Her voice seemed to awaken Karl as from a bad dream. He took her hand eagerly, stepped forward impulsively as if he would take her in his arms and kiss her, but Millar interposed himself between them, and a servant entered at the same moment. Checked in his advance, Karl said:
"I shall take you to your carriage."
The servant announced that Elsa's aunt awaited her. She took Karl's arm, and Millar directed the servant to follow them.
"The sidewalk is very slippery," he said. "Take Miss Elsa's other arm."
He was determined not to give the beautiful girl a chance alone with Karl. In the young artist's present excited state almost anything might occur to wreck his plans.
As the two went out, followed by the servant, Olga came in excitedly. She looked around to see that Millar was alone and said:
"Your plan worked splendidly."
"What are you going to do now?" asked Millar anxiously, as Olga sat at a table and took out writing materials.
"I am going to write to him," she answered, addressing an envelope.
"But what will you say?"