A little before noon Otto, by a triumph of manoeuvring, effected his escape.

He was quit in this way of the ponderous gratitude of Mr.
Killian, and of the confidential gratitude of poor Ottilia; but of Fritz he was not quit so readily.

That young politician, brimming with mysterious glances, offered to lend his convoy as far as to the high-road; and Otto, in fear of some residuary jealousy and for the girl's sake, had not the courage to gainsay him; but he regarded his companion with uneasy glances, and devoutly wished the business at an end.

For some time Fritz walked by the mare in silence; and they had already traversed more than half the proposed distance when, with something of a blush, he looked up and opened fire.
'Are you not,' he asked, 'what they call a socialist ?' 'Why, no,' returned Otto, 'not precisely what they call so.

Why do you ask ?' 'I will tell you why,' said the young man.