Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-03-27
CHAPTER XVII.

morning till night She gave her
whole attention 10 the thing she haG
10 do. as if she had no thought for
anything else till that was accom-
plished. She never countermanded
an order. nor was the slightest vacilla-
tion to be observed in her resolution
She gave her decision in business
matters clearly and decidedly. anu
she was equally clear and decided IN
her housekeeping and in regard to
the training OF her child. She never
spoke of her husband 1t might have
been supposed that she had long
since forgotten the man whose nant
she bore. or--had never loved him.
The kind friends and neighbors who
had heard of the tragedy in the little
forest-house. and who came to the
manor-hOuse on the pretext Of in
Quiring for Frau Ante went acme
again with their curiosity still I'M
satisfied. Frau Ante received them
with perfect friendlness. offered
them excellent coffee and cakes,
brought her little one in to see the
ladies. talked with the gentlemen
ABOUT the new machinery and the
furnace she was having built, and to
all their Inquiries for Herr JussnitZ's
health replied pleasantly: oh thank
you. he is very well" in a way that
cut short any further researches into
the matter. No one knew of the loss
oil her fortune except Herr Kortmer.
and he took it as much to heart as IT
1t concerned his own property.
Ante kept an impenetrable face as
she divulged this disaster TO him.
IF painters and that sort of people
would only let business alone" be-
walled the old gentleman. Frau
Antje, how shall we ever make it
up?
"Oh. we will be economical, we will
be economical" she said, confront
ingly smiling with pale lips And we
will sell Sibyllenburg--a great part
of the money is in Sibyllenburg nerr
Kortmer"
AN. who will ever give a penny
for such rubbish as china and old
brocade. Frau Jussnitz?" burst ont
the old man. 1T is all imitation. no
doubt. Who knows how often he
was cheated when he bought the
things?"
"Kortmer," she said. gravely, II
have no doubt that you are better in
formed in business matters than
Herr Jussnitz. but in artistic matters
he knows more than you"
This stopped the little mans com
plants. He said no more. but did
all he could to arrange their affairs
Sibyllenburg was sold. and after all
the debts were paid. there was
small sum left Ante silently set
this aside. in case she should YET
receive the hardest blow of all-I.eo's
request for money. She blushed
with shame at the thought, She
suffered fortunes as she brooded over
his possible future She could not
oner him aid in the form of money
under the present circumstances, II
would be blow to his sense Of
honor II would be almsgiving. like
charity to a beggar. But did he still
possess strength enough to rouse
himself bodily and mentally. and
make his own way But If he were
still capable of saving himself of
retrieving the past. she must not
venture to show herself otherwise
than hard, hard as n rock.
She must let things take tGair
course, and stand quietly by to see II
he were capable of extricating him
self from the difficulties into which
ne mad plunged. No one knew what
tumult ragged within her. Nothing
seemed To allay IL but the remem.
brance af that little bow which his
hand had clutched in what he
thought was his dying moment. but
then she was even more wretch,d
than before.
Maiherg never talked To her about
Leo. when he came down from thc
toresthouse TO drink his coffee with
Frau Ante in the garden hall. lie
only said at such times: He pro.
greeses every day" and that was
enough Cor her
These we're curious afternoons ,hot
wy NFNAit ~ 'h' 'hiSt comfortable
room that Ante had tittel up accord.
ing to her own taste There was NOT
trace of aestheticism. and vet how
really comfortable and elegant II was
in spite of the mixture of styles
From the dark panelled ceiling hung
an antique brass chandelier. which
had probably lighted up the banuuets
of the former owner many and many
time. Before the little loaded win
dow.panes hung gayly embroidered
curtains drawn widely apart to let in
the bright sunshine. The shiuins
waxed floor was partly covered bv .
brightcolored carpet and Antic'.
spinning stood by the tirc.plac,
before a pretty peasant chair
Beautiful old cabinets We're place,
against the wainscoted watson,
genuine rocco, inlaid with ivory
another Renaissance I'm style. n
which was the Marriage at Cana Il
wood-mosaic. an artistic piece %
work. The workable. by IN,
southern window. had come from N,
nufph erandmDfhar The prpa