Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-10-18
CHAPTER II.
Continued.


! His resemblance to the young ladies
was sufficiently marked to suggest his
brotherhood.
81 wonder is she maid, wife or wild
ow?" exclaimed Steinhausen, clasping
the book with an impatient snap.
"Bah, what is 1t to me?''
! He rose and saw by a clock on the
console at the end of the room that
he had been occupied with the photo
graphs for nearly three-quarters OF an
hour, and so completely that he had
not heard a very light football or per-
ceived small figure that had stolen
through the veranda to peep at the
Prussian, just as he had closed the
book with the foregoing exclamation.
"This is slow work." he thought. \
will see what is to be found in the
garden"
Whereupon he descended the steps
and walked away down the first alice
which presented itself.
Meantime the quiet of the entrance
court was broken by the unwonted ap-
by an evidently hired driver, ana
drawn by two weary. dropping horses,
the whole, as we'll as the two ladies
who sat therein, covered with dust.
As they stopped at the open door
Hans came forth to answer their eager
demand for Herr Gerichtsamtmann.'
"Gone outw screamed the elder lady.
"Why. I was told at the Gerichtsamt
in Pirna that he must be ut the Villas
as he had not been in town to-day,
and. wearied as we are by long rail-
way Journey, we hired carriage ana
came on. really must sec Herr
Gerichtsamtmann."
Hans was not little overwhelmed
BY this attack. He was willing TO 40
the impossible at the command of so
great lady, but with the best OF wills
he could not evoke the Gerichtsamt-
mann from space.
So as the next best thing, he humbly
suggested an interviev with the Frau
Amtmann.
This amende was not graciously ac-
cepted. and the ladies', alighting, per-
mitted Hans to usher them into the
Herr Amtmann's arbeitzimmer. or
study. while he sought his mistress,
and announced that Frau BarOnin ana
Fraulein Won Wuthenau wished to
speak with her.
Frau Cheering. by no means over
powered by these specimens of no.
bility. although they declared them
selves Prussians to boot, explained
that she expected her husbands return
every moment and begged they would
repose themselves till he came, Offer
ang them a Dresden morning paper,
. and clearing crowd of books ana
documents from a very comfortable
easy chair that the Frau Baronin might
rest after her long drive.
Meantime the sound of voices, which
he recognized as his brother officers,
led Steinhausen from one part OF the
garden to the other, and at last he
came up with them just as they were
called in to supper by the smart little
maiden who had shown him into the
salon.
$50 you are awake once more, Herr
Rittmeister," said Lieutenant Burch
ardt.
"Oh, mein lieber Steinhausen! This
is a perfect paradise after our Bohe'
mian quarters" cried the boyish Plan
itz. "With Peri to do the honors"
-"How?" said Steinhausen shortly.
'."The eldest daughter is most
charming creature-a little stiff and
tso es4dly polite" said Burchardt.
"Dignified, you mean," corrected the
Fahnrich.
"Well, deucedly uncommunicative,
continued Burchardt "At all events
the Frau Mamma seems too cast dowI
to take part in anything, so afte,
coffee the Fraulein asked us If we
should not like to walk around the gar
den, conducted us to the first alice, ant
with polite excuse, left u.s."
1--WE have read all the papers we
could find, gone round to the stables
made friends with bright little Back
dschchen' (school girl, and now are al
Iuc euu Ol Jul ICoOurScS' SO SeLhe
along to supper"
"Fraulein!' repeated Steinhausen
"Is this prominent parsonage, then, IN
married?"
81 suppose So" said the lieutenant
shrugging his shoulders. though she il
q little too grave and self-possessed fol
q young maiden"
"No matter-to supper, comrades, to
supper"
The three officers ascended the steps
and, passing through the salon to the
dining-room, the doors Of which were
open, made their bows to the lady OF
the house, to whom Burchardt present
cd Won Steinhausen.
With brief apology f. his non-ap
fearance at dinner, the Rittmeister
looked round as If to find his place, but
In vain; only Frau Cheering and the
little girl he ha@. seen in the courtyard
were present.
"Here, Herr Rittmeister," cried the
latter, wath an air of much Importance,
"please sit here between Lies and
papa"
my husband was unfortunately
called away to some distance this
morning." observed Frau GheripG
"but we expect him for supper"