At that moment Mrs. Perry knocked at the door and called me.
"I must go now, Gareth."
Her eyes were shining and her face alight with love and nervous anticipation. "Is it Kar—Gustav?"
"No, dearest. Not yet. He may be some little time yet. You will wait here patiently till I come for you?"
"Not patiently," she cried with the rueful pout of a child.
I kissed her. "Courage and a little patience, Gareth," I whispered; my arms about her and her head on my shoulder.
"Yes. I'll try to be patient—but you don't know what it is to wait like this in such suspense."
"I'll come for you the instant I can," I assured her, and went out to Mrs. Perry.
"The two gentlemen are here, Miss Christabel."
"I'll go down to them;" and I ran down, with no very clear thought of what I was to say to either Colonel Katona or to Karl, until I knew for certain that Gustav would really come.