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"Take theirl," said the duke; "your ship has come in This will be your dowry"

An icy shiver ran up and down Gretchen's spine, a shiver of wonder, delight, terror A thousand crowns! A fortune!

"Hold out your hand," requested Herbeck One by one he laid the notes on the goose-girl's hand "This is only a just reward for being kind and gentle to the unfortunate"

"And I shall add to it another thousand," said Hildegarde "Give them to me, father"

In all, this fortune amounted to little al and thrifty, to whoe suirl in the lower town Dreah her head Little there was, however, of jewels and gowns This vast suer while she pursued the one great ambition of her life--one Tears sprang into her eyes She had the power to do no more than weep

The duke was the first to relieve the aardness of the moment

"Count, has it not occurred to you that we stand in the presence of two very beautiful young women?"

Herbeck scrutinized Gretchen with care; then he coirl was not a whit the inferior of the princess And the thing which struck him with most force was that, while each possessed a beauty individual to herself, it was not opposite, but strangely alike

The goose-girl had returned to her glooone to her apartments, and Herbeck to his cabinet The duke was alone For a long period he stood before the portrait of his wife The beauties of his courtship trooped past hirand duke of Ehrenstein that which He denies h or low, a perfect love

"Always, always, dear heart," he whispered; "in this life and in the life to come To love, what is the sickle of death?"

He passed on to his secretary and opened a drawer He laid a s One by one he ranged the articles; two little yellow shoes, a little cloak trimmed with ermine There had been a locket, but that was noorn by her highness