He caught at her hand without a word and held it tightly for a moment, hurting her a little.

He soon dropped it, however, and said very hurriedly and quietly: “Gerda⁠ ⁠… forgive me⁠ ⁠… but I want to introduce you to my friend, Miss Gault.”

Gerda’s eyes must have already encountered those of that lady, for he saw her face stiffen to a conventional and rather strained smile. But at this moment Mr. Torp intervened, coming up very close to Wolf and touching the latter’s hand with his plump finger before he could lift it to greet him.

“So you and darter have fixed it up, have ’ee?” he whispered, in a confidential, almost funereal tone. “Don’t ’ee be fretted about I nor the missus, Mister. Us be glad in advance, I tell ’ee; and so it be.” He caught hold of Wolf’s sleeve and put his face close to his face, while Wolf, with a sidelong glance, became aware that Miss Gault had approached them and had been met halfway by Gerda.