"He could not bear to see you being imposed upon," said Frau von Treumann. "As soon as he knew about this terrible sister he felt he must hasten down to save you. 'Mother,' he said to me when first he suspected it, 'if it is true, she must not be contaminated.'"
"Who mustn't?"
"Oh, Anna, you know he thinks only of you!"
"Well, you see," said Anna, "I don't mind being contaminated."
"Oh, dear child, a young pretty girl ought to mind very much."
"Well, I don't. But what about yourself? Are you not afraid of—of contamination?" She was frightened by her own daring when she had said it, and would not have looked at Frau von Treumann for worlds.
"No, dear child," replied that lady in tones of tearful sweetness, "I am too old to suffer in any way from associating with queer people."
"But I thought a Treumann——" murmured Anna, more and more frightened at herself, but impelled to go on.
"Dear Anna, a Treumann has never yet flinched before duty."
Anna was silenced. After that she could only continue to watch the gulls.