urst into violent tears.

"Oh, Papa," she sobbed, "leave me at home! I'll be good. Oh, don't
send me to town to so many children! Oh, I can't, I can't. Oh, Papa,
don't send me away!"

Mr. Hellmut could not bear to see Cornelli's tears and still less to
hear her supplications. "But for her own good it has to be," he said
to himself to strengthen his resolution. Cornelli's lamentations were
too much for him and he rushed away.

Several hours later, the time had come for supper and he returned from
the iron foundry.

Esther came to meet him: "Oh, I am glad that you have come, Director,"
she said excitedly. "When I went up to Cornelli just now she was crying.
I wanted her to taste some of the little plum cakes she usually likes
so much, but the poor child only shrieked: 'Oh, leave me here, leave
me here!' Oh, Mr. Hellmut, what if Cornelli should get sick and die?"

"Nonsense, Esther," he returned; "children do not die from obstinacy."

The master of the house had tried to speak harshly, but he did not
quite succeed. He ran straight upstairs to Cornelli's room and saw the
child on her knees in front of the bed. Her head was pressed into the
pillows and she cried as if her heart was breaking.

"Oh, don't send me away, don't send me away!" she cried as soon as he
entered.

He saw that Cornelli was trembling all over from fear and excitement.
"I cannot endure this," he said to himself, and seizing his hat ran
out of the house.

Martha was sitting in her peaceful little chamber, busy with her mending
and thinking about Cornelli. She was wondering what would happen now
that she was again left alone with her father. She wondered if the old
days would come back, or if something new was going to be done for
Cornelli's education. The door was suddenly flung open and Mr. Hellmut
entered.

"Oh, Martha, I do not know what to do," he said to her in a perturbed
manner. "You simply have to help me. You knew my wife and you know my
child and love her; and besides, she is attached to you. Tell me what
has come over her. Since when has