luency of speech, bursting out in the week on the least
provocation into preaching, and not by any known means to be stopped.

"Oh--words, words, words!" thought Anna, waiting till he should have
finished. His wife, hearing the well-known rapid speech of his inspired
moments, glowed with pride. "My Adolf surpasses himself," she thought;
"the Miss must wonder."

The Miss did wonder. She sat and wondered, her elbows on the arms of the
chair, her finger tips joined together, and her eyes fixed on her finger
tips. She did not like to look at him, because, knowing how different
was the effect produced on her to that which he of course imagined, she
was sorry for him.

"It is so good of you to help me," she said with gentle irrelevance when
the longed-for pause at length came. "There was something else that I
wanted to consult you about. I must look for a companion--an elderly
German lady, who will help me in the housekeeping."

"Yes, yes, I comprehend. But would not the twelve be sufficient
companions, and helps in the housekeeping?"

"No, because I would not like them to think that I want anything done
for me in return for their home. I want them to do exactly what makes
them happiest. They will all have had sad lives, and must waste no more
time in doing things they don't quite like."

"Ah--noble, noble," murmured the parson, quite as unpractical as Anna,
and fascinated by the very vagueness of her plan of benevolence.

"The companion I wish to find would be another sort of person, and would
help me in return for a salary."

"Certainly, I comprehend."

"I thought perhaps you would tell me how to advertise for such a
person?"

"Surely, surely. My wife has a sister----"

He paused. Anna looked up quickly. She had not reckoned with the
possibility of his wife's having sisters.

"_Lieber Schatz_," he called to his wife, "what does thy sister Helena
do now?"

Frau Manske got up and came over to them with the alacrity of relief.
"What dost thou say, dear Adolf?" she asked, laying her hand on his
shoulder. He took it in his, stroked it, kissed it, and finally put his
arm round her waist and held it there while he talked; all to the
exceeding joy of Letty, to whom such proceedings had the charm of
absolute freshness.

"Thy sister Helena--is she at present in the parental house?" he asked,
looking up at her fondly, warmed into an affection even greater than
ordinary by the circumstance of having spectators.

Fra