The Miller betook himself to the Castle. On the way he found a pocket handkerchief marked with Victoria's initials; she had dropped it the other evening.
Miss Victoria was upstairs, but a maid offered to take her a message—what was it?
The Miller declined. He would rather wait.
At last Victoria came. "I hear you want to speak to me?" she said, opening the door of a room.
The Miller went in, handed her a handkerchief and said: "And then we have had a letter from Johannes."
A bright look passed over her face for an instant, a brief instant. She answered:
"Thank you very much. Yes, the handkerchief is mine."
"He is coming home again," the Miller went on, almost in a whisper.
Her look turned cold.
"Speak up, Miller; who is coming?" she said.