more angry because he had been thus taken by surprise. 

 "What nonsense is this?" he growled, shaking his head violently.  "My daughter is engaged to a plain man like ourselves." 

 At this Heilig came forward again, pale and sad, but calm.  "No, Mr. Brauner—she is not engaged. I'm sure she loves this gentleman, and I want her to be happy. I can not be anything to her but her friend. And I want you to give him a chance to show himself worthy of her." 

 Brauner burst out furiously at Hilda. The very presence of this gaudy, useless-looking creature under his roof was an insult to his three gods of honor and happiness—his "Arbeit und Liebe und Heim." 

 "What does this mean?" he shouted. 

 "Where did you find this crazy fellow? Who brought him here?" 

 Hilda flared.  "I love him, father! He's a noble, good man. I shall always love him. Listen to Otto—it'll break my heart if you frown on my marrying the man I love."  There was a touch of Mr. Feuerstein in her words and tone. 

 "Let's have our game, Mr. Brauner," interrupted Otto.  "All this can be settled afterward. Why spoil our afternoon?" 

 Brauner examined Mr. Feuerstein, who was posing as a statue of gloomy wrath. 

 "Who are you?" he demanded in the insulting tone which exactly expressed his state of mind. 

 Mr. Feuerstein cast up his eyes.  "For Hilda's sake!" he murmured audibly. Then he made a great show of choking down his wrath.  "I, sir, am of an ancient Prussian family—a gentleman. I saw your peerless daughter, sought an introduction, careless who or what she was in birth and fortune. Love, the leveler, had conquered me. I—" 

 "Do you work?" Brauner broke in.  "What are your prospects? What have you got? What's your character? Have you any respectable friends who can vouch for you? You've wandered into the wrong part of town. Down here we don't give our daughters to strangers or do-nothings or rascals. We believe in love—yes. But we also have a little common sense and self-respect." Brauner flung this at Mr. Feuerstein in High-German. Hilda, mortified and alarmed, was also proud that her father was showing Mr. Feuerstein that she came of people who knew something, even if they were "trades-folk." 

 "I can answer all your questions to your satisfaction," 

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