s beard rapidly and nervously.

"'You may say what you will, Stuermer, but cold my two children are not,'
I declared, and just at that moment Anna Maria entered.

"'A light will be brought directly,' she said, cheerfully, stepping over
to her chair. 'Pardon me, baron, for staying away so long; I was kept by
domestic duties, which occupy me more closely than when Klaus is at
home.'

"He made no reply; I only saw him bow. Anna Maria could have said
nothing more pedantic, I thought. Conversation would not flow, the light
did not come. Anna Maria was just on the point of ringing for it when
the bell in the church-tower began to ring in quick, broken strokes.

"'Fire!' cried Anna Maria, in alarm, hurrying to the window. Already
there was a commotion in the court-yard; Stuermer had also thrown open a
window. 'Where is the fire?' he called down.

"With beating heart I sat upright in bed. 'Where?' called Anna Maria,
'where is the fire, people?' Then the words were lost in the tumult.

"'In Dambitz,' at last came up the reply, amid all the tramping of
horses and noise of the people. '_Sacre Dieu!_' murmured Stuermer,
overturning a chair in the darkness; 'Dambitz!'

"'I will light a candle,' said Anna Maria, calmly; 'give me a moment and
I will go with you.' Below, the fire-engine was just rattling across the
court. The candles flared up under Anna Maria's hand.

"'Send me a wrap, aunt, please; I wish to go over on Susanna's account;
do not worry. I am ready, if you will take me with you in your
carriage,' she added to Stuermer; and again a red glow spread over her
face.

"'The carriage is ready, if you please, Fraeulein.' He was already
hurrying out of the room.

"'For God's sake, Anna Maria, bring back Susanna to me!' I cried. And
then I lay alone for hours. Brockelmann came up once: 'The whole sky is
red,' she informed me; 'it must be a big fire.' The little bell rang
unremittingly its monotonous alarm, and before my eyes stood the burning
houses, and I fancied Anna Maria beside Stuermer in the carriage, driving
rapidly along the lonely highway, and Susanna in danger. And my thoughts
flew to Klaus: 'Hold your hands over this girl. I will thank you for it
all my life!' 'My God, protect her!' I prayed in my anxiety.

"And hour after hour passed, the bell became silent, after long pauses,
and Anna Maria did not come. Brockelmann said the fire-light had
disappeared. I heard the carriages and people returning home; then