Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. See the path is clear To a grand career. Eric remained alone. He had thrown himself into a chair, and rested his head in his hand. The manner in which his engagement had been taken at home depressed and disenchanted him. He had not thought of the possibility of objections, expecting that his father would hail his selection with joyful approval, instead of which investigations had been entered into, and doubts and scruples suggested. His father actually seemed to entertain serious mistrust, and evidently claimed, even now, the decisive voice. The young man fired up at the thought of his petted, idolized betrothed, and her haughty brother, being first put on probation, as it were, here at Odensburg, ere they should ultimately be admitted into their family. Just here the door was opened, and he started up from his reverie. Egbert he cried, joyfully springing to his feet, and hurrying to meet a young man, who came in with outstretched hand. Welcome home, Eric Yes, I have been away from it a long while, so long that I am quite a stranger in it, said Eric, returning the pressure of his hand, and we have not seen one another for an eternity. I, too, have been away two years in England, only returning a short time ago. But first of all, how is your health now ? Egbert Runeck was very little older than the young heir, but he had the appearance of being more mature by some years. His personnel made the impression of manly vigor in the highest degree, and his tall figure towered so over Eric's, that the latter had to look up when he spoke to him. His face, tanned by exposure to sun and wind, was any thing but handsome, yet there was expression and energy in every feature. His light brown hair and full beard had a slightly reddish hue...