ealth of the boy who fell down to our
friends from the sky."

The doctor had grown serious, there was a certain solemnity about
him as he raised his champagne glass and emptied it: "God bless him! To
the health of the child, the son of the house. May this fortunate lad
grow, thrive and prosper."

The finely cut glasses gave a clear and melodious sound as they
clinked them. There was a buzzing, laughter and cheering at the table,
so that the little fellow upstairs in his bed began to toss about
restlessly. He murmured impatiently in his sleep, pouted and lowered
his brow.

The chairs were moved downstairs. The guests had risen, and, going
up to the parents, had shaken hands with them as though to congratulate
them. Dr. Hofmann had done that really very nicely, really exceedingly
well. But the little fellow was awfully sweet. All the women present
agreed they had rarely seen such a pretty child.

Kate's heart had beaten a little anxiously when the doctor commenced
to speak--surely he would not betray what had only been confided to him
and the lawyer under the influence of a good glass of wine and a good
dinner?--but it was now full of happiness. Her eyes sought her
husband's, and sent him tender, grateful glances covertly. And then she
went to their old friend, the doctor, and thanked him for all his good,
kind words. "Also in Woelfchen's name," she said in a soft, cordial
voice.

"So you are satisfied with me all the same? Well, I'm glad." He drew
her arm into his and walked up and down with her somewhat apart
from the others. "I saw, my dear lady, that you grew uneasy when I
began about the boy's antecedents. What kind of an opinion can you have
of me? But I did so intentionally, I have been burning to find
an opportunity to say what I did for a long time. Believe me, if
I got a two-shilling bit every time I've been questioned about the
boy's parentage--either openly or in a roundabout way--I should be a
well-to-do man by now. I've often felt annoyed at the questions; what I
said just now was the answer to them all. I trust they have understood
it. They can keep their surmises to themselves in the future."

"Surmises?" Kate knit her brows and pressed the doctor's arm. What
did those people surmise?--did they already know something, did they
guess about the Venn? She was seized with a sudden terror. Pictures
passed before her mental vision with lightning speed--there in that
bright festive room--dark pictures of