ke as they were in person. Spener was a tall, spare man, who
conveyed an impression of mental strength and physical activity. He
could turn his hand to anything, and _attempt_ anything that was to be
done by skillful handicraft; and whether he could use his wits well
in shaping men, let Spenersberg answer. His square-shaped head was
covered with bright brown hair, which had a reddish tinge, and his
moustache was of no stinted growth: his black eyes penetrated and
flashed, and could glow and glare in a way to make weakness and
feebleness tremble. His quick speech did not spare: right and left he
used his swords of thought and will. Fall in! or, Out of the way! were
the commands laid down by him since the foundations of Spenersberg
were laid. In the fancy-goods line he might have made of himself a
spectacle, supposing he could have remained in the trade; but set
apart here in this vale, the centre of a sphere of his own creation,
where there was something at stake vast enough to justify the exercise
of energy and authority, he had a field for the fair play of all that
was within him--the worst and the best. The worst that he could be he
was--a tyrant; and the best that he could be he was--a lover. Hitherto
his tyrannies had brought about good results only, but it was well
that the girl he loved had not only spirit and courage enough to love
him, but also faith enough to remove mountains.

If Leonhard had determined that he would make a friend of Spener
before he entered the factory, he could not have proceeded more wisely
than he did. First, he was interested in the works, and intent on
being told about the manufacture of articles of furniture from a
product ostensibly of such small account as the willow; then he was
interested in the designs and surprised at the ingenious variety, and
curious to learn their source, and amazed to hear that Mr. Spener had
himself originated more than half of them. Then presently he began to
suggest designs, and at the end of an hour he found himself at a table
in Spener's office drawing shapes for baskets and chairs and tables
and ornamental devices, and making Spener laugh so at some remark as
to be heard all over the building.

"You say you are an architect," he said after Leonhard had covered a
sheet of paper with suggestions written and outlined for him, which he
looked at with swiftly-comprehending and satisfied eyes. "What do you
say to doing a job for me?"

"With all my heart," a