butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. She says to me once, where's Heinrich to-night? and then Herr Degenhardt chuckled and muttered something about a spectre in the doorway that had bewitched thee; it's not very pleasant, I can tell thee, to hear thy son spoken of as a crackbrained fool, and if thou'st a going after other girls, I just say to thee once for all that thou'lt have to find other cheese to thy bread than that I make with the sweat of my brow. God knows, thy father and I have toiled enough for thee to do better than take up with any girl, and Marie had better think twice before she casts thee off for Franz Reichardt, for he hasn't fourteen hundred guldens to feather his nest with.'

Heinrich knew that it was of no use trying to pacify his mother in this outburst of wrath, so he let her run on without speaking a word. She subsided at last into her usual mutter, and then he quietly walked away to the loft where he slept, and as he climbed the last step of the ladder that

led to it, he called out, "Good night, mother! sleep well.'

There was not much sleep for Heinrich that night. He had come home from the Kirchweih soon after his dance with Marie; he had not cared to ask her to be his partner again, because Reichardt was always by her side, and he had no spirit to dance with anyone else. The portly butcher had hit the right nail on the head when he had jestingly said that a ghost in the doorway had bewitched him. If Rosa had only given him opportunity to make compensation, to explain to her that he had only danced with Marie to keep up appearances, and that he had been looking and waiting for her for hours, all would have been easy, but the expression of Rosa's face haunted him, and he pictured to himself the feelings with which she had left the place where he had promised to watch for her, to belong to her, and to dance with no one else. Upbraiding himself, he began in thought to upbraid her; it was the worst of Rosa, he said to himself,

she was too sensitive; she might have waited; she might have looked on as if she did not care; and in the effort to defend himself, he accused her.

And Rosa herself, poor child, she had walked up that dusty road to the Kirchweih with a hundred misgivings; she knew that Heinrich's behaviour towards her would be remarked; she expected gibing words from the envious, and harsh words from the angry; still, by Heinrich's side and under Heinrich's protection, all would be well.

When she reached the village he was not at the point agreed upon; she waited, hoping he would come, and at last tired, and hot, and dispirited she had gone to the first

village inn she came to.

This was the inn

he had mentioned to her, but no, he was not there; perhaps even now he was at the place of meeting.

Half hesitatingly and half timidly, she went on till she came to the entrance to the 'Eagle.' Yes, that was he; he was standing there alone, almost opposite the doorway.

His name half escaped her lips. Did he hear it that he looked at her so earnestly? Was he coming to her? But she passed her hand over her eyes, as if to clear their vision; was he going to dance with Marie Dreuser? Had he been dancing with her all the evening? She raised her eyes in one appealing look to him; they met his, but he was whirling away in the waltz, and the look met with no response. Then a hand from behind lightly touched her shoulder, she turned round and saw Frau Mässinger's keen questioning eyes fixed on her.

'What are you waiting for here? There are plenty of farm lads at Meyer's beer-house; there is no one here for you.'

No one here for her! The words rang in her ears. She was out of the doorway before Heinrich and his partner returned again to that side of the room, and before the dance was finished, she was on her way back to the Mill.

There was no one there for her, poor child!

CHAPTER IV.

DICK'S SECRET.

The child-cheek blushing scarlet

For the very shame of bliss.—E. B. Browning.

PAPA says Mr. Newton is coming to-day,' said Dick one morning as Babette was standing over him to complete the last ceremony of his toilet, and to send him down-stairs with smooth hair and clean hands. Oh, won't it be jolly fun! He promised me such a lot of things before we came away; I hope he won't have forgotten.'

'I can't part your hair, Master Dick, if. you don't stand still.'

'Oh, bother my hair! It goes all right, Babette, and I want so to go. I wonder what time Mr. Newton is coming-I declare I thought I heard the dog-cart.'

"Will you stand still, Master Dick?'

Oh! Babette! do let me look for one