Suddenly Bettina got up, realizing that the room in which she was seated was growing surprisingly dark and that a guard was moving about, announcing that the hour for closing had arrived.
Before leaving Bettina had first to find her companion.
At the farther end of the room she observed that a small crowd had formed, who seemed loath to depart.
Drawing near, to her amazement she heard a number of beautiful, birdlike notes with which she was familiar.
Undisturbed by her audience, Elce was standing by a showcase filled with birds from the northern part of England, birds which the little girl had known almost from babyhood, as she had spent the greater part of her time in the woods. To-day amid strange and different surroundings, with apparent unconsciousness, she was repeating such bird notes as she could recall.
The crowd about her was amused and admiring.
Bettina laid her hand on the younger girl's shoulder.
"Elce, we must go at once, it is growing late. And you must remember you are not in the woods, or you will have so large an audience surrounding us some day that we shall not be able to make our escape. You are an odd child! I thought you were exceptionally shy and afraid of people, and now you do a surprising thing like this and appear not in the least abashed."
In farewell Elce was nodding to several persons who had been standing near. She appeared entirely unaware that her behavior had been unusual.
Out in the street Bettina discovered that the darkness had not been due solely to the lateness of the hour, but that a thunderstorm was approaching.