Clarissa went to make the arrangements with Marget, about which there was no difficulty whatever.  For as soon as Marget understood that not only was Elsli to be provided with a home for life, but that the help which she might have afforded her parents as she grew older was to be made good to them, she was overjoyed.  She said that Elsli was not fit for hard work, and that the care of the little boys was quite beyond her, especially since Hans was growing more and more troublesome.  So she gladly agreed to let her go, with the understanding that she should return home at least once a year for a visit.

In an incredibly short time the whole village was in possession of the news that the wealthy Mrs. Stanhope had offered to take Elsli home with her, and to keep her as her own child always; and that they were to start for the villa on the Rhine the very next day.  The excitement produced by this news was intense.  Wherever two neighbors met on the road, they stopped to talk over the good-luck that had happened to Elsli.  In the school, the children could not keep quiet, so great was their interest in the event.  Even Mr. Bickel was moved to make an unheard-of effort He took his big stick in his hand, saying:—­

“Wife, we ought to go and call on Mrs. Stanhope, and apprise her of our relationship with that girl Elsli.  If she needs any advice about the child, I am the proper person to give it.  Perhaps we shall be asked to make our cousin a visit, when she is settled there by the Rhine; there are great factories of all kinds there, and perhaps Mrs. Stanhope may have some connection with them, and that may help us in our business.”

But Mr. Bickel had to lay aside his stick again, for his wife was not ready to go to make so important a visit at so short notice.

If there was excitement elsewhere, at the doctor’s house there was a real jubilee.  The mother and the aunt were filled with thankfulness that the delicate girl had fallen into such good hands, where she would be loved and cared for, and where her natural refinement would have every chance of development.  All the family were full of pleasure and anticipations of great things in the future.

Oscar went about all day, lost in thought.  He was trying to turn this new state of things to account; for it was a great trial to him that the beautiful embroidered banner had had to be laid aside; and he was determined, if possible, to find some use to put it to.  Emma, too, was evidently preoccupied, and Fred said to himself, as he saw her knitted brows, “She’s got some scheme working in her brain.”  As for Fred himself, he sat deeply engaged in making long lists of all the caterpillars, beetles, snails, and other similar creatures that he knew were to be found in the neighborhood of the Rhine.  To make assurance doubly sure, he put the Latin name under the common name of each.