"But I must do my shopping there. I am in such a hurry. It would be
dreadful to have to keep anyone waiting only because my house isn't
ready."

"Well, we can try," said Trudi. "You will let me go with you, won't
you?"

"I shall be more than grateful if you will come."

"What do you think if we went now?" suggested Trudi, always for prompt
action, and quickly tired of sitting still. "My brother said I might
drive into Stralsund to-day if I liked, and I have the cobs here now.
Don't you think it would be a good thing, as you are in such a hurry?"

"Oh, a very good thing," exclaimed Anna. "How kind you are! You are sure
it won't bore you frightfully?"

"Oh, not a bit. It will be rather amusing to go into those shops for
once, and I shall like to feel that I have helped the good work on a
little."

Anna thought Trudi delightful. Trudi's new friends always did think her
delightful; and she never had any old ones.

She drove recklessly, and they lurched and heaved through the sand
between Kleinwalde and Lohm at an alarming rate. They passed Letty and
Miss Leech, going for their afternoon walk, who stood on one side and
stared.

"Who's that?" asked Trudi.

"My brother's little girl and her governess."

"Oh yes, I heard about them. They are to stay and take care of you till
you have a companion. Your sister-in-law didn't like Kleinwalde?"

"No."

Trudi laughed.

They passed Dellwig, riding, who swept off his hat with his customary
deference, and stared.

"Do you like him?" asked Trudi.

"Who?"

"Dellwig. I know him from the days before I married."

"I don't know him very well yet," said Anna, "but he seems to be
very--very polite."

Trudi laughed again, and cracked her whip.

"My uncle had great faith in him," said Anna, slightly aggrieved by the
laugh.

"Your uncle was one of the best farmers in Germany, I have always heard.
He was so experienced, and so clever, that he could have led a hundred
Dellwigs round by the nose. Dellwig was naturally quite small, as we
say, in the presence of your uncle. He knew very well it would be
useless to be anything but immaculate under such a master. Perhaps your
uncle thought he would go on being immaculate from sheer habit, with
nobody to look after him."

"I suppose he did," said Anna doubtfully. "He told me to keep him. It's
quite certain that _I_ can't look after him."

They passed Axel Lohm, also riding. He was on Trudi's side of the road.
He looked plea