“Hester!” Words other than ejaculations seemed to have failed Julie.
The younger girl came over and stood in front of her to get the full effect of her next speech, the most important piece of news, which she had had hard work to keep until the last.
“Jules Grémond is in this country, staying with Mr. Renshawe now,” she said.
Julie was rendered wholly inarticulate, but the color spread in a crimson wave over her face and she made a grab at her sister, pulling her down beside her.
“You are guying me!” she cried when she could speak.
“It is the solemn truth; ‘cross my heart, hope to die,’” maintained Hester dramatically. “Moreover the things Mr. Renshawe has ordered are for a tea he is giving for Monsieur Grémond to-morrow and the Fates decree that we shall tickle the palate of the distinguished African explorer with sandwiches and things! Oh! Julie, what a funny world!”
“How do you know he is distinguished?” asked Julie, clasping her hands behind her head that her nervous fingers might not betray her.
“Because I do. Mr. Renshawe as much as said so. I wouldn’t have believed he had it in him, would you?”
“I don’t know; we really hardly knew him well enough to judge.”
“Umph! I don’t know about that. What do you suppose he is doing here, Julie? Do you think he’ll look us up?” hesitatingly.