

"I see you understand all about law."

"We are not talking of law. The poor woman has no legal claim. What you
do you will do voluntarily, and it is that that is beautiful. Landolin,
you will give the money that I desire; but that is not enough for me:
you must also give the right thoughts