The old gentleman laid his pen aside, left his seat, and wished the others good-night, while he prepared to leave the office. He had hardly gone a few steps along the passage when he met Herr Almbach, who turned in quickly from the street. The bookkeeper struck his hands together in joyful alarm. "Thank God that you, at least, are to be seen again, Herr Captain," he cried. "We are indeed wretched in this house." "Is the barometer still pointing to stormy?" asked Hugo, with a glance at the upper story. The bookkeeper sighed. "Stormy! Perhaps you will bring us sunshine." "Hardly," said Hugo, seriously. "At this moment I am seeking Frau Almbach. Is she at home?" "Your aunt is out with the chief," said the former. "Not she. I mean my sister-in-law." "The young mistress? Oh dear, we have not seen her for three days. She is sure to be upstairs in the nursery. She hardly leaves the little one for a moment now." "I will seek her," said Hugo, as with a rapid adieu he hastened upstairs. "Good-evening." The bookkeeper looked after him, shaking his head. He was not used to the young Captain's passing him without some joke, some chaff; and he had also remarked the cloud which to-day lay on the young man's usually cheerful brow. He shook his head once more, and repeated his former sigh, "God knows how the affair will end." In the meanwhile Hugo had reached his sister-in-law's apartments. "It is I, Ella," he said, entering. "Have I startled you?" The young wife was alone; she sat by her boy's little bed. The rapid, youthful steps outside, and the quick opening of the door, might well have deceived her as to the comer. She had surely expected another. Her painful start and the colour in her face, which suddenly gave way to intense pallor, as she recognised her brother-in-law, showed this. "My uncle carries his injustice so far as to forbid me the house also," continued the latter, as he came nearer. "He persists in thinking I had some share in this unhappy breach. I hope, Ella, that you exonerate me from it." She hardly listened to the last words. "You bring me news from Reinhold?" asked she quickly, with fleeting breath. "Where is he?" "You surely did not expect that he would come himself," said the Captain, evasively. "Whatever blame may be due to him in the whole affair, the behaviour on my uncle's part was such that every one would have rebelled against it. On this point I stand on his side, and understand thoroughly that he went with the intention not to return. I should have done the same." "It was a terrible scene," replied Ella, with difficulty keeping back the tears which were gushing out. "My parents learned elsewhere what I would have hidden at any cost, and Reinhold was awful in his wild rage. He left us, but he might have let me receive one word at least, during the three days, through you. He is surely with you?" "No," replied Hugo, shortly, almost roughly.