from her home far into the meadows. Ritz stood on the low wall and
beckoned with wild gestures, for Sally had not seen him at first.

"Do come a little quicker so that you can tell something, else we will
have to go to bed, for Auntie has already looked twice at her watch.
Were you in the barn at Kaetheli's? How many cows are in it? Have you
seen the young goat?"

But Sally had different things in her head. She hastily stepped into the
house, while Ritz followed. The rest of the family were in the
living-room. Mother and Auntie were mending stockings; Father was
reading a large church paper. Edi, his head supported on both hands, sat
lost in his history book. Sally had hardly opened the door when she
cried out with much excitement: "Oh, Mother, you ought to have seen how
friendly the lady was, and she is so beautiful and so gentle and so
good, and quite an aristocratic lady; and Erick in his velvet suit is
like a knight, and so fine and polite. Edi could not find a nicer
friend."

They all looked surprised at Sally, and a pause followed this outburst.
Sally had quite forgotten that she was not to go to the strange people,
and that she had given, as the object of her walk, the call on Kaetheli.
She now remembered everything and she grew very red.

"But, dear child," said the mother, "did you really, in spite of
opposition from me, press into the home of the strange people? How could
you enter the house without an excuse?"

"Not without an excuse, Mamma," said Sally, somewhat embarrassed.
"'Lizebeth had given me a message for old Marianne."