ous eyes fairly gleamed with sympathy.

"What is her name," she asked expectantly.

"Leonore," Mea answered.

"Oh," Loneli immediately began, "my grandmother also knew a young lady
called Leonore. She always says that that young lady was as lovely as an
angel and that there could not be anybody in the world as wonderful as
she."

"I am rather glad if Leonore is not like an angel, for she might not be
my friend then," Mea said quickly. "Elvira even, who certainly is not at
all like an angel, has to break her friendship with me every few weeks."

"Maybe she does that because she is so little like an angel," Loneli
suggested.

At this both children laughed. Often Loneli found exactly the right word
to say which would throw light on the matter. Kurt always enjoyed these
remarks of hers.

At that moment shrieks of joy sounded from the house: "Mama is coming!
Mama is coming!"

Lippo, the watchman, had posted himself again on the stairs as soon as he
had returned from school, and he had found ample work there. Kurt had
again forgotten the command and had to be chased away, and even Bruno had
made an attempt to quietly steal up to his mother. But all this had only
brought horrified cries from the little boy.

They had both meant no wrong whatever. All they had wanted was to
quickly say a word to the mother through the open door. Nevertheless,
Lippo had grown terribly wrought up about it. A firm command had been
given, and they had tried to break it, so they all had been obliged to
give way before his violent noise.

A strange gentleman had come, too, who was half-way up the stairs with
two leaps. But Lippo had grabbed the tails of his coat and, holding on
to them with both hands, shrieked, "Nobody is allowed to go up. You must
not go up."

Laughingly turning about, the gentleman said, "Just let me go, little
one. I am allowed because I am the doctor. Your uncle told me where to
go, so I'll easily find my way. But I'll make use of you some day, for
you are a splendid sentinel."

When the doctor on his return found him still on the same spot, he called
him a pillar of good order and told him that he would send for him if he
should ever need a reliable watchman.

Soon after, Lippo uttered sudden shouts of joy, for he saw his mother
coming downstairs. What a surprise it was to see her when they had
thought that she would be shut up for one or two days longer!

"Mama is coming! Mama is coming!"

All had heard his