Only Mary noticed that the little Japanese was weeping softly.  When she saw the Americans coming, she hastily withdrew down one of the paths and in another moment had disappeared entirely.

“Poor little thing,” thought Mary, “perhaps her mother has been scolding her.”

Perhaps she had, indeed, for O’Haru, the housekeeper, presently appeared looking for her daughter.  Shading her eyes with one hand, she scanned the vistas of the garden.

Mary left the group of friends and hastened down the path.

“Are you looking for Onoye?” she asked the old woman.

“Yes, honorable lady,” answered O’Haru, trying to replace her uneasy and troubled expression with a pleasant smile.

“She was on the bridge a moment ago.  Is she unhappy?  I think she was crying.”

“Have greatly kindness to forgive humble Japanese girl,” answered O’Haru in a low voice.

Mary thought the housekeeper was going to say more and no doubt, if she had poured out her confidences at that time, many later misunderstandings might have been averted.  As it was, they were interrupted by Nancy and her Japanese cavalier who turned the curve of the path and came full upon them quite suddenly.

Instead of hastening away as quietly as possible, O’Haru immediately fell on her knees and began speaking in a low voice in her own language.

There was nothing unusual in this.  All the servants seemed to be in a continual state of “nervous prostration,” as Billie expressed it, and Nancy, smiling and dimpling, followed Yoritomo down the path without thinking any more about O’Haru.

“What was she saying, Mr. Ito?” she asked.

“You might accuse me of being a flatterer if I told you,” he answered.

“But I don’t understand.”

“I mean she was speaking of you.  ‘The honorable young American lady,’” she said, “‘is very beautiful.’”

Nancy was flattered, as who would not have been over this frank compliment.  A rosy flush spread over her face and the dimple deepened in her cheek.

“You see, you are an unusual type in this country, Miss Brown,” continued the Japanese.  “You must expect to arouse comment wherever you go.  Hair with so much color to it, like polished copper and curling, too, causes much admiration.  You are very different from the Japanese.”

Again Nancy felt flattered.

“I really believe I am rather pretty,” she thought.  What she said was:  “You are very kind, Mr. Ito, but I am sure I think the Japanese girls are just as pretty as American girls.  Little Onoye, our maid, is charming.  She is a perfect picture.”

For the rest of the day, however, vain Nancy was enveloped in a rosy cloud of self-satisfaction.  It was pleasing to be admired and still more pleasing to feel that the admiration was justified.

The truth is, that admiration was quite as stimulating to Nancy as it is to the rest of us, and when she realized that the young Japanese had fallen an instant victim to her charms, she felt some pardonable pride in the power of her blue eyes and bright curls.