"What will Mrs.Wagner's friends think ?" he asked piteously.

"They will refuse to visit her--they will say she's mad herself." "Don't let that distress you, gentlemen--I shan't mind what my friends say of me." We both started in confusion to our feet.

My aunt herself was standing at the open door of the summer-house with a letter in her hand.
"News from Germany, just come for you, Fritz." With those words, she handed him the letter, and left us.
We looked at each other thoroughly ashamed of ourselves, if the truth must be told.

Fritz cast an uneasy glance at the letter, and recognized the handwriting on the address.

"From my father!" he said.