The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-08-27
"Lisette, gracious sir" replied the

gracious lady desires to know if the
gracious gentleman rested well, and il
all was ordered aright?"
.'Thank her for me. Will you give
this letter to Fraulein Erna? But lis
ten; give it to her only when she is
alone"
Right willingly, gracious sir"
The girl departed and Fritz seated
himself to drink his coffee.
IF now the bomb does not burst, the
better for you, Fritz Won Koppenfels!'
The aromatic coffee was scarcely
slipped when there sounded a second
knock on Fritz's door. He cried,
| Come in" and rose to his feet.
A portly, white-haired gentleman EN-
| tered. A lady, whose goodness of heart
| was shown in her kind eyes, followed
him.
"Fritz!"
"Fritz, my dear Fritz, are you, then,
here? Good heavens!'
"Well, well!
The lady had stepped from behind
the gentleman to rush at Fritz, but
paused with an expression of surprise,
almost of alarm, Oh her startled feat
ures.
"Good heavens. that is not our son
Fritz; certainly mott" she cried.
my dear sir
The old gentleman moved q step for.
ward. At this instant a voice was
heard in the corridor.
A young lady appeared at the door
way. Never in his life, Fritz thought,
had he seen a more lovely vision.
Fritz, you naughty, deal Fritz" she
exclaimed, coming toward him. Fritz,
YOU wicked - OH" She suddenly
drew back. THAT is not Fritz,
mammal
pardon me, gracious lady" said the
young man, advancing a step. MY
name is Fritz, and if l do not err, it is
to you l owe the honor of being quar-.
tered here"
"Oh, heavens! mammal
"But do you mean to say that"
mo, no, madam. | will tell you all.
1t is indeed all right. Fritz has writ
ten. Here Is his letter, papa; he has
been entirely exonerated."
Fritz stood as if turned to fire. He
saw in the girls white hand the letter
he had brought the night before. She
put it into the fingers of the old gen.
tleman, and then shyly hid behind her
mother while he read with intense in
terest the contents of the sheet. Fritz
saw a happy smile come to his face,
and felt that it was a good message he
had brought.
Young man. said the old gentle
man kindly, "what is your full nameY'
Fritz Won Koppenfels, sir"
"Ha, ha, ha! Fritz Won Koppenfels,
you have come at a fortunate hour.
This letter-am l right in %supposing
that it was brought by you?'-Fritz
bowed-"comes from my son Fritz,
over whom a terrible doubt has been
suspended, but which he has now ex-
planned. Accept my thanks"
please hear me-" began Fritz, then
paused in confusion.
But you say nothing" The old gen.
tleman laughed genially. "How came
you, my young messenger, to be here"
'Papa-" the little hands of the
young lady stopped the old gentleman's
mouth, her eyes looking roguishly, be
seechingly, at Fritz-'he must say
nothing. 1 will tell you all, wholly
truly"
well, then, he must be our guest fol
to-day"
ooh, yes, papa"
} Overjoyed by the invitation, Fritz
4; stammered his thanks.
At the midday meal the longed-fol
Fritz appeared, and explained the ter
; rible mistake through which he ha(
suffered. He was IN ployed at thu
foreign office, preparing himself fol
: the diplomatic service. By some means
an important document disappeared
: and his chief accused him of havin,
, intercepted it. Vainly Fritz protested
i that he had not seen the document ii
question; the chief believed him guilty
!, and his want of confidence Influenced
his father, a man of firm and auster'
honor, to forbid Fritz the house unit
: he had fully eXonerated himself. Thi
q he could now do, for the missing pape
t had been found, and he was recalled
to the office. Thanks to Erna's efforts
the anger of her father had alread,
i; been overcome, and he had granted
l permission to his son to return to tn
house. Erna had Immediately cOmmu
nicated with her brother. The result
!, we know.
u Fritz Won Koppenfels remained wit
> the happy family for several days
u then, filled with new courage, for h
i now had a definite purpose in life, h
+ sought his father and begged that h
) would give him still another chance
) This the old man did and Fritz begal
a professional career, which, from tn
{ start, was a successful one
. Fritz Won Koppenfals has danglin
l. from his watch-guard a gold-linke'
l thaler.
1T is the messengers fee l receive
- from your brother" he says to hi
) handsome betrothed, Erna. II prize
y above all my possessions, for did it nc
win for me the loveliest maiden in tn
{ world2"