“Is it me again?” inquired Jennie, her face flushing faintly. “You see,” observed Gerhardt, apparently addressing the world in general, “she knows. Now, why didn’t you tell me that he was coming here? The neighbors talk, and I hear nothing about it until to-day. What kind of a way is that, anyhow?” “Oh,” exclaimed Jennie, out of the purest sympathy for her mother, “what difference does it make?” “What difference?” cried Gerhardt, still talking in German, although Jennie answered in English. “Is it no difference that men stop me on the street and speak of it? You should be ashamed of yourself to say that. I always thought well of this man, but now, since you don’t tell me about him, and the neighbors talk, I don’t know what to think. Must I get my knowledge of what is going on in my own home from my neighbors?” Mother and daughter paused. Jennie had already begun to think that their error was serious. “I didn’t keep anything from you because it was evil,” she said. “Why, he only took me out riding once.” “Yes, but you didn’t tell me that,” answered her father. “You know you don’t like for me to go out after dark,” replied Jennie. “That’s why I didn’t. There wasn’t anything else to hide about it.” “He shouldn’t want you to go out after dark with him,” observed Gerhardt, always mindful of the world outside. “What can he want with you. Why does he come here? He is too old, anyhow. I don’t think you ought to have anything to do with him—such a young girl as you are.” “He doesn’t want to do anything except help me,” murmured Jennie. “He wants to marry me.” “Marry you? Ha! Why doesn’t he tell me that!” exclaimed Gerhardt. “I shall look into this. I won’t have him running around with my daughter, and the neighbors talking. Besides, he is too old. I shall tell him that. He ought to know better than to put a girl where she gets talked about. It is better he should stay away altogether.” This threat of Gerhardt’s, that he would tell Brander to stay away, seemed simply terrible to Jennie and to her mother. What good could come of any such attitude? Why must they be degraded before him? Of course Brander did call again, while Gerhardt was away at work, and they trembled lest the father should hear of it. A few days later the Senator came and took Jennie for a long walk. Neither she nor her mother said anything to Gerhardt. But he was not to be put off the scent for long. “Has Jennie been out again with that man?” he inquired of Mrs. Gerhardt the next evening. “He was here last night,” returned the mother, evasively. “Did she tell him he shouldn’t come any more?” “I don’t know. I don’t think so.” “Well, now, I will see for myself once whether this thing will be stopped or not,” said the determined father. “I shall talk with him. Wait till he comes again.”