"You mean Felix Bauer?"
"Yes, mother."
"Do you mean he has spoken to you in so short a time?"
"No, no, mother, not spoken. Only, only, looked at me. You don't blame me, do you, do you, mother?"
Helen began to cry again, but in a different way from the outburst before. She cried softly and Mrs. Douglas could feel the girl's hand pressing her arm convulsively.
She was really puzzled to know what to say in spite of the evident fact that Felix Bauer had simply yielded to the inevitable through no fault of Helen's or anybody's. At last she said:
"Do you feel superior to Mr. Bauer?"
Helen raised her head and blushed as she looked up.
"Why, no, that is, of course, he knows German and I don't, and he knows a lot about electricity and I don't and—and———"
"He's not much of a talker," said her mother.