As she spoke, half unconsciously her hand strayed to her jacket pocket. There lay safely the little packet containing the three nuts.
'Hildegarde,' she said, 'I heard the story about you when you were a baby, and what they found in your hand. And—it is very odd—do you know—no, of course you couldn't—but just fancy, I have three nuts too!'
Hildegarde nodded her head.
'I did know,' she said, smiling. 'And—look here.'
From the front of her frock she drew out a little green silk bag drawn in at the top with tiny white ribbon. She opened it carefully, and took out something which she held towards Leonore—on her pretty pink palm lay three nuts, common little brown nuts, just like Leonore's. And Leonore unwrapped her own packet and in the same way held out its contents.
'Yes,' said Hildegarde, 'it is all right. I knew you had them.'
Leonore stared at her in astonishment.
'How could you know?' she exclaimed.
'I suppose people would say I dreamt it,' Hildegarde replied, 'but I don't call it dreaming. I have always known things like that since I was a baby. And I knew that some day I should have a friend like you, and that together we should have lovely adventures, and now it is going to come true.'
Leonore grew rosy red with excitement.