Knippel and take her into the front room. Tell her that I have just come
from church and that I shall come directly."

Mäzli ran joyfully away; the errand seemed to please her. She received
the guest with excellent manners and led her into the front room to the
sofa, for Mäzli knew exactly the way her mother always did. Then she
gave her mother's message.

"Very well, very well, And what do you want to do on this beautiful
Sunday?" the lady asked,

"Take a walk," Mäzli answered rapidly. "Are they still locked up?" she
then casually asked.

"Who? Who? Whom do you mean?" and the lady looked somewhat disapprovingly
at the little girl.

"Edwin and Eugen," Mäzli answered fearlessly.

"I should like to know where you get such ideas," the lady said with
growing irritation. "I should like to know why the boys should be locked
up."

"Because they are so mean to Loneli all the time," Mäzli declared.

The mother entered now. To her friendly greeting she only received a
very cold reply.

"I only wonder, Mrs. Rector," the guest began immediately in an
irritated manner, "what meanness that little poison-toad of a Loneli has