I have, all the same, a suspicion that the old fox had an idea of what had passed between Sigrid and me; and at the same time, I also think that I had been fortunate enough to win his respect, so that if he were to lose his niece, he would rather have given her to me than to any one else.
* * * * *
It was the tenth of May, and a beautiful day; the spring had come unusually early that year, and the trees were already covered with leaves.
My work was finished. It had been a long and troublesome day, and I was just standing in my room, wondering if, as a reward, I should give myself an evening off and spend it at Villa Ballarat. I had not had time to visit Sigrid for several days.
Just then I heard the telephone bell.
"Hello! is that you, Monk?"
It was old Frick's voice; I knew it well; it was the same voice that, eight months ago, had asked me for the first time to come to Villa Ballarat.
"Yes, it is I."
"Can you come out here at once? Something has happened!"
"I shall be with you in ten minutes."