"I smell the coffee," observed Letty, sniffing.

"Then I will come to-morrow if I may," said Axel, "and make the
acquaintance of Frau von Treumann and Baroness Elmreich."

"And Fraeulein Kuhraeuber," said Anna, with emphasis. She thought she saw
the same tendency in him that was so manifest in the princess, a
tendency to ignore the very existence of any one called Kuhraeuber.

"And Fraeulein Kuhraeuber," repeated Axel gravely.

"They've burnt the toast again," said Letty; "I can hear them scraping
off the black."

"I wish you good luck, then," said Axel, taking off his hat; "with all
my heart I wish you good luck, and that these ladies may very soon be as
happy as you are yourself."

"That's nice," said Anna, approvingly; "so much, much nicer than the
other things you have been saying." And she nodded to him, all smiles,
as she crossed over to the house and he rode away.

CHAPTER XIV

Long before the carriage bringing the three chosen ones from the station
could possibly arrive, Anna and Letty began to wait in the hall,
standing at the windows, going out on to the steps, looking into the
different rooms every few minutes to make sure that everything was
ready. The bedrooms were full of the hepaticas of the morning; the
coffee had been set out with infinite care and an eye to effect by Anna
herself on a little table in the drawing-room by the open window,
through which the mild April air came in and gently fanned the curtains
to and fro; and the princess had baked her best cakes for the occasion,
inwardly deploring, as she did so, that such cakes should be offered to
such people. When she had seen that all was as it should be, she
withdrew into her own room, where she remained darning sheets, for she
had asked Anna to excuse her from being present at the arrival. "It is
better that you should make their acquaintance by yourself," she said.
"The presence of too many strangers at first might disconcert them under
the circumstances."

Miss Leech profited by this remark, made in her hearing, and did not
appear either; so that when the carriage drove in at the gate only Anna
and Letty were standing at the door in the sunshine.

Anna's heart bumped so as the three slowly disentangled themselves and
got out, that she could hardly speak. Her face flushed and grew pale by
turns, and her eyes were shining with something suspiciously like tears.
What she wanted to do was to put her arms right round the three