"Very well, send a girl to her to say supper is ready. You are hungry, most likely, Horbach?"

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"I am, really," answered the young man ; but, sir, would you be kind enough to tell me how it is that you take such an interest in me?"

"There is no necessity for concealing it any longer from you, Mr. Horbach; but I could not mention it in that hovel, where I found you."

"What, did you actually go there, sir?

"Indeed I did. Well, to proceed, I have some very unpleasant news to communicate. A relation of yours is dead."

"A relation?" said Horbach, turning suddenly pale, and springing up from his chair. "O sir, tell me at once, is it—oh, is it my father?"

"Yes, you must know the sad truth sooner or later, and the sooner the better, I think. You are now master of 5,000 florins, and if you choose to take my advice, you will, after paying your debts, go back to Germany by the next ship. But in the meanwhile you are quite welcome to stay in my house."

Horbach appeared for some time absorbed in deep thought; at last, he exclaimed, in a voice full of emotion,

"My father dead !-Poor father, your son has not given you much satisfaction!" After this very brief display of pathos, he put his cigar between his lips, and continued talking in the following strain,—

"We must all die, you know, sir. I am very sorry I could not see the old boy again; but what's done, you know, cannot be helped. But I believe supper is ready, and your wife is probably there waiting for you."

"You don't seem to be very much distressed at the news, Mr. Horbach.”

"Oh, no; what's the good of being downhearted. Ah, Madame is coming in!"

Madame Van Roeken now entered the room, and after giving Horbach a distant bow, said to her husband

"Tabé, my dear-you've come at last. I have waited for you such a long time."

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Indeed, darling-but why did you not go out for a drive."

"I had a headache, dear, and did not wish to go out without you."

Now, my dear, allow me to introduce to you Mr. Horbach, who is going to pass a few days with us ;-Mr. Horbach, Madame Van Roeken."

Madame Van Roeken made a slight bow towards a pillar at some distance, and then taking her husband's arm, led the way to the supper-room.

Her evident contempt for Horbach did not escape his observation. It must be admitted too, that she had good reason for it, for she had heard from her servants much that did not redound to his credit. She had had, moreover, a tiff with her husband, about his sitting at the same table with them; but her husband had insisted on this as a point of etiquette that was due to his guest as a European.

Horbach, instead of being at all abashed or hurt at her contemptuous indifference, as she expected he would be, seemed rather to relish it. He kept smiling complacently during the supper, and whenever she cast a side glance at him, she detected a satirical look levelled at her.

They soon retired from table; and as Madame Van Roeken turned her back on her guest, she was conscious that his sardonic grin was still fixed on her; and she felt that she hated him more than ever.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

A TIMELY DISCOVERY.

ABOUT a week had passed since the occurence of the scene we have just described, when the arrival of the monthly mail gave its usual impetus to the curiosity and bustle of the inhabitants of Batavia.

A small parcel had arrived by the mail for Wagner, and it proved to be a little present he had intended to make to Marie Romelaer. Since the day of the quarrel between him and that hot-tempered young lady, her father's doors had been shut against him; and that gentleman, moreover, had ever since behaved rather stiffly towards him.

He nevertheless made up his mind to take the present to her. So he put the case in his pocket; and after telling Nitschke that he would be back within a given time, drove off to Romelaer's house.

On his way thither he met a Malay, on horseback, who, after presenting Wagner with a small note, instantly rode off.

He promptly recognized the Malay as one of Romelaer's

servants; so, with feelings of mingled hope and fear, he opened the envelope, and found it to contain simply a card, on which was printed :—

MARIE ROMELAER,

AND

CAPTAIN KARL BERNSTOFF,

INVITE YOU TO THEIR BETROTHAL.

Wagner stared in surprise at the note; but before he could stop his bendi, the coachman drove right into Romelaer's garden. It was now too late to recede; he had too many familiar eyes upon him: Marie, too, just then came to the door, and, not knowing who it was, she smilingly put out her hand in welcome; but when she recognized Wagner, she coloured, and started back. Wagner told the coachman to wait; and then taking the present in his hand, quickly ran up the steps.

"Mr. Wagner," exclaimed Marie, in some confusion, thinking he could not have received the card; "I did not know that it was

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"My dear Miss Romelaer," said he, "you appear to expect some one dearer to you than I am; and I regret that I am the cause of your disappointment. But I

thought I had better give you something I sent for several months ago. At one time, I hoped that you would accept this as my bride elect! but your card has saved you the need of any farther explanation. I hope you will soon forget me, Marie; but, be assured I shall never think of you in anger. Farewell; may Heaven protect and watch over you!"

With these words he kissed her hand respectfully, then returned to his carriage, and was off before she could recover her self-possession.

Wagner's mind was much embittered; but his love for Marie had already sustained too severe a shock before, for him to suffer intensely now. As he had a good hour to spare before the time of his promised return to the office, he determined to drive to Van Straaten's house, to see how his young protégée was getting on in her new abode.

Meanwhile that eccentric old gentleman, Mr. Lockhaart, was seated in Van Straaten's house, busily engaged in reading a letter, the perusal of which he constantly recommenced, seeming to be quite able to understand it. While thus occupied, he heard steps approaching behind him, and on turning round, saw a figure that caused him to stare as if it had been a ghost, and made him abruptly exclaim,

"Hallo! what the devil have you come here for?"

The person thus unceremoniously accosted was no other than the missionary, Solomon Holderbreit, who said, in an apologetic tone,