"Käthchen!" cried Johannes, "you little angel, how much you have done for me! The Fräulein would have gone to-night, and I should never have known whither, if it had not been for you! Is this all that you know?"
"Yes, this is all,--you may trust me. I listened to all she said."
Johannes took the child in his arms and kissed her. "Child, tell me how I can reward you. Speak. What would you like? Whatever it is, you shall have it."
"Ah, dear Herr Professor, if you would only persuade my father and mother to let me have some money for the poor people. Oh, do, do beg them. And then they will not laugh at me and call me Silver-arm any more. I will make them happy, too, or else I shall be just like the Fräulein, and no one will like me at all,--and I would not have it so for all the money in the world."
"I know what you mean, you good little thing, and I promise you that when the rest of your property is sent to me I will invest it so that your parents shall have no right to any of it, but that you may do with it just what Herr Leonhardt advises."
"Ah, that will be splendid!" cried Käthchen, as she kissed the sleeve of Johannes' coat. "Herr Walter!" she called out, "then you will find out all the poor people for me, and tell me how much to give them?"
"Yes, Käthi dear, indeed we will!" Walter gladly replied.
Johannes gave the child some pieces of silver. "There, my darling, give those to the next beggar you see, if you want to do so. Farewell, all of you. I will not delay a moment, for it is time to proceed to extremities." He pressed Leonhardt's hand, and walked quickly away in the direction of the castle.
"What can have passed up there between the uncle and niece?" said Leonhardt, shaking his head.
"Father Leonhardt," said Käthchen, "don't you tell, but I know something."