little German
music-master, who had taught classical music, and hated Belzini, came to
her; he was no longer at the Moreau school, and she had his address. He
had been especially kind. She summoned her courage and wrote to him.
Herr Scheffel's reply came promptly and cordially. "I have your letter
received, and I remember you entirely. I know not now all I can promise,
as my season of lessons is not yet begun, but two little girls you can
have at once for scales, though much they will not pay. But with your
voice, honored Fraeulein, a place in a church choir is the best, and for
that I will do my very best endeavor. But while you make a beginning,
honored Fraeulein, take my wife and I for friends. Our loaf and our cup,
and our hearts too, are all yours."

The little German had liked Anne: this pupil, and this one only, had
cheered the dull hours he had spent in the little third-story room,
where he, the piano, and the screen had their cramped abode. Anne smiled
as she gratefully read his warm-hearted letter, his offer of his cup and
his loaf; she could hear him saying it--his "gup" and his "loave," and
"two liddle girls for sgales, though moche they will not bay." She had
written to old Nora also, and the answer (a niece acting as scribe)
declared, with Hibernian effusiveness, and a curious assemblage of
negatives, that she would be glad to return to the half-house on
Jeanne-Armande's old terms, namely, her living, but no wages. She did
not add that, owing to rheumatism, she was unable to obtain work where
she was; she left Anne to find that out for herself. But even old Nora,
bandaged in red flannel, her gait reduced to a limp, was a companion
worth having when one is companionless. During the interval, Anne had
received several letters from Miss Lois. Little Andre was better, but
the doctors advised that he should remain where he was through the
winter. Miss Lois wrote that she was willing to remain, in the hope of
benefit to the suffering boy, and how great a concession this was from
the careful housekeeper and home-lover only Anne could know. (But she
did not know how close the child had grown to Miss Lois's heart.) This
new plan would prevent their coming to Weston at present. Thankful now
for what would have been, under other circumstances, a great
disappointment, Anne resigned her position in the Weston school, and
went away, at the last suddenly, and evading all inquiries. Mrs. Green
was absent, the woman in te