Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-10-25
CHAPTER III.

-" CHAPTER III.
Steinhausen observed, with some
irritation, that on her father S appear
ance Lies had risen quietly. noisclcssly
replaced the knife and fork. plate and
glass she had used with others and
silently left the room.
He gnawed his mustache in Il fit OF
impatience.
Supper was over, and not chance
had offered itself for cross-cxamining,
as he had intended with condesccndiIIs
gallantry, the fair girl, or woman. who
had so excited his fancy. ~ s.
How was he to open up his advances
IL another opportunity offered. when
she had so severely rebuked him?
or course an abjrct apology might
serve to open the trenches; but he was
too seriously vexed with her, with him.
self--everything, to like admitting he
was in the wrong.
He feared he had outraged the po.
litenesS due to hosts. even on com.
pulsion. >..
He tried to tell himself that the
whole affair was not worth thought,
that tomorrow the whim would have
passed away, and even while he rea.
soned thus sagely he watched with
almost fierce cagerness for her return.
But only the lively little Gerichtsamt.
mann re-entered after escorting his
visitors to their carriage.
Even enemies In the shape of guests
We're almost welcome to the kindly,
hospitable Herr Cheering.
He advanced, rubbing his hands
cheerfully. and performing one or two
bows, while he struggled to maintain
the grave and cold aspect he thought
suited to the circumstances, but under
which rippled the bright kindly smile
he could not quite suppress.
"He trusted the Herrschaft had been
duly provided with all they required
He saw that already they had supper
ended. He would not detain the Herrn.
At disordered table to sit is not agree.
able. Pray 90 into the salon my wife
will lead you there" at which hint the
silent hostess rose and preceded her
guess to the adjoining room.
There was something of quiet sad
ness in the ladys bearing which i'm
pressed the Prussian officers with kind
ly respect, and Burchardt suggested
in a quick aside TO the Rittmeister that
1t might be as we'll If they retired to
their own apartments.
mo; certainly not. 1t is more agree
able here" he replied, sharply.
"Yes, much more agreeable" echoed
the others.
Fahnrich and the three officers
grouped themselves near tho quiet
lady of the house, who had already
taken refuge in her knitting. Conver-
sation proving somewhat difficult, Won
Planitz and Burchardt wandered away
to smoke in the veranda for though
in the salon the lamp was necessary,
splendid harvest moon made the gar
den and surroundings silvery clear.
Steinhausen, however, stood his
ground, and tried every possible sub.
ject with his uncommunicatlve com.
panion.
He praised the villa and the scenery,
the richness Of the crops he had noticed
in passing through the country. the
fine flock Of geese he had seen making
their way across the yard; but neither
scenery, crops, nor geese elected any
thing like a hearty response
At last Steinhausen took up the fam
lily photograph album, thinking he had
sufficiently paved the way to the sub
ject upper most in his thoughts.
"These family books are very inter-
esting," he said, opening. Il like to
trace the same type of face through
varying forms. You have some very
charming portraits here. May l be
permitted to guess, from the likeness
to yourself, that this young gentleman
is your SOM" showing the cadet be.
fore mentioned.
"He is," returned Frau Cheering,
with sigh.
"And here, no doubt, is your Frau.
lein daughter" returned Steinhausen.
proceeding triumphantly, as he
thought, to acquire all the information
he SO much coveted, and pointing to
the unsatisfactory portrait of Lies
above described.
ut is;-it s-my eldest daughter"
Said the lady, with tremor in her
Voice.
,'Bitte, bite" she added, with dep.
recatory motion of the hand.
ASK inc no more about these pho.
tographs; there are memories which
prevent my speaking of them with the
ealmness l ought to show before
stranger" and she knitted little more
rapidly than before.
Steinhausen had nothing for it but
with politely expressed apology on
his lips, and wrath in his heart-to
shut the book, and fall back on the
crops and the geese.
His unusual patience, however, did
not 60 unrewarded.