to you I guess so can I," she said,
pulling her knitting out of a brocaded bag and nodding and smiling at
the group.

She was knitting socks for the Allied armies in France the next winter,
but it being warm just then in California they were cotton socks because
wool made her hands too hot.

The twins were all polite, reciprocal smiles.

"I'm just crazy to hear about you," said the brisk lady, knitting with
incredible energy, while her smiles flicked over everybody. "You're
fresh from Europe, aren't you? What say? Quite fresh? My, aren't you
cute little things. Thinking of making a long stay in the States? What
say? For the rest of your lives? Why now, I call that just splendid.
Parents coming out West soon too? What say? Prevented? Well, I guess
they won't let themselves be prevented long. Mr. Twist looking after you
meanwhile? What say? There isn't any meanwhile? Well, I don't quite--Mr.
Twist your uncle, or cousin? What say? No relation at all? H'm, h'm. No
relation at all, is he. Well, I guess he's an old friend of your
parents, then. What say? They didn't know him? H'm, h'm. They didn't
know him, didn't they. Well, I don't quite--What say? But you know him?
Yes, yes, so I see. H'm, h'm. I don't quite--" Her needles flew in and
out, and her ball of cotton rolled on to the floor in her surprise.

Anna-Rose got up and fetched it for her before the old gentleman, who
was gazing with thirsty appreciation at Anna-Felicitas, could struggle
out of his chair.

"You see," explained Anna-Felicitas, taking advantage of the silence
that had fallen on the lady, "Mr. Twist, regarded as a man, is old, but
regarded as a friend he is new."

"Brand new," said Anna-Rose.

"H'm, h'm," said the lady, knitting faster than ever, and looking first
at one twin and then at the other. "H'm, h'm, h'm. Brand new, is he.
Well, I don't quite--" Her smiles had now to struggle with the
uncertainty and doubt, and were weakening visibly.

"Say now, where did you meet Teapot Twist?" asked the old gentleman, who
was surprised too, but remained quite benevolent owing to his
affectionate heart and his not being a lady.

"We met Mr. Twist," said Anna-Rose, who objected to this way of alluding
to him, "on the steamer."

"Not before? You didn't meet Mr. Twist before the steamer?" exclaimed
the lady, the last of her smiles flickering out. "Not before the
steamer, didn't you. Just a steamship acquaintance. Parents never seen
him. H'm, h'm, h'm."