The book I’m searching for is one I read as a girl. It was an old book then. I was reading it in the early 1950’s.
All I recall of it was a story of a brother and sister who had to make a perilous journey by foot, crossing a mountain range somewhere in Europe. They had the help of a kindly woman who sewed coins for the trip into the darts of the sister’s dress. This was so no one would steal their money. After they left her they made it to safety on the other side of the mountains.
The book was a standard size hardback, with a faded cover, as I remember it. I borrowed it several times from my aunt, who treasured the book.
Possibly The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy? The cousins Jancski and Kate go on a journey during WWI in Hungary to find their grandmother, and end up finding Kate’s father in a hospital with amnesia?
Thank you for the suggestion, The Singing Tree, I’ve not read it and in checking out the summary it does not seem to fit, but then I may order it to see whether it is the same story. I had the impression the book was older, but not sure.