Her brother saw it also. "Hullo, what have you been up to?" he wanted to know. "You've given us the scare of our lives!"
"Thank you," the girl said. "Please speak for yourself!"
"He may speak for us, too," Brian assured her. "We thought of the air raid. And even now, I don't feel as if we'd been wrong. Your voice sounds as if you were in pain. You've been hurt!"
"It's nothing at all," she answered shortly, but her tone softened slightly for Brian. Even _she_ had her human side, it seemed. "A window splintered near where I was, and I got a few bits of glass in my arm. They're out now--every one. A doctor came, and looked after me. You see, Jule!" and she nodded her head at the sling. "Now I'm going in to bed. Good-night!"
"Wait, and let my sister help you," Brian proposed. "She's a splendid nurse. I know she'll be delighted."
"Sweet of her!" sneered the girl. "But _I'm_ a trained nurse, too, and I can take care of myself. It's only my left arm that's hurt, and a scratch at that. I don't need any help from any one."
"Was that man we saw the doctor who put you in your sling?" asked "Jule," in the blunt way brothers have of catching up their sisters.
"Why did he run away? Didn't he want to be thanked?"
"He particularly didn't wish to meet--one of our party. Now, I shan't say a word more about him. So you needn't ask questions. I'm tired. I want to go to bed."
With this ultimatum, she bolted into the hotel, leaving the three of us speechless for a few seconds. I suppose each was wondering, "Am _I_ the one the doctor didn't want to meet?" Then I remembered my impression of having known that tall, thin figure long ago, and I was seized with certainty that the mysterious person had fled from me. At all events, I was sure Miss O'Farrell wished me to think so by way of being as aggravating as she possibly could.
"Are you?" I doubted. And I couldn't resist adding, "I thought your sister always did what you wanted?"
"In the end she does," he upheld his point. "But--just lately--she's bewitched! Some saint is needed to remove the ban."
I thought the saint was only too near her hand! Whether that hand would scratch or strike I couldn't guess; but one gesture was as dangerous as the other.