ith
her guests. At the top she turned her head and then walked quickly to
the balustrade of the veranda.

There stood Wolff bowing before her husband, his hat in his hand, his
face covered with smiles.

"O, ta, ta!" said Uncle Henry.

"How comes he here, Gertrude?"

The judge looked out from under his blue spectacles with earnest
attention at the two men. Just then Linden waved his hand shortly and
they strode along the way which led to the court and the outer gate,
Wolff still speaking eagerly.

Gertrude bent far over the iron railing. It seemed to her that Frank
was vexed. Now they stood still. Frank opened the gate and pointed
outward with an unmistakable and very energetic gesture.

Mr. Wolff hesitated, he began to speak again--again the mute gesture
still more energetic, and the little man disappeared like a flash. The
gate fell clanging in the lock and Frank came back, but slowly as if he
must recover himself first and deeply flushed as if from intense anger.

Gertrude went to meet him, but said nothing. She would not ask him for
explanations before their guests. She very stealthily pressed his hand
and spoke cheerfully of her pleasure in her guests.

"Charming!" he said, absently, "but Gertrude, pray entertain Uncle
Henry--Richard--come with me a moment--I must--I will show you your
room." And the two friends left the room together.

"Do you know that you are going to have some more visitors this
afternoon?" asked the old gentleman, settling himself comfortably in a
chair. "Your mother and the Fredericks,--they came back yesterday
morning. Jenny looks blooming as a rose, and, thank Heaven! Arthur has
got his milk-face burned a little with the sun."

"Yes," replied Gertrude, "he was with them at the Italian lakes
for a month." And then as if she had only just taken in his whole
meaning,--"How glad I am that mamma is coming out here at once! Ah,
uncle, if she would only get reconciled to Frank!"

"Eh, what? Gertrude, don't distress yourself, it will all come right.
Besides he is not a man to put up with much nonsense!"

"What could this Wolff have wanted with him?"

"Hm! what are they about in Heaven's name?" asked her uncle,
impatiently.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, absently.

"Hungry? How can you use such common expressions? A dish of pork and
beans would suffice for hunger. I have an appetite, my child. O, ta,
ta, the asparagus will be spoiled if those two stay so long in their
room."

It