A second Sennerin came with her this time, in a costume which might have startled them, if they had not already seen others like it. It consisted of a pair of high blue cotton trousers drawn over her skirts, the latter bulging all round inside the jeans. She had no teeth and there was a large goiter on her neck.
“Good Heavens!” muttered the colonel, setting down his bowl of milk and twisting around to stare out of the window behind him.
“Poor thing! she can’t help it!” murmured Ruth.
“No more she can, you dear, good girl!” said Rex, and his eyes shone very kindly. Ruth caught her breath at the sudden beating of her heart.
What was left of daylight came through the little window and fell upon her face; it was as white as a flower, and very quiet.
Dusk was setting in when Sepp made his appearance. He stood about in some hesitation, and finally addressed himself to Ruth as the one who could best understand his dialect. She listened and then turned to her father.
“Sepp doesn’t exactly know where to lodge me. He had thought I could stay here with Nani—”
“Not if I can help it!” cried the colonel.
“While,” Ruth went on—“while you and Rex went up to the Jaeger’s hut above there on the rocks. He says it’s very rough at the Jagd-hütte.”
“Is anyone else there? What does Sepp mean by telling us now for the first time? ” demanded the colonel sharply.