They could see also a group of women,
where Madame de Frenard was calming the
women-servants and trying to bring order out of chaos.
Dropping their bicycles, they ran quickly
toward her, calling her name. As she heard them
she turned, and they saw that her face was radiant.
"Oh, you are safe, then!" she cried. "Now
nothing else matters, since no one is hurt! No one
had seen you two since dinner--I was so frightened!"
"We're all right," said Paul, a little remorseful.
"There was something we had to do, that I
will tell you about later. But how did this fire
start?"
"No one knows," said Madame de Frenard, her
eyes darkening. "All that is certain is that we
were awakened by a cry of fire. There was
scarcely time for all of us to get out, and for the
men to save a few of the best pictures. It seemed
that oil must have been spread about, for the fire
to burn so quickly! I do not believe it was an accident."
Paul and Arthur looked at one another. The
same thought had come to both of them. It was
Arthur who voiced it.
"The Germans?" he said, doubtfully.
"Just what I was wondering," said Paul. "But
why should they?"
"Oh, I thought of them, too!" said their aunt.
"And I, too, asked why. There is war but, even
so, we have nothing to do with that. There is no
reason for them to burn our home!"
"I think a great many things are going to
happen for which it will be hard to find a reason,"
said Paul, thoughtfully.
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