lives to the goodness of the same divine Father. The animal seemed to
understand this, for it nodded to him. The saint now made a bargain with
the wolf, which gave him its paw in pledge of the oath; and it kept the
promise, for it followed St. Francis into the city, and never again
harmed anyone. The citizens of Gubbio fed the good beast, and when it
died sincerely mourned it. If you wish to know from whom I heard this
edifying story--which is true, and can be confirmed by some one now in
Nuremberg who witnessed it--let me tell you that it was the wicked wolf
himself; not the Gubbio one, but he from Switzerland. An old Minorite
monk, to whom he compassionately gave his horse, is the witness I
mentioned. At the tavern the priest told him what he had beheld with his
own eyes. Do you still inveigh against the dangerous beast, which acts
like the good Samaritan, and finds nothing more delightful than hearing
or speaking of our dear saint?"

"And this in the Town Hall during the dance?" asked Els, clasping her
hands as if she had heard something unprecedented.

Eva, fairly radiant with joy, nodded assent; and Els heard the ring of
pleasure in her clear voice, too, as she exclaimed: "That was just what
made the ball so delightful. The dancing! Oh, yes, it is easy enough to
walk and turn in time to the music when one has such a knight for a
partner; but that was by no means the pleasantest part of it. During the
interval--it seemed but an instant, yet it really lasted a considerable
time--we first entered into conversation."

"In one of the side rooms?" asked Els, the bright colour fading from her
cheeks.

"What are you thinking of?" replied Eva in a tone of offence. "I believe