I could fancy all these few words implied—­a wife, children, a happy home in manhood where he had been a happy child.

“It belongs to Kilian and me, but it is understood I have the right to it when I am ready for it.”

“And your sister—­it does not belong at all to her?”

“No, she only keeps house for us.  It would make a great change for Sophie if either of us married.  But then I know that it would give her pleasure, for I am sure that she would not be selfish.”

I was not so sure, but, of course, I did not say so.  At this moment, while Richard smoked and I walked silently beside him, a dark figure struck directly across the path before us.  The apparition was so sudden that I sprang and screamed, and caught Richard by the arm.

“I beg your pardon,” said the tutor, with a quick look of surprise at me and then at Richard, and bowing, strode on into the house.

“That’s the German Sophie has taken for the boys, is it?” said Richard, knitting his brows, and looking after him, with no great approbation.  “I don’t half like the idea of his being here:  I told Sophie so at starting.  A governess would do as well for two years yet.  What kind of a person does he seem to be?”

“I don’t know—­that is—­I can’t tell exactly.  I don’t know him well enough,” I answered in confusion, which Richard did not see.

“No, of course not.  You would not be likely to see him except at the table.  But it is awkward having him here,—­so much of the week, no man about; and one never knows anything about these Germans.”

“I thought—­your sister said—­you knew all about him,” I said, in rather a low voice.

“As much as one needs to know about a mere teacher.  But the person you have in your house all the time is different.”

“But he is a gentleman,” I put in more firmly.

“I hope he is.  He had letters to some friends of ours.  But what are letters?  People give them when they’re asked for them, and half the time know nothing of the person for whom they do the favor, besides his name and general standing.  Hardly that, sometimes.”  Then, as if to put away a tiresome and unwelcome subject, he began again to talk about the place.

But I had lost my interest in the subject, and thought only of returning to the house.

“Don’t,” I said, playfully putting out my hand as he took out another cigar to light.  “You have smoked enough to-night.  Do you know, you smoke a great deal more than is good for you.”

“Well, I will not smoke any more to-night if you say so.  Only don’t go in the house.”

“Oh, yes, you know we only came out to smoke.”

He stood in front of the path that led to the piazza and said, in an affectionate, gentle way, “Stay and walk a little longer.  I have not told you half how glad I am that you are here at last.”

“Oh, as for that, you’ve got a good many weeks to tell me in.  Besides, it’s getting chilly,” and I gave a little shiver.