thick and fast, and he heard nothing but manifestations of love for the
dear, good Baron, Leonore's charming uncle, the good, kind
Castle-Steward. Maezli had not given up this title even now.

"Do you see, Philip, that you can't swim against the stream?" said Mrs.
Maxa when she was sitting alone with her brother after dinner. "The best
thing you can do is to pay your old friend a call; that would add you to
the list of his admirers, instead of your bearing him a grudge."

But Uncle Philip violently objected to this proposal.

"Baron Bruno spoke of you with a sincere feeling of attachment which you
apparently don't deserve," his sister said. "He was afraid of your
feeling towards him, though. Listen to what he said 'I fear that he
won't wish to have anything to do with me, and I shall be powerless in
that case.'"

"I won't refuse the hand of an old friend, though, Maxa," said the
brother now, "if he offers it to me to reestablish peace. What is he
going to do for Salo's son?"

"Salo has already been sent word that he is to have the castle of his
ancestors for a home," replied Mrs. Maxa.

"I am going out for a walk," Uncle Philip said suddenly, taking down his
hat from the peg, and Mrs. Maxa guessed quite well where he was going.
He reappeared at supper time and sat down with merry eyes in the midst of
them all.

"Leonore," he began, "as soon as you are the mistress of the castle, I
shall often be your guest. Your uncle and I have just done some business
together. He told me how different everything used to be in the castle
grounds and that he regretted not understanding about these matters. So
he asked me to take charge of things, as they were in my special field.
He hoped my old attachment to the place"--at these words Uncle Philip's
voice became quite hoarse suddenly--"Maxa, your plum-cake is so sweet it
makes one hoarse," he said, for he would never admit that he had been
overcome by deep emotion. "So I have undertaken to attend to the matter
and I shall often come to the castle."

That Uncle Philip belonged to the castle, too, now awoke hearty outbursts
from the children, which the mother happily joined, for it had been her
greatest wish that the two should become friends again.

The last evening before Leonore was to move into the castle had come, and
the children were all sitting in a little corner. They were in the most
cheerful mood, busily making delightful plans for the future. Suddenly
the door opene