ve closely together.

"The thought of sending Bruno away from home already troubles me
greatly," she said finally. "I do not see the necessity for it. Our
rector, who has offered to teach them out of pure kindness, means to keep
the boys under his care till a year from next spring. They are able to
learn plenty still from him. However, if you have resolved to send your
sons away, I shall be obliged to do the same, as the Rector could not
continue the lessons for Bruno alone." Mrs. Maxa declined the offer of
her visitor to look up a dwelling-place for Bruno, as she had to talk the
matter over first with her brother. He was always her counsellor in
these things, because he was the children's guardian.

The district attorney's wife did not seem gratified with this
information. As she was anxious to have the matter settled then and
there, she remarked rather sarcastically that a mother should be able to
decide such matters alone. "The boys are sensible enough to behave
properly without being constantly watched," she added. "I can certainly
say that mine are, and where two hold to the right path, a third is sure
to follow."

"My eldest is never one to follow blindly," Mrs. Maxa said with
animation. "I should not wish it either in this case. I shall keep him
at home as long as it is possible for me, and after that I shall send him
away under God's protection."

"Just as you say," the other lady uttered, rising and taking leave. "We
can talk the question of boarding over again another time," she remarked
as she was going away; "when the time comes, my husband's preparation for
the future will be welcome, I am sure."

When the mother, after escorting her guest, came back to the children's
room, Maezli immediately called out, "Did she say if the two are still
locked up?"

"What are you inventing, Maezli?" said the mother. "You probably don't
know yourself what it means."

"Oh, yes, I know," Maezli assured her. "I asked her if the boys were
still locked up because Kurt said that."

Kurt laughed out loud: "Oh, you naughty child to talk so wild! Because I
say that those two ought to be locked up, Maezli runs over and immediately
asks their mother that question."

Mrs. Maxa now understood clearly where her visitor had heard about her
boy's behaviour of yesterday.

"Maezli," she said admonishingly, "have you forgotten that you are not to
ask questions of grown-up people who come to see me?"

"But why shouldn't I ask wha