"How are you this morning, Rose?" he asked, raising his hat with the ceremony one observes to an acquaintance, rather than to an intimate friend. "Adam, the mother seems vexed: you are keeping her waiting, she says, and she wishes to know the reason of it." "I forgot all about it," cried Adam. "Deuce take the thorn!" For just at that moment he had run a thorn into his finger. Karl began talking with Miss Turner: there was no obligation on _him_ to return forthwith to the house. "Go back, will you, Karl, and tell the mother I am sorry I forgot it. I shall be there as soon as you are." "A genteel way of getting rid of me," thought Karl with a laugh, as he at once turned to plunge into the wide shrubbery. "Good day to you, Rose." But when he was fairly beyond their sight Karl's face became grave as a judge's. "Surely Adam is not drifting into anything serious in that quarter!" ran his thoughts. "It would never do." "Well--have you seen Adam!" began Mrs. Andinnian, when he entered. "Yes. He is coming immediately." "_Coming!_"--and she curled her vexed lips. "He ought to _come_. Who is he with, Karl?" "With Miss Turner." "What nonsense! Idling about with a senseless child!" "I suppose it _is_ nothing but nonsense?" spoke Karl, incautiously. "She--Miss Turner--would scarcely be the right woman in the right place." His mother glanced at him sharply. "In _what_ place?--what woman?" "As Lady Andinnian." Karl had angered his mother before in his lifetime, but scarcely ever as now. She turned livid as death, and took up the first thing that came to her hand--a silver inkstand, kept for show, not use--and held it as if she would hurl it at his head. "How _dare_ you, sir, even in supposition, so traduce your brother?" "I beg your pardon, mother. I spoke without thought." As she was putting down the inkstand, Adam came in. He saw that something was amiss. Mrs. Andinnian spoke abruptly about the invitation for the evening, and asked if he would go. Adam said he could go, and she left the room to give, herself, a verbal answer to the waiting servant. "What was the matter, Karl?" "The mother was vexed at your staying with Rose Turner, instead of coming in. It was nonsense, she said, to be idling about with a senseless child. I--unfortunately, but quite unintentionally--added to her anger by remarking that I supposed it _was_ nonsense, for she, Miss Turner, would scarcely be suitable for a Lady Andinnian." "Just attend to your own affairs," growled Adam. "Keep yourself in your place." Karl looked up with his sweet smile; answering with his frank and gentle voice. The smile and the voice acted like oil on the troubled waters. "You know, Adam, that I should never think of interfering with you, or of opposing your inclinations. In the wide world, there's no one, I think, so anxious as I am for your happiness and welfare."