youth burned fiercely; but a nearer view showed how totally dissimilar
they were, after all.

It was evident that the younger man, who was about twenty-four years
old, owed his dark complexion to his long residence beneath a fierce
sun, for his light, curly hair and blue eyes were not the fitting
accompaniments for such a browned skin, but were unquestionably German.
He had a blonde beard, curly like the hair which surrounded his
handsome, open countenance, but the face hardly coincided with one's
ideas of perfect beauty. The forehead was somewhat too narrow and the
features were not regular, but something in his expression reminded one
of clear sunshine, it was so good-natured and so winning.

His companion, who was a few years his senior, had nothing of this
sunlight in his face, although his appearance was undoubtedly the more
distinguished of the two. Slender, like his companion, he was much the
taller, and his dark skin was not the legacy of an eastern sun. It was
of that faint brown which makes the freshest face look pale, and the
blue-black hair, which fell in heavy locks on his high forehead, only
served to heighten this appearance of pallor. It was a beautiful face,
with its noble, proud lines so marked and expressive, but there were
deep shadows on it, too, on the brow and across the eyes, shadows found
but seldom in so youthful a countenance. The great, dark eyes in which a
shade of melancholy always lay, spoke of hot, unrestrained passion, and
the fire which blazed within them had a mysterious, unearthly
fascination. One felt that these orbs possessed some uncanny power, but
they were in accord with the man's whole personality, which had about it
something of this same strange witchery.

"Well, I cannot help you, Stadinger," said the younger of the men. "The