er
fair head in my lap, and threw her arms impetuously about me. 'Aunt,
ah, aunt!' she groaned.

"I took her head between my two hands, and kissed her forehead; tears
flowed from my eyes. 'Anna Maria! ah, at last, at last!' I sobbed; 'now
everything may yet be well.'

"She did not answer; she rose and began to walk up and down the room,
her arms crossed below her breast, her head bent. I could not
distinguish her features in the deep twilight, but I knew that she was
deeply affected. 'Aunt,' she said at last, coming up to me, 'what answer
shall you make to Stuermer?'

"'That I will receive him, Anna Maria.'

"'No'--she hesitated--'I mean to-morrow, to his question--'she said,
slowly.

"'What you will, Anna Maria. Shall I say yes?'

"Slipping to the floor, she threw her arms around my neck. 'Yes!' she
said, softly, and burst into tears. The pain borne quietly for years
gushed with them from her soul; I stroked her smooth head caressingly,
and let her weep. How long we sat thus I know not. Then the girl rose
and kissed my hand. 'I will go down,' she whispered.

"'Yes, Anna Maria,' I bade, 'you ought to rest a little or your head
will burn. Let Brockelmann make you a cup of tea; you have surely caught
cold in your head out in the wet garden.'

"She had her hand already on the door-latch, and now turned about again.
'I have not been in the garden, aunt,' she said; 'I have been waiting
here up-stairs for you, certainly for half an hour, since he went away.'
She nodded to me once more, then she went out, and left me standing in
unutterable bewilderment.

"Anna Maria not in the garden? Who in the world could have stood there
and beckoned to him? An oppressive fear overwhelmed me, and almost
instinctively I went across to Susanna's room; my first look fell upon
her, sitting on the floor before the fire-place; the bright light
illuminated her face with a rosy glow, and made her eyes seem more
radiant than ever. Her hands were clasped about her knees, and she was
looking dreamily at the flickering flames. Isa was bustling about at the
back of the room; she came nearer as she caught sight of me.

"'Susanna,' I asked, 'were you in the garden a little while ago?'

"She started up and looked at me with frightened eyes. 'No!' answered
Isabella in her place. 'Susy has not left the room all the afternoon.
What should she be doing out of doors in this weather?'

"'I do not know--but I surely thought I saw you, Susanna?'