“It is Femke, M’neer. If only they don’t hurt her!”
Again the emperor stood up and stared at Mount Olympus. He saw the girl with the North Holland cap and nodded to her. The countess-palatine greeted again with her fan, as if she would congratulate her on securing the seat.
“But, M’neer, it is Femke,” cried Walter, amazed that he received no answer.
Even Holsma and Sybrand were surprised, but not so much so as Walter.
“Now, children,” said Holsma, “you can tell your mother that we saw her.” And to Walter he continued, “That girl is a relation of ours.”
“Yes, Femke!”
“No, that isn’t her name; and——”
“M’neer, don’t I know Femke?”
That sounded quite different from what Walter had said that evening when he “denied” her.
The girl’s big blue eyes, roving about the hall, suddenly fell on Walter. She bent over, looked him attentively in the face, then nodded to him and threw him a kiss.