Salo, with his charming disposition, soon entirely won over his uncle, who decided to send his nephew to the neighboring town to study, and Salo and Bruno were to spend their study-time as well as their holidays together.

When the summer holidays were over, Salo and Bruno moved into town, but even this leave-taking did not prove very hard.  The children were not to be separated very long, for the boys were to spend many week-ends at home, besides all their holidays.  Bruno had soon written to his mother from town that she need not worry at all about the Knippel boys, as they scarcely ever saw them.

When Mrs. Maxa cannot help recalling all her former fears and plans for the future because her son’s violent temper caused her such anxiety, she said to herself with a glad heart: 

   Oh how can we Thine acts foretell,
   When Thou are far more wise than we?

Apollonie has become the real, true Castle-Apollonie of yore and manages for her master’s sake to live in undisturbed peace with Mr. Trius.  She is taking such good care of the Baron and his little adopted daughter that a bloom of health has spread over their cheeks.  On sunny days the Baron can frequently be seen walking up and down the terrace on Leonore’s arm, and his young guide is very careful of his health and looks after him tenderly.  The sound of a beautiful voice can often be heard through the open castle windows, for Leonore has inherited her mother’s voice, and it gives her uncle the keenest pleasure to listen to the songs she used to sing in bygone days.  The people in Nolla unanimously agree that the ghost of Wildenstein has gone to his eternal rest, because peace again is reigning at the castle.

THE END