special care, and in case of an
emergency Mea could easily run down to fetch her mother.

"Leonore will mean more to you than she will ever realize," the mother
concluded, "and I feel very gratified if you can do something for her,
too."

Mrs. Maxa then informed Apollonie of the new plan, and she felt sure
that the latter would be glad to get home again.

"I do everything in my power for that angel," she exclaimed. "I should
go to live in the desert if only I could procure a home for her."

After dinner she went to Leonore to say good-bye, and the child pressed
her hand most warmly, thanking her for the good care she had received.

"I shall never forget how kind you have been, Apollonie," she said
heartily. "I shall come to see you as soon as I am allowed to go. I
hope that we shall see each other very often."

"Oh, yes, I hope so! Please ask Mrs. Rector to let you come to me as
often as possible," said Apollonie before leaving.

Leonore now told the children that Apollonie had very vividly described
to her the lovely home of her parents and the wonderful life in the
castle. She had said frankly that she would never desire such a fine
home, if only Salo and she could call a little house their own, so the
good-hearted Apollonie had suggested that they might live with her. She
could easily let them have the whole cottage with the exception of a tiny
chamber. She could wait on them, and what more could they desire?
Leonore had felt that this would be better than anything she had dreamed
of, as she could come over to Mrs. Maxa and her children as often as she
pleased. How happy Salo would be if she wrote him about it.

"Yes, you can," Maezli declared. "Her house is a lovely place to live in.
Loneli is there, who does everything one wants her to, and Apollonie
always cooks what one likes best."

Kurt made a little enigmatical remark to Maezli about her greed, but
before she could have it explained to her, the mother turned to Leonore.

"I do not want you to be deluded by this thought, dear child," she said,
"for that might only bring you disappointment. As soon as you are well,
you can walk to Apollonie's cottage and then you will see what a tiny
place it is. The great obstacle of Salo's studies would not be put aside
in that way, either, for he could not join you there for years."

"Oh, I was thinking all the time how lovely it would be to live with
Apollonie! It would be so wonderful--I could live with her there