“At last the hills of his native town rose to his view; then the old pines which sheltered his home.  Soon he felt the warm tears on his cheek, and the soft arms of his mother and sister around his neck.

“‘Where is Reinhold?’ he asked, after he had released himself from their embrace.

“He is away to-day; gone to a fair, but will be back by supper time, and bring his fair affianced.

“‘Reinhold engaged!’ exclaimed Conrad, in tones so strange that Marie, his sister, turned pale.  But his quick return to himself assured her that he was not angry, as she supposed, only surprised; and taking his proffered arm they walked together in the garden-talking of old scenes and pleasures, till even the fair face of his vision was forgotten, and he rested his eyes in tender, brotherly love, on the fair girl at his side.

“They were in close conversation, so earnest, they did not hear the approaching footsteps, when the well-known voice of his brother called: 

“‘Welcome, Conrad; welcome home,’ and the next instant a pair of stout arms were around him.

“’I believe he is stronger than you, Con., with all your military drills,’ said Marie, laughing to see her brother trying to extricate himself.

“‘I am so glad you have come,’ said Reinhold, ’I want you to see your new sister,’ then he called her from where she stood apart from them, behind a clump of trees.  Conrad’s back was towards her when she approached, and he turned, at his brother’s words.

“‘Miss Rosa,—­Conrad, my brother,’ and for the first time he looked on the face that had so long haunted his dreams.

“‘My God!’ he said, ‘It is the same,’ and fell prostrate on the ground.

“The poor girl flew to the house, laid her head on the shoulder of Reinhold’s mother, and wept bitterly.  She, too, had seen his face in her dreams, and supposed it an ideal which she should never meet.  She had seen it before she met Reinhold, and thought as she looked on him, that he approximated somewhat to it, nearer then she even hoped to see, and had grown day by day to love him, not as one ought a lover, but tenderly like a brother.

“The deepest anxiety seized the good parents, and Marie, to fathom the cause of Conrad’s strange state.  They carried him to the house, where he lay insensible for hours, but once only his lips parted, and then he breathed the name of ‘Rosa,’ in accents so tender, that his brother, who stood bending over him, in agony of grief at his state, flew from the room.

“In half an hour Conrad started as though shot, and rose from the bed with blood-filled eyes, and wildest terror on his features.  He placed his hand upon his heart, and then sinking on his knees, cried, imploringly, ‘God forgive me; I have killed my brother!’

“‘Go and call Reinhold, Marie,’ said the affrighted father, ’and prove to the poor boy that his brother is alive and well.  O, what has come over our happy home.’