CHAPTER IX

orsandherarmstothetwelve. "AnyservicethatIcanrendertomyoldestfriend'sniecewillgivemethegreatestpleasure.Willyouallowmetosendtheadvertisementforyou?Youcanhardlyknowhoworwheretosendit." "Idon't,"saidAnna."Itwouldbeverykind—Ireallywouldbegrateful.ItissoimportantthatIshouldfindsomebodysoon." "Itisofthefirstimportance,"saidLohm. "Hastheparsontoldhimofmyplansalready?"thoughtAnna.ButLohmhadnotseenManskethatmorning,andwasonlypicturingthislittlethingtohimself,thisdaintylittlelady,usedtosuchadifferentlife,aloneintheemptyhouse,strugglingwithhersmallsupplyofGermantomakethetworawservantsunderstandherways.Annawasnotalittlethingatall,andshewouldhavebeenhalf-amusedandhalf-indignantifshehadknownthatthatwastheimpressionshehadmadeonhim. "Mysister,Gr?finHasdorf,"hebegan—"Heavens,"shethought,"hashegotanunattachedsister?"—"sometimesstayswithmewithherchildren,andwhensheisherewillbeabletohelpyouinmanywaysifyouwillallowherto.Shetooknewyourunclefromherchildhood.Shewillbegreatlyinterestedtoknowthatyouhavehadthecouragetosettlehere." "Courage?"echoedAnna."Why,Iloveit.It'sthemostbeautifulplaceintheworld." Lohmlookeddoubtfullyatherforamomentbuttherewasnomistakingthesincerityofthoseeyes."Itispleasanttohearyousayso,"hesaid."MysisterTrudiwouldscarcelycreditherearsifshewerepresent.Toheritisaterribleplace,andshepitiesmewithallherheartbecausemylotiscastinit." Annalaughed.ShethoughtsheknewverywellwhatsisterTrudiswerelike."Idonotpityyou,"shesaid"Icouldn'tpityanybeingwholivedinthisair,andunderthissky.Lookhowblueitis—andthegeese—didyoueverseesuchwhitegeese?" Aflockofgeesewerebeingdrivenacrossthesunnyyard,dazzlingintheirwhiteness.Annaliftedupherfacetothesunanddrewinalongbreathofthesharpair.SheforgotLohmforamoment—itwassuchagloriousEasterSunday,andtheworldwassofulloftheabundantgiftsofGod. Dellwig,whohadbeenwatchingthemfromhiswife'swindow,thoughtthatthebrawlerswhoweregoingtobefinedhadbeenkeptwaitinglongenough,andcameoutagainontothesteps. Lohmsawhim,andfeltthathemustgo."Imustdomybusiness,"hesaid,"butasyouhavegivenmepermissionIwillsendanadvertisementtothepapersto-night.Ofcourseyoudesiretohaveanelderlyladyofgoodfamily?" "Yes,butnottooelderly—notsoelderlythatshewon'tbeabletowork.Therewillbesomuchtodo,soverymuchtodo." Lohmwentawaywonderingwhatworktherecouldpossiblybe,excepttheagreeableandeasyworkofseeingthatthisyoungladywasproperlyfed,andproperlypetted,andineverywaytakencareof.