Even Lulu was startled enough to turn her head, half-expecting to see her friend standing there, while Grace sprang up and turned in the direction of the sound, exclaiming, “Why, Eva when did you come? I didn’t know you were here! Oh, she isn’t there! How quickly she got away—into the hall, I suppose,” running toward the door. “Eva, Eva,” she called, “where can you have gone to so fast?”
Max and Lulu looked after her with a low, gleeful laugh.
“Another success for you, Max,” Lulu said.
“Oh, I hope Gracie won’t be frightened!” he exclaimed, in sudden fear of the effect of his experiment upon his timid, nervous little sister, and just then Grace came hurrying back, looking a little alarmed and very much perplexed.
“Why,” she said, “where could Eva have gone to? I’ve looked all about and can’t find her.”
“Shall I tell her, Max?” asked Lulu.
“Yes,” he answered, and Lulu went on, “Max has learned to be a kind of Cousin Ronald, Gracie, and we shall have lots of fun because of it, don’t you think so?”
“A ventriloquist, do you mean?” asked Grace in astonishment. “Why, how can he?”
“Because he is so smart, I suppose,” laughed Lulu. “Aren’t you proud of being the sister of such a genius? I am.”
“Yes,” returned Grace promptly. “I always was proud of Maxie. But this astonishes me very much indeed. Oh, I’m ever so glad of it! I’m sure he can make a great deal of fun for himself and us. Does papa know?”