"Why, Helen, what's this? Can't stand for the headlines? Built in the office and I know they're rather—"
"They're quite" interrupted Kitty. "Of course the Princess wouldn't expect a first page scare. But cheer up, child; there's worse to come."
The girls were soothing me and fussing over me when Aunt Frank opened the door. At her surprised look I brushed away my tears of joy. I understood everything now—her uneasiness, the long telephonic conferences, my confinement to the house.
"Aunt," I managed to say, "here is Kitty come to condole with me and congratulate me; and this is my friend, Miss Bryant of the Star. You remember? She was here at the tea."
"A reporter!"
"Oh, I had to know! Don't worry. Cadge, dear, did nobody but you see me?"
"The fossils never have anything they can't clip," said Cadge in the tone of absorption that her work always commands. "I'm surprised myself at the Echo, though it did notice that a 'Miss Winslow' fainted in the Van Dam box. But haven't you had reporters here—regiments? Expected to find you ordering Gatlings for the siege."
"We're bombarded!" said Aunt. "With—er—"
"Rapid fire questions," suggested Ethel.
"—but the servants have their orders. Of course," Aunt added uneasily, "we're glad to see any friend of Nelly's."