"No," murmured Margaret, almost inaudibly.
"Well, here's father!" went on Corinne. "You must welcome the latest member of the Antiquarian Club, Miss President! And don't be afraid of him, for he knows you very well!" Corinne said this in a tone of forced gaiety, thinking that perhaps Margaret was really frightened at the prospect of meeting a stranger. Her father shook the little outstretched hand cordially, said some pleasant things of a general nature, and then plunged at once into the important subject of the day.
"Now you must initiate me, Miss Margaret! Show me this wonderful thing you clever people have unearthed! I want to see it so badly that I could hardly sleep last night with expectation, and that's no exaggeration! It's the real truth!"
To the utter astonishment of every one, Margaret burst suddenly into wild tears.
"It's gone! It's gone!" she sobbed. "It isn't there any more!"
"What do you mean, Honey?" cried Corinne, rushing to her and trying vainly to hush the child's hysterical weeping. "It can't be gone! What's happened to it?"
At this the sobbing came with renewed violence, and it was several minutes before Margaret was able to whisper the one word:
"Sarah!"
"What about her? Do you want her to come up?" inquired Bess. Margaret frantically shook her head.