The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-20
A QUESTION OF HONOR

deSired particularly TO learn why kerl vel
Lanenberg. a man known to have s5n
OF the best blood OF Bavaria in his veins
so tamely endured the covert affTonts re
peatedly offered him by disappointed ri
val III lecture room. restaurant. ard thea
tire. And when, covert affront passil,
| into frank insult. Hahn finally met Laner
| berg's courteous Good morning at III,
| Cafe Muller with n sheer and an audible
| mutter Of Coward" the smoldering fire.
OF suspicion sprang at once into fame.
That small body of his fellow student.
which still chung to belief in Lanenberg
the most brilliant student Of his year
crowded round him with eager exclama.
lions of: you must punish this,' 'Yct
| VIII. You'll send him a challenge in.
stantly." "Til carry it gladly" "And H.
And + dozen ovices clamored at once
Gentlemen. my good friends Lanen-
/ berg in the midst. spoke with white lops
and dilated nostrils. II am infinitely
obliged to you. But I cannot avail myself
at present OF your kind services NV life
for the next year to come is not my own"
The crowd fell back. On every ia-e was
CONSERVATION mingled with half-incredu-
lous disgust
This passes belief" Otto Mayer. an
acknowledged leader among his fellows,
muttered. Have you conscientious OBJ
lection to dueling?''
NO"
us he mad or drunk, Rosenheim?" Poor
Rosenheim shook his fair head ruefuliy.
"Or--only afraid? Thunder and lightning,
Lanenberg! Explain yourself. mani"
Lanenberg moistened his dry lips. II
have explained. This is question OF honor
with me. II you are not satisfied -
Satisfied" They caught up the word
and flung it to and fro to an accompani-
ment of derisive laughter. Satisfied
Out of the Cafe Muller Karl Won Lanen-
berg passed that day to social outer dark
ness. Thenceforward the sons Of the uni
versity which had been so proud Of him
knew him no more. He walked the streets
of Heidelberg an outcast, whom no man
might salute by the way. Rosenheim. in
deed. perplexed but faithful. would have
walked by his side, but Karl brusquely de-
clined the boys company.
"A bad reputation is contagious" he
said. You must think of your degree
A few weeks taught Fritz the cogency
of his reasoning. The university authori-
ties were popularity supposed to ignore
students prejudices." but it was clear
that they had no mind to support a lectur-
er whom his pupils considered socially
taboo" They allowed 1t to become known
that Lanenberg would not be reappointed
to his present office.
$50 be it, Who cares what they do
at the end of the year," Lanenberg told
himself. as he strobe to the poor lodgings
he shared with a widowed mother Just
on the doorstep he paused to give thanks
that his mother went abroad so seldom.
Only the needs of her little household drew
her now and then from her hiding place.
Returning from one of these enforced
into town. she descended upon
her son with the stern enquiry: What is
this I hear OF a quarrel between you and
some man called Hahn? Have you forgot
ten your pIedge?'
Karl raised a haggard face from his
papers. mo, have not forgotten 81.
It'll that pledge is redeemed" the
mother continued. almost fiercely, her
thin cheeks flushing. her tall figure tren-
bling with suppressed passion, you have
no right to run risks"
Make your mind easy. mother. I run
no risk till my task is done.
He continued to work hard-as hack.
translator, law copyist-so hard that any
woman not absorbed in ore fixed idea
would surely have cried out upon him for
killing himself. He did not die, however:
the Lanenbergs are sturdy race. Deny
ing himself food and sleep, going forth
every morning to the endurance of in
suits he might not resent, this latter-day
descendant CT the Teutonic knights won
his way through those nine terrible
months and could announce his task
done" at the close. Frau Won Lanenberg
sat down and wept. Thank Cod your
brothers a free man at last" she said.
"And-so am L. was Karls significant
rejoindsr. Therefore I'll go round and
see Rosenheim.'
He went. Four hours later Rosenheim
the visit Bursting impetuously
into his friends little working room, he
cried, in lamenting voice: s.,s.
Its no use. old chap. He utterly de-
clines to meet you-won't even read your
Mayer and the rest support
him. Oh. beg pardon. didn't see"
What Rosenheim had failed to see was
a tall and strikingly handsome young man
in guardsman's uniform. who. emerging
from cloud Of tobacco smoke. said briefly:
Introduce me-" Whereupon Karl NUT
tered rhickly: My brother. Berthold;
you've heard of Fritz Rosenheim?''
"Assuredly. and I'll be much obliged to
him il he'll kindly explain the significance
Of the extraordinary message he brings
you"
Rosenheim, with many gatherings, ex-
planned and BerthoId Won Lanenberg lis
tened, his face growing grey like that OF
man under sharp physical torture. At
length he sprang up.
Take me to those fellows; I'll make
them hear reason. No. Karl shaking off
his brother. who would have interposed.
this is my affair, I claim TO act-if only
as the head of the family"
Young Fritz spent the next ten minutes
his mistaken faith in Karl. But
Berthold Won Lanenberg spoke not a word
until he had entered the room where Got5-
'ried Hahn sat smoking with dozen OF
his peers. Then. having formally pre-
'ented himself. he begged to know Herr
Ialm's grounds for declining his brothers
Hahn leaned back superciliousIy in his
hair. 1.-The challenge, Herr Lieutenant.
vas long on the way
''Yes!" Berthold Numbered do you
know why it tarried? / will tell you"
All faces turned eagerly to the pale
speaker.
THE tales a short one. I am a poor
nan, condemned to associate with rich
men. Like other poor men similarly cir
l got into difficulties. | COM
nitted an act which once known must have
'nded my career
A pause. Berthoid took breath and went
N deliberately.
1.-THE person wronged by that get, a dis
.ant relative of my own. speedily d;scov-
cred that he had been defraudef He Of
iered not to publish his discovery on one
the money should be re-
paid him within two years My brother.
aware that l was powerless to accept this
Ga soldier has no opportunity Ct
earning money! came forward and ac-
;epted it in my name. He succe eded in full
illing it-yesteriay.'
SLIGHT nnnuament annnne the lisfe ninrr