Five dollars, thought the sensible Germans, was after all a great deal
to pay for afternoon tea, however good the cause might be and however
important one's own ulterior motives; and since one had in any case to
pay, one should eat what one could. So they kept the Annas very busy.
There seemed to be no end, thought the Annas as they ran hither and
thither, to what a German will hold.

Mrs. Bilton waylaid the heated and harried Anna-Rose as she was carrying
a tray of ices to a party she felt she had been carrying ices to
innumerable times already. The little curls beneath her cap clung damply
to her forehead. Her face was flushed and distressed. What with having
to carry so many trays, and remember so many orders, and try at the same
time to escape from the orderers and their questions and admiration,
she was in a condition not very far from tears.

Mrs. Bilton took the tray out of her hands, and told her Mr. Twist
wanted to speak to her; and Anna-Rose was in such a general bewilderment
that she felt quite scared, and thought he must be going to scold her.
She went towards the office reluctantly. If Mr. Twist were to be severe,
she was sure she wouldn't be able not to cry. She made her way very
slowly to the office, and Mrs. Bilton looked round the room for the
other one. There was no sign of her. Perhaps, thought Mrs. Bilton, she
was fetching something in the kitchen, and would appear in a minute; and
seeing a group over by the entrance door, for whom the tray she held was
evidently destined, gesticulating to her, she felt she had better keep
them quiet first and then go and look for Anna-Felicitas.

Mrs. Bilton set her teeth and plunged into her strange new duties. Never
would she have dreamed it possible that she should have to carry trays
to Germans. If Mr. Bilton could see her now he would certainly turn in
his grave. Well, she was a woman of grit, of adhesiveness to her guns;
if Mr. Bilton did see her and did turn in his grave, let him; he would,
she dared say, be more comfortable on his other side after all these
years.

For the next few minutes she hurried hither and thither, and waited
single-handed. She seemed to be swallowed up in activity. No wonder that
child had looked so hot and bewildered. Mr. Twist didn't come and help,
as he had promised, and nowhere was there any sign of Anna-Felicitas;
and the guests not only wanted things to eat, they wanted to talk,--talk
and ask questions. Well, she would wait o