continue; we need not discuss
it, my son. I must always be first where I live and work. You must be
that now, and we wouldn't pull together. Until now we have been
distressed and anxious about you, not knowing what hour would bring
tidings to break our hearts. That's all over, but I'm not so old that I
must be set aside as useless. Wherever I am I must be the head, and for
that reason I am going."

She turned and entered the house, while her son gazed after her and gave
a troubled sigh.

"Perhaps she is right," he said, "but it will be hard for her to be
without duties or occupation. Enforced quiet will be very hard for her,
I know. You should have begged her to remain, Marietta."

Marietta laid her head on his shoulder and looked up smiling:

"O no, I'll do something better. I'll have a care that when she leaves
us she will not be unhappy."

"You? What will you do?"

"Only a simple thing--have her get married."

"What do you mean?"

"O, Will, to be so wise and yet see nothing," said his wife with her old
sweet silvery laugh. "Have you no idea why uncle Schoenau was in such a
bad humor when we met him in Berlin, and urged him to visit us? Your
mother didn't invite him because she feared another proposal; he
understood that, and it made him furious. I saw them at Waldhofen the
time of our marriage, and I knew he would have been very glad to have a
similar ceremony performed for himself, only your mother said him nay.
Don't put on such a face, Will; you look exactly as you did the first
day I saw you."

Her husband was gazing at her in boundless astonishment. He had never
dreamed of such a possibility as his mother marrying again, or his uncle
either, for that matter. It struck him now as a most excellent
arrangement.

"Marietta, how wise you are!" he said, looking with admiration at the
smiling girl, who was beaming with satisfaction at the manner in which
her news had been received.

"I'm wiser than you think," she declared triumphantly, "for I have set
the wheel going. I took occasion to let uncle Schoenau know that if he
stormed the fort again, a complete surrender might follow. He said he
had no intention of being refused again, but you'll see him sooner than
you think. In fact he's in the house now, came half an hour ago, but I
determined to say nothing about it before mamma--here he is now!"

The head forester stepped on the terrace just in time to hear the last
words.

"Yes, here I am," said Her