Thereupon the young man threw his horse round and galloped off at full speed in the direction from which he had come.
Soon afterwards the carriage drove across a rather rough corduroy road, which led straight across the farm-yard of Barnewitz up to the lawn before the great house.
A servant approached to open the carriage door; in the door appeared the figure of a broad-shouldered, bearded man, who would have been superb-looking if indolence and high living had not seriously impaired the harmony of his features. It was Melitta's brother, Baron Barnewitz.
"You are the very first we see," he said, showing his guests into the large room on the right hand of the hall, where they were received by Frau von Barnewitz, a pretty blondine.
"You know how much I value punctuality," replied the baroness, taking the offered seat on the sofa.
"Capital quality," replied Baron Barnewitz; "entirely my conviction--always been--main thing in life and at snipe-shooting--snipe comes up--puff--lies--punctually! Ha--ha--ha!"
"How is it?" asked the baroness, turning to her hostess; "are we going to have a large company?"
"Only forty, or fifty at most."
"That means pretty nearly our whole circle."
"Pretty nearly."