Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-03-27
CHAPTER XVII.

whole attention to the tnlng she mao
to do. as if she had no thought for
anything else till that was accom-
pIished She never cOuntermanded
an order. nor was the slightest vacilla-
ton to be observed in her resolution
She gave her decision in business
matters clearly and decidedly, and
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 name
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 uOme
again with their curiosity still UNI
satisfied. Frau Ante received them
with perfect friendliness. 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
all their inquiries for Herr Jussnitz's
health replied pleasantly: oh thank
YOU he is very we'll" in a way that
cut short any further researches into
the matter. No one knew of the loss
Of her fortune except Herr Kortmer,
and he took it as much to heart as if
it concerned his own property
Antje kept an impenetrable face as
she divulged this disaster to him.
eff painters and that sort of people
would only let business alone" be-
walled the old gentleman. Frau
Ante, how shall we ever make 1t
up"
ooh, 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"
"Ah, who will ever give a penny
for such rubbish as china and old
brocade, Frau Jussnitz?" burst out
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, Il
have no doubt that yen 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 a
small sum left. Ante silently set
this aside, in case she should Yet
receive the hardest blow of all-Leo's
request for money. She blushed
with shame at the thought. She
suffered tortures as she brooded over
his possible future She could not
offer him aid in the form of money
under the present circumstances; it
would he a blow to his sense of
honor, il would be almsgiving. like
charity to a beggar. But di3 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
hard, hard as rock.
he must let things take their
course, and stand quietly by to see if
he were caiable of extricating him
self from the difficulties into which
he had plunged No one knew what
3 Sumult ragged within her. Nothing
seemed to allay it but the remem
brance IF that little bow which his
hand had clutched in what he
thought was his dying moment; but
then she was even more wretchcd
than before.
Maiberg never talked to her about
Leo, when he came down from the
forest-hOuse to drink his coffee with
Frau Ante in the garden hall. He
only said at such times: "He pro.
greeses every day" and that was
enough for her.
THESE were curious afternoons that
they spent in the large. comfortable
room that Ante had fitted up accord
ing to her own taste. There was not
trace of aestheticism. and yet how
1'"A's NoAAlhoA lablc anu elegant 1t 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 shining
waxed floor was partly covered by a
oright-colored carpet, and Antics
spinning-wheel stood by the fireplace
before pretty peasant chair.
Beautiful old cabinets were placed
against the wainScoted walls-one
genuine rocco. inlaid with ivory;
another Renaissance in style, On
which was the Marriage at Cana in
wood-mosaic, an artistic piece of
work. The workable. by the
southern window, had come from the
Dutch grandmother. The great
comfortable sofa, the round table in
front of it. and the army of chairs
and stools of different centuries
locked cosey and attractive. Fol
the decoration of the walls and
cornices, Ante had plundered the
attics had filled old Delft jars with
fresh flowers, had brought out ole
family pictures in black frames
which made an admirable decoration
for the old brown leather hanging;
adorned with arabeSoues slammed il