The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-02-28
CHAPTER l.
Continued.


derness in the strain.
Steinhausen rose, cautiously holding
him sabre to avoid making any noise,
and approached the window, which
was open, in order to peep through
the jalousies unseen.
"That is no Dienstmadchen's song"
he thought. 1T is trained. refined
voice, and expressive, too"
Looking carefully through the blind
he discovered the singer.
The room occupied by Seainhausen
was near an angle of the square
formed by the house and offices on
three sides, the gateway and low walls
right and left making it the fourth.
The chief entrance was beneath the
apartments assigned to the Prussian
officers; but to he right of Steinhau-
sens window, in the side of the house
opposite the gateway, was a smaller
door, or, rather French window, to
which two or three stone steps led
from the yard.
1t was open, and on the stone steps
before it stood the songstress, slight
figure in white, with black sash and
ribbons in her abundant hair parted
and drawn back from the face into
rich coils, and the face itself. with a
dreamy look, toward the window
where the unseen watcher had taken
up his post of observation.
Her right arm rested on the rail
which defended the steps. and the
hand held an open letter, while the
LEFT, dropped to her side, clasped a
snail key basket.
1t was long since Steinhausen had
looked upon 50 charming figure. An
indefinable. soft, wOmanly grace per-
vaded every line and marked every
gesture, while the lace undersleeve,
falling back, showed wrist and arm
wonderfully round and fair.
AS he looked the song ceased again,
for several pigeons came huttering
down, some to strut and bow at her
feet, some, more audacious, Eerching
themselves on the lail at her elbow
She put the letter, with a sort of ten
der care. inside the folds of her dress
ION the left side, Steinhausen noticed),
and, searching in her basket, pro-
duced some grain or seeds, which
she threw to the pigeons, speaking
softly to them, the murmur of her
voice reaching Steinhausen where he
stood, fascinated in an unaccountable
degree.
There was nothing about the quiet
figure which deserved to be called
beautiful"
He had seen dozens Of women far
lovelier ard more distinguished.
But why attempt to describe the in
describable?
Steinhausen, scoffer and skeptic as
he was, was suddenly and completely
captivated
He would have scorned to admit it
even to himself in SO many words, yet
he was conscious of a wild, intense
wish to talk with this fair girl face to
face. to ask her history, to attract to
himself the delicate tenderness which
she lavished on the mute creatures
around her Zone had just taken seed
from her lips)
1t was no whimsical. intermittent
Kindness that had thus familiarized
them with her presence.
Leaning his arm against the side of
the window frame above his head,
Steinhausen gazed through the down
slanting jalousies to his hearts con-
tent, unseen and safe.
But the villa was rousing itself from
Its afternoon repose.
Sounds Of voices and the occasional
clatter Of pots and pans from large
apartment to the right Of the steps
where the lady in white stood, broke
the stiffness,
Several hens and chickens which had
been lazily luxuriating in beds of sand
and gravel under the shade of the
walnut tree now crept out and came
clucking and chirping toward the gen
eral benefactress to share whatever
was going.
The tramp Of heavy boots sounded
from the stables, and trooper with
couple of buckets came across the yard
and proceeded to fill them from the
stone trough; having done so, he adj
vanced step, and stood gazing very
unconcernedly at the object of Stein
hausen's admiration.
It is that insolent brute, Martin he
muttered, with infinite disgust
''These fellows must not give them
selves the airs Of conquerors herew
and he frowned portentously as a
pleased grin spread itself over the
soldiers broad red face
A large Newfoundland dog at that
moment came bounding from the farm
yard, and proceeded to bestow his
boisterous caresses on the central OBJ
ject, upsetting her basket and scatter
ing the keys about,
Down, Nero down! thou hast for
gotten all thy masters teaching" cried
the young lady, loud enough to be dis
tinctIy heard; at the same time the
trooper came quickly forward, and,
with amazing roliteness. assisted in
collecting the keys, restoring them to
the basket with an "Erlauben Sic mir,
gnadige Fraul'
She bent her head in acknowledge
ment while slow grave smile parted
her lips.
sGnadige Frau9' repeated Stein
hansen. Impossible. But his watch
was over; a bright, darkieyed little
girl of thirteen or fourteen, her fair
hair in long plaits. tied also with black
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