"Come in, come in," she closed the door quickly. "Husband! Richard!" she called very loudly.
A door at the end of the hall opened in response, and out came a grave, learned-looking man, who smiled kindly from face to face.
"Richard! Richard!" the lady's voice screamed with excitement, "who do you think is here?"
She drew forward Hans and Bettina.
"An old soldier of my dear father's regiment," her voice vibrated with pride, "and one, dear Richard, who was with the great Frederick, and, oh, such a favourite with father, was it not so, Hans?"
The old soldier shrugged his shoulders as much as to say, "It is not for me to agree."
"Ja, ja, Richard, he was, and a favourite of our dear lost little Erna. It was such a surprise to see him," and she motioned the group to the warmth of the sitting room. Then, all crowding around the tall, green stove, Hans told his story.
"Heavens, dear Richard!" the stout lady pulled out an embroidered pocket handkerchief, "but seeing him brings back the past."
Then she turned to the pretty young girl.
"Mariechen, take the twins upstairs and see that they are quite dry as to stockings; go, also, dear child," she smiled at Bettina, who, feeling shy and strange, followed across the hall and upstairs to the room into which the young lady entered.