added with
a smile, "and that she is here with her governess, and that Lady
Estcourt left suddenly on Good Friday, because all that concerns you is
of the greatest interest to the inhabitants of this quiet place, and
they talk of little else."

"How long will it take them to get used to me? I don't like being an
object of interest. No, Letty is going home as soon as I have found a
companion. That is why I am taking the inspector's newspapers home with
me. I can't construct an advertisement out of my stores of German, and
am going to see if I can find something that will serve as model."

"Oh, may I help you? What difficulties you must meet with every hour of
the day!"

"I do," agreed Anna, thinking of all there was to be done before she
could open her doors and her arms to the twelve.

"Any service that I can render to my oldest friend's niece will give me
the greatest pleasure. Will you allow me to send the advertisement for
you? You can hardly know how or where to send it."

"I don't," said Anna. "It would be very kind--I really would be
grateful. It is so important that I should find somebody soon."

"It is of the first importance," said Lohm.

"Has the parson told him of my plans already?" thought Anna. But Lohm
had not seen Manske that morning, and was only picturing this little
thing to himself, this dainty little lady, used to such a different
life, alone in the empty house, struggling with her small supply of
German to make the two raw servants understand her ways. Anna was not a
little thing at all, and she would have been half-amused and
half-indignant if she had known that that was the impression she had
made on him.

"My sister, Graefin Hasdorf," he began--"Heavens," she thought, "has _he_
got an unattached sister?"--"sometimes stays with me with her children,
and when she is here will be able to help you in many ways if you will
allow her to. She too knew your uncle from her childhood. She will be
greatly interested to know that you have had the courage to settle
here."

"Courage?" echoed Anna. "Why, I love it. It's the most beautiful place
in the world."

Lohm looked doubtfully at her for a moment; but there was no mistaking
the sincerity of those eyes. "It is pleasant to hear you say so," he
said. "My sister Trudi would scarcely credit her ears if she were
present. To her it is a terrible place, and she pities me with all her
heart because my lot is cast in it."

Anna laughed. She thought s