im!'

"Anna Maria turned and went out of the room, and Susanna sprang up and
followed her. After a while they came back, and for the first time there
was a smile on the lips of each. Susanna would fly away out of the
desolate, snowed-in house of mourning, and Anna Maria had one more care.
She might fondle and care for the child of her only brother to her
heart's content; the child to whom she had only ventured timidly, in
order not to excite Susanna's jealousy, should now belong to her alone
for a long time.

"And Susanna went away with chests and trunks, and with Isa. She was
overcome with pain at the parting from her child; at the last moment she
wanted to tear off hat and cloak again and stay here. However, she got
into the carriage. That she would not be here at Christmas did not
disturb her; it would be no festival this year, she thought, it would
only make her sadder. The doctor had really advised her going south.

"And so we were alone in the solitary house--Anna Maria, the child, and
I. The child's cradle stood in her room; she would lie for hours before
it, and could not look her fill at the round, childish face. She could
still weep, weep bitterly, for Klaus; but her grief had grown gentler,
much gentler.

"On a stormy evening, a few days after Susanna's departure, Stuermer came
to speak with Anna Maria. He had not been here for more than a week.

"Brockelmann showed him at once to Anna Maria's room; we had not heard
him come, and she was right on her knees before the cradle, talking to
the child, so simply and affectionately, so sweetly and naturally, about
the Christ-child and the Christmas-man. All the great, overflowing love
of which the girl was capable, an infinite tenderness and gentleness,
sounded in the tone of her voice. But Anna Maria had no heart--how often
had the man said that, who was now standing still at the door and
looking at her as in a dream.

"She sprang up in confusion as she caught sight of him; the old proud,
impenetrable expression returned to her face at once.

"'It is so lonely over there,' he said apologetically, 'and then I had
to bring you the mortgage from the mill; the old crow has begged so
hard, Fraeulein Anna Maria, I think we will leave it to him, or, if you
prefer, I will take it too.'

"She shook her head. 'Oh, never,' she said calmly; 'the money must stay
at the mill; Klaus promised it to the man.'

"He was still holding his hat in his hand. 'May I stay here ha