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Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 392, 12 November 1903, Page 2

A (low grin of recognition dawned upon tie swart stolid face of BrucLfeld's Leichen. 'Ach! des gnadige Fraulein itses. Ja!'

'You have not forgotten me then, Lenchen ¥

' Ach 1 cu lieber Himmel, in this. little while?'

'I have come to see Herrn B ucUold, Lenchen.*-

Hebe spoke in bushed tone*, as we speak in presence of tbe dead, or in church; Lenchen's loud cheerfulness jarred her inexpressibly. 'Achja; armer Henoch, what a pleasure for him! I will announce Fraulein at once.' -

Away upstairs clattered faithful flatfooted Lenchen, and below in the squalid s'oac-fioored entry Hebe waited, balftuffocated bn her own heart-beats. How wm!d be thi3 meeting? Now that the supreme moment had atiived, she was not ready.

Lenchen's cheery rasping voice called down over the balusters. « Please to come up.*

And Hebe, still in that atrage waking tr icce, obeyed and west to the half-open dcor indicated by Lenchen. - No doubt was in Hebe's mind of what she would find. She had sean it already for hou B; the tired head on the white pillows, the fixed yearning in the dark eyes, the silent lonely sick room, the brooding presence of the Death Angel I She entered trembling. Oh, Ood! Out of a Ehabby arm-chair a tail gaunt figure rose, clad in a dingy plaid dressinggown and tasselled smoking cap, and ragged carpet 3lippere. It was the Mailer.

'Ach wie libenßwutdig! How kind to re ir ember nj I It is indeed a gratification.'

•PltaK—p ay do not ttiHd,' faltered Etta

'Ach! why not? I am no longer so helpless I I only play now at being ill because Tante Minea takes such good care cf me; and when I am quite well, she will leave me I fear. Tantcnen, this is a former pupil of mire; nicht wahr, it is friendly that she coma to give me a call ?* •Tantclen/a stout elderly lUus-fraa, in the morning deshabille which is the firet article of faith amongit her species, hoisted herself from her. chair, and bowing Et.flly from the region anciently known ac her waist, mattered something abt ut ' grcsse EkxV Then she subsided grimly to her darning. Hebe sank into a chair, and closed her eyes; the sick rocm and Tante Minna and the invalid were beginning to spin round Blowly before them. • I am a little tired* that is all,' eke rou mured in apolegy, smiling faintly. Perhaps the did not get the words said, at any rato they were not noticed. 'And Fraulein is married, Tante, since last I saw her: nicht war 01 e must now g»y -my lady?" 'a. H«bo deprecated miserably. ' No, no, don't call me that.' •But yes; it is enly right Th6y told meal cut it; I was so pleased. And so you axe (ravelling in Germany? It ia n : co that jou do not forget the old town. But 'my lord' no doubts waits for you downstairs; will he not come up ?' • No. He—he i 3 net with me tc-day.* ' A pity !* said the invalid, politely, 'jl ahonld have esteemed it an honour.' Oh, for a breath of air! Hebe was suffoctting. Bat Tante Minna, mending with grim concentration, kept guard over the cl.sed caeeitent. • There came a brief pause; then Hebe rushed into speech. Speech was agony jaaimgh. butfilence— - H|gd| fct ere djizg-' R' Ach. eh Wpka window Kg ltkoufc lock. ■Wkneae for