The Solitary Summer

"The Herr Lieutenant is here," announced the servant, "and has gone to wash his hands. The Herr Lieutenant has not yet lunched, and will be down in a moment." "I want the carriage at once," I ordered--I could not and would not spend another afternoon tete-a-tete with that young man,--"and you are to tell the Herr Lieutenant that I am sorry I was obliged to go out, but I had promised the pastor to take the children there this afternoon. See that he has everything he wants." I gathered the babies together and fled. I could hear the lieutenant throwing things about overhead, and felt there was not a moment to lose. The servant's face showed plainly that he did not believe about the pastor, and the babies looked up at me wonderingly. What is a woman to do when driven into a corner? The father of lies inhabits corners--no doubt the proper place for such a naughty person. We ran upstairs to get ready. There was only one short flight on which we could meet the lieutenant, and once past that we were safe; but we met him on that one short flight. He was coming down in a hurry, giving his moustache a final hasty twist, and looking fresher, brighter, lovelier, than ever. "Oh, good morning. You have got back much sooner than you expected, have you not?" I said lamely. "Yes, I managed to get through my part quickly," he said with a briskness I did not like.