“There is a picture of Mademoiselle Gretel on the front page,” Eugenie informed her. “Any one would know her; the likeness is perfect.”
Geraldine swallowed a lump in her throat, and asked a question.
“What do people think has become of Miss Gretel, Eugenie?”
Eugenie lowered her voice to a mysterious whisper.
“They think the Boche have something to do with it,” she said.
“The Boche?” repeated Geraldine. “Oh, you mean the Germans. But Gretel isn’t a German, she is an American.”
“Her father was a German,” said Eugenie, “and it is said she had German friends.”
“Who says so?” demanded Geraldine, and she spoke so sharply that the maid looked rather frightened.
“I know nothing,” she murmured apologetically, “nothing whatever. My friends know nothing. I only repeat what I read in the papers.”
“The papers!” repeated Geraldine, incredulously. “You mean the papers say the Germans took Gretel away?”