pleading voice said: "Oh! do come! Scruff likes you. It
is so dull when there is nobody for breakfast but ourselves."

Miss Naylor's mouth began to twist. Harz hurriedly broke in:

"Thank you. I will come with pleasure; you don't mind my being dirty?"

"Oh no! we do not mind; then we shall none of us wash, and afterwards I
shall show you my rabbits."

Miss Naylor, moving from foot to foot, like a bird on its perch,
exclaimed:

"I hope you won't regret it, not a very good meal--the girls are so
impulsive--such informal invitation; we shall be very glad."

But Greta pulled softly at her sister's sleeve, and Christian, gathering
her things, led the way.

Harz followed in amazement; nothing of this kind had come into his life
before. He kept shyly glancing at the girls; and, noting the speculative
innocence in Greta's eyes, he smiled. They soon came to two great
poplar-trees, which stood, like sentinels, one on either side of an
unweeded gravel walk leading through lilac bushes to a house painted
dull pink, with green-shuttered windows, and a roof of greenish slate.
Over the door in faded crimson letters were written the words, "Villa
Rubein."

"That is to the stables," said Greta, pointing down a path, where some
pigeons were sunning themselves on a wall. "Uncle Nic keeps his
horses there: Countess and Cuckoo--his horses begin with C, because
of Chris--they are quite beautiful. He says he could drive them
to Kingdom-Come and they would not turn their hair. Bow, and say
'Good-morning' to our house!"

Harz bowed.

"Father said all strangers should, and I think it brings good luck."
From the doorstep she looked round at Harz, then ran into the house.

A broad, thick-set man, with stiff, brushed-up hair, a short, brown,
bushy beard parted at the chin, a fresh complexion, and blue glasses
across a thick nose, came out, and called in a bluff voice:

"Ha! my good dears, kiss me quick--prrt! How goes it then this morning?
A good walk, hein?" The sound of many loud rapid kisses followed.

"Ha, Fraulein, good!" He became aware of Harz's figure standing in the
doorway: "Und der Herr?"

Miss Naylor hurriedly explained.

"Good! An artist! Kommen Sie herein, I am delight. You will breakfast?
I too--yes, yes, my dears--I too breakfast with you this morning. I have
the hunter's appetite."

Harz, looking at him keenly, perceived him to be of middle height and
age, stout, dressed in a loose holland jacket, a very white,