"Won't you stay till evening, Mrs. Baumhagen?" asked Frank, courteously.
Arthur ran his hand despairingly through his hair. This "headache" was the weapon with which every reasonable argument was overthrown.
"Very well, then, do you go," he muttered, grimly. "I will come home with Uncle Henry."
"Yes, to be sure, my dear fellow," cried the old gentleman, much pleased. "I shall be very glad of your company; we will try the Moselle, eh, Frank?"
"Uncle Henry filled up the cellar for our wedding-present," explained the young host as he rose to order the carriage.
The old gentleman had risen and was helping his sister-in-law on with her cloak, with somewhat asthmatic politeness.
"It was pure selfishness, Ottilie. Only that a man might get a drop fit to drink when one arrived here, weary and thirsty."
"Gertrude," whispered Jenny, taking her sister a little aside, "how can you be so foolish as to allow a young girl to be brought into the house? I tell you it is really dreadful; they are always in the way, they _always_ want to be admired, they are always wanting to help and never fail to pay most touching attentions to the host. It is really inconsiderate of the old lady to impose her on you. Invent some excuse for keeping her away. I speak from experience, my love. Arthur invited a cousin once, you remember, I nearly died of vexation."
"Ah, Jenny," she said, shaking her head. The she hastened after her mother, who was already seated in the carriage.
"Come again soon," she said cordially, when Jenny had taken her seat also.
"I shall expect a visit from you next," was the reply. "You must be making a few calls in town some time."
"We haven't thought about it yet," cried Gertrude, gayly.
"Pray do see that Arthur gets home before the small hours. Uncle Henry never knows when to go," cried Jenny in a tone of vexation.
It was late before Uncle Henry and Arthur set out for home and late when the little judge went to his room. They had all three sat for a good while in Frank's study, talking of past and present times.
"We shall be very gay," said Frank, "when Aunt Rosa's niece comes. You will not be so much alone then, Gertrude, when I am away in the fields."
"I am never lonely," she replied, quietly. "I have never had a girl-friend, and now it seems superfluous to me." And she looked at him with her grave deep eyes.