“Then I wish to ride in an airship,” Eunice murmured. “It flies up in the air like a real bird. This car runs only along the earth.” The child was no longer impressed with the automobile. Reginald Latham’s airship was the most marvelous thing she had ever beheld.
After arriving at their hotel “The Automobile Girls” showed Eunice everything they could find to amuse her. They rode up and down with her in the elevator. They gave her a peep into the hotel’s splendid reception rooms. Poor little Eunice was in a daze! She wandered about like a child in a dream. Every now and then she would ask Mollie some question in regard to Reginald Latham’s airship. She had not forgotten it.
Miss Stuart wisely had luncheon served in the private sitting-room. She did not think it best for Eunice to be seen by so many people; besides, she did not know how Eunice would behave at the table.
To Miss Sallie’s unspeakable relief the child had learned at the hospital to eat with a knife and fork. Her manners were those of a frightened child. She was neither noisy nor vulgar.
“The child is certainly an enigma!” Miss Stuart said to herself, half a dozen times during the morning. “What the doctor says is true! The child is almost refined. It is marvelous! In spite of her ignorance, she does nothing to offend one!”
After luncheon, Miss Stuart noticed that Eunice looked white and exhausted. The scarlet color had faded from her cheeks and lips. The little girl was not strong enough for so much excitement after her recent illness.
“Mollie,” Miss Sallie suggested, about half-past two o’clock, “take Eunice to your room. Give her a dressing gown, and see that she rests for an hour or so. You may stay with the child, Mollie, for fear she may be frightened, but you other girls keep away. The child is worn out. Mollie, you may bring her back to us at tea-time.”
Mollie agreed. She guessed that Miss Sallie was furthering her idea about the experiment.
“Remember, Bab, you have promised me to be here at tea-time,” Mollie reminded her sister.
“Certainly, I shall be here, Mollie. Did you think I was going away?”