way that she made them feel as if they were old friends.  She loved their mother so much and had been so closely drawn to her that she was fond of the children before she had even seen them.  This pleased them tremendously, for they had expected Leonore to be very different from themselves and had been rather afraid of her.  As soon as they saw her, they felt that they might each be special friends with their charming guest.  Leonore found herself surrounded by them all in a corner of the sofa.  As she did not look at all strong yet, the mother had led her there.  Leonore tried to answer all the questions, listen to all the projects and information which were showered upon her, while her eyes danced with merriment.  These unusual surroundings made Leonore so happy that her face became quite rosy.  Mea had been already completed in her mind a plan which, if it succeeded, would make it possible for her to have Leonore to herself sometimes.  Since all her brothers and sisters liked the visitor so much, it was not easy to get her off alone.  If only her mother would sanction the plan!  That day Mea had to set the table, and when lunch time had come, she quickly ran to her mother to ask her if she might take Apollonie’s place in Leonore’s room, and to her great delight she willingly consented.  Mea told her she would only be too glad to wait on Leonore at night if she could but be with her.  Leonore really needed no more 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.