"DEAR FRED: I despair of emulating Fräulein Teresa's many
excellencies. You know what a useless little thing I am. Happily, it
is not too late to make another choice. Thinking it may please you,
I hereby release you from all your promises to me. We may never be
anything more to each other perhaps, but I hope that we shall always
be dear friends. I shall never forget that we grew up together, and
I wish you all possible happiness.

"Your little friend, HELEN."

In due time this answer came:

"HEIDELBERG, August 27, 1871.

"MISS ST. CLAIR: Your somewhat singular letter of August 5th was
duly received. If I believed that you had written it, or ever could
or would do anything, with proper deliberation, I should accept
your decision at once. But as I have good reason to know your habit
of acting from sudden impulses which you afterward regret, I give
you three months to reconsider this hasty step.

"I have the honor to be your obedient servant,

"F. A. DENHAM."

Helen held to me the open sheet, with kindling eyes and glowing cheeks:
"Three months! I don't need three minutes: I wouldn't change in three
centuries. I am so glad to be free!" she cried, sobbing and laughing at
the same moment. "He has worried me so--a poor little thing like me!"