“I wish I could,” said Gretel, “but I must meet my brother in New York to-morrow. He goes back to Washington by the night train, and I’m to go with him. I’ve had a lovely visit, but I’m afraid I’ve been very lazy. It doesn’t seem as if any one ought to be just having a good time now, when there is so much work to be done. My sister-in-law writes that she is busy from morning till night, and I want to help her all I can.” “Well, I suppose you are right,” Stephen admitted, “but I hate to have the party break up. I have an idea that I shan’t be here very much longer myself.” Gretel gave a little start. “You mean that your ship is going across?” she asked, with a sudden catch in her voice. Stephen nodded. “I haven’t said anything to my mother about it yet, but I think we shall have our sailing orders in a week or two. It will be hard on the mater--I’m her only son, you know, and we’ve always been a lot to each other--but if it were not for her sake, I should be glad to be off. There is plenty of work to be done over there, and it’s quite time we Americans got busy.” Gretel was silent. Somehow she could not say what she wanted to say just then, and before she had steadied her voice a waiter was asking if he could bring them anything. He appeared so suddenly that it seemed to Gretel as if he must have been standing in the shadow all the time. “Will you have anything more?” Stephen asked. Gretel shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly eat any more,” she said, but as she spoke her eyes were following the waiter, who was gliding quietly away. “Then let’s go back to the ballroom and have another dance. What are you looking at so intently?” “It’s--it’s that waiter,” faltered Gretel. “I’ve seen him somewhere before, but I can’t remember where.” Stephen laughed. “Nothing very surprising about that,” he said. “You may easily have seen him at some hotel or restaurant. I didn’t notice anything remarkable about his appearance.” Gretel admitted that such might have been the case, but she did not look altogether satisfied. Somehow the man’s face seemed to haunt her. She had seen it somewhere, and she did not think it was at a hotel or restaurant. Then there was Fritz Lippheim. What was Fritz doing there, and why had that other man addressed him as Martin? She was sure he had recognized her. If he were merely a guest at the dance, why had he avoided speaking to her? It was all very strange and disquieting. In spite of the fact that her visit had been such a pleasant one, Gretel felt suddenly glad that she was leaving New London in the morning. She wanted to be in Washington with Percy and Barbara. CHAPTER X THE SUMMONS Notwithstanding the unusually late hours of the night before, the Chester household was astir early the next morning. Mr. Chester and Gretel were to take the eight-thirty train for New York, which meant an early breakfast for everybody, for it had been decreed that they should all go to the station to see them off.