"Well, children, where is the picture? I am anxious to see it," he exclaimed.
"There is no picture," was all Karl could say. Olga, filled with apprehension at she knew not what, was silent.
"No picture!" Herman exclaimed. "What have you been doing all this time?"
"It has been dark for an hour," Karl explained.
"Yes, but Olga has been here for two hours," Herman said, looking at his watch.
There was an instant of silence that threatened to become painfully embarrassing. Olga was about to speak when Millar unexpectedly stepped forward, briskly and politely.
"My dear Monsieur Hofmann, it was my fault," he explained. "I came a moment after you left. I had not seen Karl in two years. We chatted and the time flew past. It was an extremely interesting conversation and madam was so kind as to invite me to the ball this evening."
"You will accept, I trust," Herman said with ready hospitality.
"Yes, thank you," Millar said. "I have come direct from Odessa, where I have had a talk with the Russian wheat magnate."
"Ah, I know; I shall lose money; the wheat crop is bad," Herman said impatiently.