He was not without some little fear of Marie, and hesitated to tell her that he had spread the report about her marriage.

So he contented himself with simply announcing to her that George Voss intended to visit his old home.
'Does my uncle know ?' Marie asked.
'No;--you are to tell him,' said Greisse.
'I am to tell him! Why should I tell him?
You can tell him.' 'But George said that I was to let you know, and that you would tell your uncle.' This was quite unintelligible to Marie; but it was clear to her that she could make no such announcement, after the conversation which she had had with her uncle.

It was quite out of the question that she should be the first to announce George's return, when she had been twice warned on that Sunday afternoon not to think of him.

'You had better let my uncle know yourself,' she said, as she walked away.

But young Greisse, knowing that he was already in trouble, and feeling that he might very probably make it worse, held his peace.