"I crave forgiveness, Fräulein Hartwich," he began, "for venturing to offer my medical skill in place of his for whom you sent." "If you come from Dr. Heim, you are welcome. Is he ill, that he sends me a substitute, or is he angry with me?" And Ernestine looked gravely and fixedly at the stranger. "Neither the one nor the other, Fräulein Hartwich," was the reply. "He has merely permitted me to use his name as the talisman to unlock this enchanted castle." "And why so?" asked Ernestine, regarding him still more attentively. "Because I am convinced that I understand the treatment of your case better than Dr. Heim." Ernestine started, and turned away from the arrogant speaker. Her face darkened with momentary displeasure,--but not long. She raised her large eyes to him again and said frankly, "No, you are not in earnest. Heim would not have sent me a physician as vain and conceited as these words make you appear!" Johannes offered her his hand with a smile. "Boldly spoken, Fräulein Hartwich,--I thank you! Nevertheless, I must rest under the charge of vanity and arrogance until you declare me innocent, for I only uttered Dr. Heim's honest conviction and my own. You shake your head, and do not comprehend me. I hope you will do so soon. How could I have had the courage to challenge your displeasure by so bold an assertion, had I not been sure that time would justify my pretensions?" Ernestine motioned to him to be seated. "May I be permitted, sir, to request your name before speaking further with you?" Johannes cast at her a glance of kindly entreaty. "I pray you allow me to suppress it for the present. I should so like to inspire you with confidence in me for my own sake, without the aid of a name perhaps not unknown to you. Such confidence would be so precious to me. Call it a whim, if you will, but I beg you to indulge me!" "As you please, sir," said Ernestine with some constraint, looking keenly at him as she spoke. She seemed to be searching in his handsome face for something,--she scarce knew what,--it seemed to suggest some dim recollection to her mind. Then she dropped her glance, as if comparing what she saw with some image in her memory, yet without arriving at any satisfactory conclusion.