r von Schoenau. "It's all your little wife's
fault, Will, that I am at Burgsdorf. I'm here at her suggestion, and if
that mother of your's is not obstinate and unreasonable and pig-headed
as usual--why I'll marry her."

"I pray to God you may, uncle," answered Will, to whom this summary of
his mother's wonted characteristics was very singular, to say the least.

"Yes, so do I," agreed Schoenau, "your wife thinks--"

"I think that you shouldn't lose a moment," cried Marietta, "Mamma has
just gone to her sitting-room and knows nothing of your arrival. Will
and I will remain behind, and if the worst comes to the worst call on
us. Forward, march!"

With these words she gave him a push, and the sturdy, broad shouldered
man turned at her bidding, saying to Will, who entered the house with
him:

"They are all commanders whether they be large or small--it's born in
them, I suppose."

Regine von Eschenhagen stood at the window of her cosy room looking out
upon her beloved Burgsdorf, which she was to leave in a few days. Though
she had said so decidedly she would go, the decision had been no light
matter to her. The strong, active, capable woman who had been mistress
here for thirty years and over, dreaded the quiet and inactivity of city
life, of which she had had some slight experience at the time of her
quarrel with her son. She dreaded going back to it now, though she knew
it was but just and fitting to leave Willibald and his wife alone, and
she had the courage to do what was right. She heard the door open and
turned to see the head forester enter the room.

"Moritz, you here?" she said, surprised. "It was very sensible of you to
come."

"Yes, I'm always sensible," answered the head forester, with his usual
lack of tact. "You didn't have the grace to invite me, but I thought I'd
come in person to invite you and your children to Toni's marriage. You
will come to Fuerstenstein, will you not?"

"Certainly we will come, but we were surprised to hear it was to take
place so soon. I thought you were going to buy them an estate first and
settle the matter more slowly!"

"No, they wouldn't wait or listen to reason. Our warriors make great
demands when they come home covered with glory. Walldorf said to me
quite coolly: 'You know you said first conquer then marry. Well we have
conquered; now I shall marry without any delay. The estate can wait, the
land won't run away, but we must be married now!' Of course Toni
seconded