But somehow even this thought failed to frighten her much. She was so unhappy already that it didn’t seem to make any particular difference what happened to her. She took off her hat and jacket, and even stopped to smooth her hair and bathe her swollen eyes. She was a proud child, and she did not want Mrs. Marsh and Ada to know that she had been crying.
As Gretel crossed the hall to the parlor, she became aware of the fact that Mrs. and Miss Marsh were not alone. Mrs. Marsh was speaking in her “company voice,” and Ada was giggling in the affected way she always did when young gentlemen came to call on her. As Gretel neared the parlor door Mrs. Marsh was saying:
“This really is the most delightful surprise. We had not the least idea you were in this country.” Then, catching sight of the little girl in the doorway, she added in her very sweetest tones—
“Ah, here she is. Come in, Gretel darling, and see if you can possibly guess who this is.”
Gretel advanced slowly into the room, but she did not look at the visitor. Her heart was beating very fast again, and her cheeks were crimson; she was afraid to lift her eyes from the carpet.
Then another voice spoke.
“Hello, Gretel,” it said. “Don’t you know me? Have you quite forgotten your big brother Percy?”
With a great gasp, Gretel looked up to find a pair of kindly, merry blue eyes regarding her earnestly, while their owner, a young man, with a pleasant sunburnt face, held out his hand to her. For a moment she was so astonished that she stood quite still, staring at this sudden apparition, without even attempting to move or speak.
“What is the matter, Gretel? Why don’t you speak to your brother?” inquired Mrs. Marsh, reprovingly, and with another gasp of astonishment, Gretel came forward, and slipped a cold little hand into that of the sunburnt stranger.
“How do you do?” she said, timidly. “I—I thought you were in China.”