since Sonya had no better suggestion to offer at
the time, after a few days' stay at the Red Cross hospital, the young
Luxemburg Countess and her former governess found a home with a quiet
German family, who, impoverished by the war, were glad to receive them.

The house was not half a mile from the hospital, and so far as Bianca
was concerned, Sonya was glad the young countess had chosen to stay for
a time in their neighborhood under a kind of imposed chaperonage on her
part. She had not desired to have Charlotta added to her
responsibilities.

But the young girl apparently was anxious to be as little trouble
and to incite as little censure as possible after her one act of
self-assertion. Sonya could not blame her altogether, although
disapproving of Charlotta's method of retaining her freedom.

Moreover, the young countess seemed to possess many of the
characteristics which might be a good influence for Bianca, perhaps
because of their very contrast. If Charlotta was too frank in her
attitude to strangers and her habit of taking them immediately into her
confidence, Bianca was altogether too reserved. If the one girl was a
little too curious and too much interested in the histories of every
human being with whom she came in contact, Bianca was too little
interested in them. Moreover, Charlotta, in spite of her occasional
moments of depression was naturally gay and sweet tempered, while Bianca
had a little streak of melancholy, sometimes of hidden obstinacy due to
her strange childhood. But best of all in its present effect upon
Bianca, in Sonya Clark's opinion, was Charlotta's love of the outdoors.
Fresh air, exercise and cheerfulness were the only medicines Dr. Clark
had considered Bianca required.

Never in her life had Bianca been out of doors as much as was good for
her, her childhood in Italy having been spent largely among older
people. Moreover, her peasant mother had considered that Bianca must be
sheltered and nurtured like a hot-house flower in order to preserve the
little girl's shell-like beauty and to make her as little like other
children as possible.

Now with Charlotta's companionship she and Bianca spent the greater part
of each day outdoors, sometimes accompanied by Miss Pringle, who as an
Englishwoman was an indefatigable walker. But now and then the two girls
were alone.

This was scarcely a satisfactory arrangement since Coblenz was filled
with soldiers and Sonya was by no means content. S