She came nearer; for a second she came closer; some
little white thing was dropped into the girl's lap, and the stranger
passed quickly on.
"Anneli, Anneli," the young mistress said, "the lady has dropped her
locket! Run with it--quick!"
"No, Fraulein," said the other, quite as breathlessly, "she meant it for
you. Oh, look, Fraulein!--look at the poor lady--she is crying."
The sharp eyes of the younger girl were right. Surely that slender
figure was being shaken with sobs as it hurried away and was lost among
the groups coming through the Marble Arch! Natalie Lind sat there as one
stupefied--breathless, silent, trembling. She had not looked at the
locket at all.
"Anneli," she said, in a low voice, "was that the same lady? Are you
sure?"
"Certain, Fraulein," said her companion, eagerly.
"She must be very unhappy," said the girl. "I think, too, she was
crying."
Then she looked at the trinket that the stranger had dropped into her
lap. It was an old-fashioned silver locket formed in the shape of a
heart, and ornamented with the most delicate filagree work; in the
centre of it was the letter N in old German text.
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