Year: 1879

mere. supper or even ped, would
not come amiss to me for scarcely
know how shall find my way back to
my uncle's house tonight. But at any
rate shall get some directions, and per-
haps, if the people are not overhospita-
ble, guide home"


So saying, he made his way up the
staircase, and knocked at door which
was at the top of it. The door opened
noiselessly, as though by an unseen
hand, and admitted him into long cor
ridor, lighted and adorned with white
marble statues. From this he passed in
to suite of rooms hung with tapestry,
and strewn with freshly-laid rushes. with
few carved settees and chests of furni-
ture. Still he met no one.


Next he came into great hall, on the
walls of which hung a number of antique
portraits, while in the centre of the
apartment was a table spread as if for
supper.


"This is very curious said Kurt to
himself. "Wheye can the family be
gone to? However, one comfort is,
they've got something to eat. l think
I'll wait here and give them a chance of
inviting me-"


So saying, he sat quietly down at one
end of the table, which was laid for two
persons. Scarcely bad he done SO when
the door of the room opened noiselessly,
and lady, young and beautiful, but
with somewhat sad and pale face, en-
tered.


Kurt rose, and at once began to make
apologies for his unwarrantabIe intru-
sion. The lady waved a white hand to-
ward him, and bade him be seated.


''Say no more," she said, in a sweet,
sad voice. 'I expected you"


There was evidently some mistake
here, thought Kurt, but as the mistake
seemed to mean a good supper, he was
not unwilling to fall into it. He at once
took scat at the table, and the lady
took hers opposite him.


She was certainly very beautiful, he
thought, as he looked again at her over
the brimming wine cup. The wine, too,
was excellent; SO was the whole repast-
at which the lady waited upon him with
her own fair hands-the only peculiarly
about it being that neither bread nor
salt was to be found upon the table, but
Kurt Won Stein was too much of gent
leman to notice the omission, though he
certainly enjoyed his supper the less by
reason of their absence.


At length the young man ventured to
ask one or two questions of his kindly
hostess. "May I inquire" he said, "are
you, fair lady, the daughter of this
housed"


'Yes," was the answer, given, as it
seemed, sadly and low.


"And your parents9"


''They are there, said the lady, point
ing to the pictures on the walls.


''Do you mean to say that you live in
this house alone?" asked Won Stein.


"Alone," returned the lady, 81 am the
last of my race"


Who shall say how it came about2
The lady was beautiful, the man was
young. In such cases love is sometimes
found to be plant that does not take
long IN growing. Moreover, Won Stein,
though noble, was poor, and the lady the
last of her race, the heiress of all ancient
lineage. Possibly the notion of the in
heritance the lonely girl might bring
with her had some part in the sudden
passion which filled the young mans
hears. Who can tell2


1t vas not long before he found him
self kneeling at her feet and Offering the
beautiful maiden all that he had TO offer
his devotion and his life.


The lady listened silently and with
bowed head to his ardent pleading; then
she said, looking up, but away from him,
and speaking absently: 81 have heard
those words before"


"But never from lips SO true, so hon.
est, so disinterested, said the Young
man warmly, forgetting in his fascina-
tion for the beautiful lady how he had
certainly taken her inheritance into &C.
count in the first place.


The lady sighed and was silent.


Then she spoke: eff I yield to your
wishes we must be married at once"


cat oncel' cried Won Stein, perhaps
little startled. Yet what lover ever
found the time between betrothal and
marriage too short! "I am ready" he
said, gallantly, 'and impatient.


The lady smiled, moved slowly away
to an old worm-eaten chest which was
set against the wall, took from it two
rings, and white veil and crown of
myrtle, which she laid upon her dark
flowing hair. Her dress was white.


"Come," she said to her lover, and led
the way.


A little bewildered, after the fashion
OF bridegrooms in general, and scarcely
knowing whether to be happy or alarm
ed, the young man followed his bride
through, as it seemed to him, miles of
dimly-lighted vaulted passages, where
the damp was trickling down the walls
and where unthought-of steps up and
down, were ready at every moment to
trip up the unweary passer. The lady,
however, seemed to be well acquainted
with every turn and twist of the place,
and giving her hand to her lover, she led
him on step by step, until at length they
reached vaulted chamber, which they
had no sooner entered than great iron
door shut heavily behind them, with a


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