"'I should not call last night an adventure: it seems to me it was more like a panic,' I said drily.
"'You will never let anything be agreeable,' in a hurt tone: then recovering her good temper, she went on: 'Well, call it a panic if you like. Now, suppose we had one every night, and we stayed here two weeks, there would be fourteen panics before we go home. Wouldn't that be glorious?'
"'You did not appear to enjoy it so much last night.'
"'At the time I did not,' she admitted frankly. 'Weren't we frightened? But then, you know, how nice it will be to talk of it afterward!'
"We arrived at a restaurant in the Palais Royal, and found a seat by the window, and a breakfast. We had already finished the latter, and were playing with our fruit, when a party entered who attracted our attention by speaking English.
"'One of them is Miss Rodgers,' Annie whispered excitedly. 'I know her well: hadn't we better run away? What will she think of our being here alone?'
"'Nonsense! You had better ask her where she is staying. Remember, we are houseless as yet.'
"'I don't like to ask her.'
"'Introduce me: I will ask.' The idea of spending the night in a garden or on a church-step did not possess the same charms for me as for Nan. Thus prompted, she walked forward and spoke to her friend, afterward presenting me. We chatted a few minutes, when Miss Rodgers asked Annie where she was staying, and how her mamma was.
"'Mamma is not with us,' was Nan's embarrassed reply.