“I am afraid not, dear. The doctors say you must have a good long rest before you begin to study again. You have had a terrible strain, you know, and people don’t get over such things in a week. You may begin practising before long, but that is really all we can allow.”
Gretel sighed resignedly. After all, there was something rather pleasant in the thought of just drifting along like this, day after day, and being taken care of by the people she loved best in the world.
“I am afraid I shall be dreadfully spoiled if I stay here much longer,” she said. “Every one is so kind to me. Did you see those lovely roses that nice Mrs. Allen sent? And that dear old lady in the house across the way has sent some delicious hothouse grapes. Then I keep getting such wonderful letters from all my friends. I wonder what makes people so kind.”
“There are a good many kind people in the world,” her brother said, smiling, “and then you must remember that you are quite the heroine of the hour. You and Fritz Lippheim are sharing the honors of having unearthed that gang of spies.”
Gretel laughed.
“I really don’t see what I had to do with it,” she said. “It was all Fritz. You can’t think, Percy, how happy it makes me to know there at least is one German who is working for the United States. I feel quite sure that if Father were alive he would be on our side, too, and so does Fritz. He told me so the other day.”
“Fritz is a splendid fellow,” Mr. Douaine said heartily; “I only wish we had more like him. I met him this afternoon, by the way, and he has promised to come to dinner to-morrow, and bring his violin.”
Gretel’s face was radiant.
“I love to hear Fritz play,” she said. “It always makes me think of Father, and the old days in the studio. If I shut my eyes I can almost see it all as it used to be.”
“You are a loyal little soul, Gretel,” her brother said, giving her hand an affectionate pat. “You never forget the old friends or the old times. But hark! isn’t that the motor? I shouldn’t be surprised if the twins had arrived.”