round on one of her cushion-like hands. Feuerstein went to her and kissed her on the hang of her cheek.  "Mother!" he said in a deep, moving voice. 

 Mrs. Ganser blinked and looked helplessly at Lena. 

 "I'm married, ma," explained Lena. 

 "It's Mr. Feuerstein."  And she gave her silly laugh. 

 Mrs. Ganser grew slowly pale.  "Your father," she at last succeeded in articulating.  "Ach!"  She lifted her arm, thick as a piano leg, and resumed the study of her new bonnet. 

 "Won't you welcome me, mother?" asked Feuerstein, his tone and attitude dignified appeal. 

 Mrs. Ganser shook her huge head vaguely.  "See Peter," was all she said. 

 They went down stairs and waited, Lena silent, Feuerstein pacing the room and rehearsing, now aloud, now to himself, the scene he would enact with his father-in-law. Peter was in a frightful humor that evening. His only boy, who spent his mornings in sleep, his afternoons in speeding horses and his evenings in carousal, had come down upon him for ten thousand dollars to settle a gambling debt. Peter was willing that his son should be a gentleman and should conduct himself like one. But he had worked too hard for his money not to wince as a plain man at what he endured and even courted as a seeker after position for the house of Ganser. He had hoped to be free to vent his ill-humor at home. He was therefore irritated by the discovery that an outsider was there to check him. As he came in he gave Feuerstein a look which said plainly: 

 "And who are you, and how long are you going to intrude yourself?" 

 But Feuerstein, absorbed in the role he had so carefully thought out, did not note his unconscious father-in-law's face. He extended both his hands and advanced grandly upon fat, round Peter.  "My father!" he exclaimed in his classic German. "Forgive my unseemly haste in plucking without your permission the beautiful flower I found within reach." 

 Peter stepped back and gave a hoarse grunt of astonishment. His red face became redder as he glared, first at Feuerstein, then at Lena. "What lunatic is this you've got here, daughter?" he demanded. 

 "My father!" repeated Feuerstein, drawing Lena to him. 

 Ganser's mouth opened and shut slowly several times and his 

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