ility, planted in
love!' He then counselled the men to labor, the women to gentleness in
the home, and finally remembered in his prayer the absent master of the
manor. Anna Maria's head was bent low; I saw how she joined with her
whole heart in the prayer for her brother, how a great tear fell from
her eye upon the leaves of her hymn-book.

"When the last verse had been sung we had to hurry home; for immediately
after service the people always brought the harvest wreath, and to-day
Anna Maria had to thank them in her brother's place. She cast a glance
across to Stuermer's seat; it was empty. Perhaps he was already waiting
at the manor. We walked through the greeting throng as rapidly as my
lame foot would allow, and Anna Maria quickly laid aside hat and shawl
in the garden-parlor, for we already heard the music in the village
street.

"'I don't know about it, aunt,' she said. 'It is dreadful to me without
Klaus; if only Stuermer, at least, were here!'

"'The baron has been in the garden for an hour,' remarked Marieken, who
had just run in, in dazzlingly clean attire, to inform us that the
people were coming.

"'Then go and look for him, Marieken,' I bade. 'I will call Susanna and
Isa.'

"'There comes the baron, now,' cried Marieken, with a glance at the
window, and opened the door leading to the terrace.

"I could not believe my eyes; yes, there he was coming along the
garden-path, and beside him--Susanna. She did not walk, she floated, as
if carried along by the sound of the march, borne hither on the warm
autumn air. A pink dress fluttered and blew about her delicate figure,
and her lips and cheeks were tinged with the same color. With
outstretched arms she flew up the steps.

"Oh, Anna Maria, oh, Fraeulein Rosamond, listen, just listen!' she cried,
in ecstasy.

"Stuermer followed her, smiling, and offered Anna Maria his arm.
Hesitatingly, with a long look at Susanna, she took it. The latter
looked after them in wonder, and walked silently beside me.

"Before the house a crowd of people had assembled, in eager expectation;
then came the children, dancing and skipping, in at the gate; behind
them came the musicians, and over the long procession which followed
hovered the wreath of golden corn, adorned with colored ribbons, waving
gayly in the warm autumn wind.

"Anna Maria stood beside Stuermer, on the front steps, her hand still
resting lightly on his arm; she wore her blue dress and white lace
kerchief.