"No!" she murmured, "no!"
CHAPTER XVIII.
Three days later the Niendorf carriage stopped before the gate of "Waldruhe," and waited there a quarter of an hour in the blazing heat of the mid-day sun, so that the gardener's children could gaze to their heart's content on the brilliant coloring of Aunt Rosa's violet parasol and the red ostrich feathers which adorned Adelaide's summer hat, mingling effectively with the dark curly hair which hung in a fringe over the youthful forehead. This sight must have been an agreeable one to the judge also, for he did not take his eyes off his pretty vis-à-vis.
"Mrs. Linden regrets that she is not well enough to receive visitors," announced Johanna with her eyes cast down.
Two of the occupants of the carriage looked disappointed, while the judge felt in his pocket for his card-case.
"There!" He gave the servant the turned-down card.
"And here is a letter, an important letter--do you understand, Johanna? My compliments, and I trust she will soon recover."
"So do I," said the young girl, timidly.
Aunt Rosa, however, was silent, and when they looked at her more closely they saw she was asleep, the wrinkled old face nodding absurdly above the enormous bow under her chin.
"Burmann, drive slowly, when we get to the wood," whispered the judge, "Miss Rosa is asleep."