But my peculiar interest in Weissbad, looking back upon it through a vista of many years as I now do, dates from a certain day, the precursor of a friendship which has taken rank as one of the great influences on my life. It was mother who first drew our attention to certain newcomers into our little world for the time being. Any arrival was promptly noticed by that time, as many of the visitors had already left, and but for the unusually lovely weather, Weissbad would already have been almost deserted. I remember that day so well. Moore and I had been a long walk--it was delightful to see how the boy's strength was returning--and when we came in, we found mother seated as usual at the wide window of our cheerful little sitting-room overlooking the "square," with its gardens in the centre, which was the great feature of the little town. She looked up brightly as we came in--not that that was in any way remarkable--when did mother not greet us brightly?--her face full of interest as if she had something pleasant to tell, which set at rest my fears that our long absence might have made her anxious. "I have been amusing myself," she said, "by watching some new arrivals at this hotel. I saw them first in the courtyard when I was coming in from my walk, and something about them struck me at once. They looked so much more interesting than the other people here." "Are they English?" I asked. "Certainly, the other English here still are the stupidest of the stupid. Not one young person among them." I sat down as I spoke, for I was feeling rather tired, and quite ready for a little gossip. "Oh, but," said mother, "you won't have to complain of that any more. Two, at least, are quite young,--sisters evidently, both very pretty, the younger one especially--she doesn't look much older than you, Regina--an elderly father, and another man, about thirty I should say, the brother, or possibly the husband, of the elder girl. I had only a glimpse of them at first, but since then I have been watching them from the window. They have been strolling all over the place, peering in at all the little shops in the square, so delighted with the novelty of everything evidently, as if they had never been abroad before. _The_ one that took my fancy so specially was the younger one. I never saw a sweeter face!" "We must find out who they are," I said; "but you know, mamma, I never care much about making friends with other girls; I understand boys so much better." "And they're so much nicer," added Moore; "girls are so--so affected and stuck-up, except, of course, Reggie." We laughed. "What do you know about them?" I said. "Less even than I!" "I know what the fellows at school say about their sisters. Of course they are very fond of them--lots of them, at least--and some of them are very jolly about games and things like that. But they do sit upon their brothers all the same. Lots do!"