“It’s Otoyo’s. Of course, she must have been here since Monday. I heard she had spent the summer down in the village.”
She hastened along the green path of carpet running down the middle of the corridor and paused at the room of the Japanese laundry bag.
“Otoyo Sen,” she called. “Why don’t you come out and meet your friends?”
The Japanese girl was seated on the floor gazing at a photograph. She rose quickly and flew to the door, thrusting the picture behind her.
“Oh, I am so deeply happee to see you again, Mees Oldham,” she exclaimed.
“She has learned the use of adverbs,” thought Nance, kissing Otoyo’s round dark cheek.
“You see I have been studying long time. I now speak the language with correctness. Do you not think so?” said Otoyo, apparently reading Nance’s thoughts.
“Perfectly,” answered Nance. “But tell me the news. Is Queen’s not to be rebuilt?”
“No, no. Queen’s is to remain flat on the ground. She will not be erected into another building.”
“And have you had a happy summer? Was it quite lonesome for you, poor child?”