But Nathan is seldom at Barnow, and when he returns there two or three times in the year, his visits are short. His business in the little town is managed for him by a cousin, and he travels to distant countries. He is no longer a small shop-keeper, but one of the richest wine-merchants in the country. He has never married again. Once it was supposed that he was engaged to a girl in Czernowitz, but it was not the case. Only one person knew the reason of his solitude, and this was Frau Christine. This she learned the only time she ever saw him to speak to after their separation. Nathan and Herr von Negrusz always met with friendly feelings, and when the former was at home, the two boys were continually with him; but he had avoided any meeting with Christine until now. It was at the time that people said that he was going to be married again. The boys were sitting with Nathan on the bench at the house-door, and as it was late, their mother came to fetch them. They ran to meet her, showed her the presents Nathan had brought for them, and dragged her up to the bench. "I must thank you, Herr Silberstein," she said, in a trembling voice; but she corrected herself quickly, and went on--"I must thank you, Nathan, for being so kind to the children." "They are such dear little boys," he said, hastily. "I am very glad, Chane, to see you so happy." "Yes," she answered, "I am very happy--and you?" "Thank you," he said, quietly; "the business is prospering." "The other day I heard some good news about you--from Czernowitz." "There is nothing in it," he answered. "Oh, why? She is said to be a good and pretty girl." He looked at her, and then on the ground. "I found that I could not love her," he said. Many years have passed since then, and Nathan is one of the richest men in the country. People wonder why he works so hard when he has no one to leave his riches to. But Nathan smiles at such questions--he knows that he is working for some one. TWO SAVIOURS OF THE PEOPLE. (1870.)