As she rushed through the passage she ran headlong into a man who appeared suddenly from a doorway letting into the passage. He was as startled as she! "Du verdamte dumkopf!" he snarled, under his breath, hurrying on. Sheila stood motionless.
"That was German!" she thought. She turned quickly. The man was disappearing at the end of the passage. And in a flash she recognized him as her mother's new lodger!
Pat's voice came to her from the other direction.
"Shei-la! Come along!"
A multitude of thoughts were whirling in Sheila's head! She did not hear one word of the light chatter about her, for the exploring party had ended now in Mr. Everett's office. That man had certainly cursed in German and there had been an evil look in his face; she had frightened him so that he had lost control of himself for an instant! And what could he have been doing there--like that--when all the other men were off celebrating?
Down deep in her heart a voice told her that she ought to tell Mr. Everett immediately! But another voice warned her that that would surely mean the man would be discharged and her mother would lose her lodger! The back room would be empty again--and the music! She had begun her lessons and Miss Sheehan had said she "was learning quickly!" It had been a precious dream come true--
She listened to the second voice--it was very coaxing! "Perhaps he is a German who has become a loyal citizen of the United States," it told her, and that sounded very reasonable! She had startled him and he had spoken in the old, forgotten language! And the evil look she had caught in his eyes might have been imagined--for she had been startled, too! Besides, had the fighting not ended this very day? What harm could an enemy do now! If she told Mr. Everett and he laughed she would feel very foolish! Mr. Everett was placing them in the automobile and instructing Watkins to take them to Huyler's where they would have chocolate and cakes to end the great day. She could not tell him now!
But the doubt in her heart made her sweets taste bitter, and while the others chattered merrily Sheila sat silent and absorbed. She had listened within herself to the pleasanter voice, but in her ears still rang that muttered "Du verdamte dumkopf," and she was haunted by the gleam of evil eyes.
CHAPTER X
A SCOUT'S HONOR