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authornfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org>2025-03-03 15:48:13 -0800
committernfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org>2025-03-03 15:48:13 -0800
commitae4f87616604e8da60f54356a2c226c866b698be (patch)
treee635f134184d954a38e96d0706585ac2679643b3 /49098-h/49098-h.html
parent197dc322a0c6738582e98a32c852ebcb3757ae50 (diff)
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-</style>
-<title>LARKSPUR</title>
-<meta name="PG.Released" content="2015-05-31" />
-<link rel="coverpage" href="images/img-cover.jpg" />
-<meta name="DC.Created" content="1919" />
-<meta name="PG.Producer" content="Al Haines" />
-<meta name="DC.Language" content="en" />
-<meta name="DC.Title" content="Larkspur" />
-<meta name="PG.Id" content="49098" />
-<meta name="DC.Creator" content="Jane D. Abbott" />
-<meta name="PG.Rights" content="Public Domain" />
-<meta name="PG.Title" content="Larkspur" />
-
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-<meta name="DCTERMS.title" content="Larkspur" />
-<meta name="DCTERMS.source" content="/home/ajhaines/larkspur/larkspur.rst" />
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-<meta name="DCTERMS.modified" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" content="2015-05-31T18:14:17.679085+00:00" />
-<meta name="DCTERMS.publisher" content="Project Gutenberg" />
-<meta name="DCTERMS.rights" content="Public Domain in the USA." />
-<link href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/49098" rel="DCTERMS.isFormatOf" />
-<meta name="DCTERMS.creator" content="Jane D. Abbott" />
-<meta name="DCTERMS.created" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" content="2015-05-31" />
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-</head>
-<body>
-<div class="document" id="larkspur">
-<h1 class="center document-title level-1 pfirst title"><span class="x-large">LARKSPUR</span></h1>
-
-<!-- this is the default PG-RST stylesheet -->
-<!-- figure and image styles for non-image formats -->
-<!-- default transition -->
-<!-- default attribution -->
-<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
-<div class="clearpage">
-</div>
-<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
-<div class="align-None container language-en pgheader" id="pg-header" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
-<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
-and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
-restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
-under the terms of the </span><a class="reference internal" href="#project-gutenberg-license">Project Gutenberg License</a><span> included with
-this ebook or online at </span><a class="reference external" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">http://www.gutenberg.org/license</a><span>. If you
-are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws
-of the country where you are located before using this ebook.</span></p>
-<p class="noindent pnext"></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<div class="align-None container" id="pg-machine-header">
-<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>Title: Larkspur
-<br />
-<br />Author: Jane D. Abbott
-<br />
-<br />Release Date: May 31, 2015 [EBook #49098]
-<br />
-<br />Language: English
-<br />
-<br />Character set encoding: UTF-8</span></p>
-</div>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-start-line"><span>*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK </span><span>LARKSPUR</span><span> ***</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-produced-by"><span>Produced by Al Haines.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
-</div>
-<p class="noindent pfirst"><span></span></p>
-</div>
-<div class="align-None container titlepage">
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold xx-large">LARKSPUR</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">BY</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold large">JANE D. ABBOTT</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="medium">AUTHOR OF
-<br />HAPPY HOUSE,
-<br />KEINETH, ETC.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">GROSSET &amp; DUNLAP
-<br />PUBLISHERS NEW YORK</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="small">Made in the United States of America</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-</div>
-<div class="align-None container verso">
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="small">COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="small">PRINTED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-</div>
-<div class="align-None container dedication">
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">TO THE FLOWERS OF MY OWN
-<br />GARDEN I DEDICATE THIS STORY</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold large">CONTENTS</span></p>
-<p class="noindent pnext"><span class="small">CHAPTER</span></p>
-<ol class="upperroman simple">
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#an-october-day">An October Day</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-captain-s-story">The Captain's Story</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#renee-finds-a-home">Renée Finds a Home</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#gardens">Gardens</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#first-aid">First Aid</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#eagles-and-golden-eaglets">Eagles and Golden Eaglets</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#aunt-pen-plans">Aunt Pen Plans</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#breadwinners">Breadwinners</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-new-lodger">The New Lodger</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#a-scout-s-honor">A Scout's Honor</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#young-wings">Young Wings</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-game">The Game</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-christmas-party">The Christmas Party</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#hill-top">Hill-top</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#pat-s-pride-and-its-fall">Pat's Pride and Its Fall</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#good-turns">Good Turns</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#angeline">Angeline</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#for-his-country">For His Country</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#a-letter-from-france">A Letter From France</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-lost-baby">The Lost Baby</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#renee-s-box">Renée's Box</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#surprises">Surprises</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-best-of-all">The Best of All</a></p>
-</li>
-</ol>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="an-october-day"><span class="bold x-large">LARKSPUR</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER I</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">AN OCTOBER DAY</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>On an October day--a sunny day, and except
-for the yellow leaves that quivered on rapidly
-bearing branches, very like spring--Patricia Everett,
-from the window of her home, watched an
-automobile drive out of sight, carrying her mother and
-sister away to Florida, and confided to the empty
-room that she was the very unhappiest girl in the
-whole world!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Conflicting emotions tormented the soul of the
-little lady. She disliked very much seeing anyone
-depart from anywhere without her! Then, too, so
-hurried had been the departure that nothing in the
-shape of candy, books or toys had been left behind
-to comfort her! And saddest of all, at the last
-moment her mother had decided that she must not
-return to Miss Prindle's because of an epidemic of
-measles!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The curious quiet that had fallen upon the house
-after the bustle of departure added to Patricia's
-loneliness. With a heart bursting with pity for
-herself, she wandered up the stairs to her room--a
-pretty room, its windows hung in flowered chintz,
-a bird singing from a cage hanging in the sunshine.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When his little mistress walked into the room
-Peter Pan trilled more gayly than before--it was as
-though he bade her come to the window and look
-across the way!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>If she had looked she would have seen in the
-kitchen window of the shabby brick house, across the
-intersecting street, Mrs. Mary Quinn and her
-daughter Sheila rocking in one another's arms and
-laughing like two children!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Quinn's house was old and shabby, its fences
-tumbling down; hard times often knocked at her
-door, but with it all her smile was always as bright
-as the gay geraniums blooming on the spotless sill
-of the kitchen window that faced the Everett house.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Fortune had come to the Quinns that day in
-the guise of a new lodger. He had taken the second
-floor bedroom which stretched across the back of
-the house. Because this room was very big and
-had a queer, rickety stairway leading to it from the
-outside of the house, it had never been rented. But
-with the other lodgers who lived in the front rooms
-and the tiny side bedroom and the parlor, which had
-been converted into a "light housekeeping suite,"
-Mrs. Quinn managed to keep her little family most
-comfortably and to have a bit left over for such
-luxuries as the flowers, a few books, pretty pictures
-and crisp muslin curtains.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Faith, Sheila," she had cried, coming into the
-kitchen where her daughter was preparing apples
-for the oven. "It's just as though Dame Fortune
-knew it was your birthday! Now you shall have
-your music!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, mother!" cried the girl, dropping her
-paring knife. "How wonderful!" Then, hesitating:
-"But maybe I hadn't ought to! That much each
-week would make things easier if----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Mrs. Quinn snatched bowl, apples and knife
-from her daughter's hands. "Don't let's be
-worrying over what's ahead, sweetness! We'll just take
-what comes! Didn't I have my bit of music when
-I was a girl and don't I know the longings that
-are in you to have things that other girls have,
-lassie? It's a good daughter you are to me and it's
-you that has always made the hard things easier----" She
-stopped suddenly as though something in her
-throat choked the words. For answer Sheila caught
-the rough hands that knew only work now and kissed
-them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then these two, arms around one another, the
-bowl tipping dangerously between them, laughed
-together as though there had never been a single
-hardship in the world.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We're two sillies--that's what we are! Now
-we must be about our work or the gentleman will
-come and the room won't be ready!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Who is he, mother?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sure, child, and I scarcely asked him! His
-name is Marks and he said he was employed at the
-Everett Works. I only thought of you, dearie!
-After supper you run over and see Miss Sheehan
-about the lessons; two a week--and we'll have a man
-come to tune up the old piano and we'll just pull
-it out here where it will be warm and where I can
-listen to you!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So their work--and there was much for their
-quick fingers to do before the room could be put in
-readiness for the new tenant and the supper prepared
-for the younger Quinns, would be made lighter by
-their happy plans!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Patricia was too miserable to even glance
-across at the window where the pink geraniums
-bloomed. She did not want to think that there was
-anyone happy anywhere in the world.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sighing deeply she curled herself on her bed,
-drew from underneath her pillow her beloved diary
-and wrote upon its open page:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"This is such a cruel, sad moment in my life
-that I must write about it although it is too bad to
-put it in my nice diary." (Monthly she and Angeline
-Snow, her dearest friend at Miss Prindle's,
-exchanged diaries.) "I have been left alone here
-by a fond but heartless mother and sister who thinks
-only of herself and her troubles and my father is
-here at home and he is left, too, only of course my
-father is a man and he has his business. But the
-very worst of all because they are afraid of measles
-and Cis says my hair will come out and that it will
-never be thick like hers anyway though I remember
-you and I said that we hated thick hair when it was
-yellow like hers they will not let me go back to my
-dear Prindles and so I am a prisoner in a gilded cage.
-My Aunt Pen is coming to live with us while my
-mother is away and I love her and she always lets me
-do everything I want to do but she is not like you
-or the other girls at school. And though I have
-lived here many summers as the poets say, I have no
-friends because there are only the children I used
-to meet at silly parties and my mother's friends
-who are polite and stupid and I shall pine with
-loneliness. It is all Celia's fault though mother says she
-is very ill and that she has worn herself out doing
-war work and she looked very pail and interesting
-and I guess maybe she worried when Lieut Chauncey
-Merideth fell out of his airplane but I guess he'll
-be more careful next time. You remember I never
-liked him though when he comes back from war
-though he is only in Texas I guess he'll treat me
-a little different for he will realise I am almost
-fourteen if he comes back in time and does not fall
-out again. I do love my mother but she has been
-most heartless leaving me sad and lonely and with
-nothing to do. But as old English Sparrow says
-there is always work for idle hands to do and I shall
-find something so as to write to you all about it. I
-am too old to spend my hours repining. I remember
-the words of E. Sparrow how we are captains of our
-souls and I shall keep saying that in my loneliness.
-I guess now I will go down and order the dessert for
-dinner----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>This sudden thought so comforted Patricia that
-she closed her diary quickly, put it back under the
-pillow, slipped off the bed and ran downstairs to
-the kitchen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She found that Melodia, the cook, had already
-prepared mince tarts for dinner. They were spread
-temptingly upon a shelf. Patricia tasted one and
-immediately ordered Melodia to make nothing but
-mince tarts for dessert during her mother's absence!
-Perched on a stool Patricia asked several questions
-concerning the pleasant odors that came from the big
-oven. But Melodia seemed to be very indifferent
-as to the importance of her presence in the kitchen;
-Patricia was glad to remember that she had promised
-her mother to carry a report to the Red Cross
-Headquarters that very afternoon. So, slipping off her
-stool she stalked majestically away.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Now almost at the same moment that Sheila and
-Mrs. Quinn were laughing in their kitchen over their
-wonderful fortune and lonely Patricia was cheering
-her heart by tasting mince tarts, kind-hearted
-Mrs. Atherton, the official in charge at the Red Cross
-Headquarters on this October day, was wrinkling
-her pretty brows over an unusual situation.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Before her, watching her face anxiously, stood a
-man in the uniform of a captain of the United States Army.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Perhaps I acted too hastily--bringing the child
-here, to leave on your hands, but--you can see how
-it happened; I'd given my word to that boy to take
-care of his little sister. If you could have known
-him! Why, there wasn't a fellow in my company
-that wouldn't have given up his life for him! They
-didn't need to--he did it first!" Capt. Allan's
-voice broke. "I got my orders back to the States
-and I just had time to go and find Renée."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Wouldn't it have been better if you had left her
-somewhere in Paris?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You see you don't know the whole story,
-madam. This Emile LaDue was in the French
-uniform but he was sort of an American. And that
-was my promise--that I'd bring her back to
-America--somewhere. He didn't have time to say anything
-more--he gave me the address when we were in a
-shell hole waiting until it was dark enough to creep
-over to the enemy lines. We went out a few seconds
-afterwards--crawling along on our stomachs, he
-one way, I another. I--never saw him again."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Atherton openly wiped her eyes.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The soldier went on: "I'd keep the little girl--just
-because I loved Emile LaDue, but I haven't any
-folks or any place to leave her and I have to report
-back over there! When I'm home for good----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"If Mrs. Everett was here I am sure we could
-arrange something, but she is out of town."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was at that moment that Patricia walked past
-the open door on her way from the Secretary's office
-where she had left her mother's report. Mrs. Atherton's
-rather high-pitched voice reached her ear. She
-stood quite still.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The child would make any home happy--she's
-a dear little thing! Has plenty of clothes, I guess,
-but right now more than anything else she needs
-friends and love--quite a bit of that."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A baby!" thought Patricia excitedly; "a war
-orphan!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia's mother had already adopted six French
-orphans; Patricia and her classmates at school were
-supporting several Belgian families and Celia was
-a godmother to ever so many disabled French
-soldiers. That all meant only sending money away just
-so often, but this was quite different--the baby was
-right here! Patricia had no time to think just what
-her mother might do in such a case! There was an
-offended tone in the man's voice as though he might
-take his war-orphan and go away and not come back!
-So she walked straight into the room.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mrs. Atherton, I will take this child immediately."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Both Mrs. Atherton and the captain gasped at
-the sudden appearance of Patricia. Patricia, seeing
-doubt in Mrs. Atherton's eyes, turned to the soldier.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My mother is away, but if you will bring
-the--the baby to my home I will ask my father, and I
-know he will let her stay!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Atherton hurriedly explained. "This is
-Miss Patricia Everett, the daughter of the lady of
-whom I was speaking. Perhaps----" she hesitated.
-She was thinking rapidly--something, of course,
-must be done with the child! "This might solve our
-problem--until you return and wish to make other
-arrangements."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh </span><em class="italics">please</em><span> bring her," cried Patricia in quite
-her natural manner. "I can't go back to school
-because of the measles there and I'd lose my hair
-and I am dreadfully lonesome, and I should </span><em class="italics">love</em><span>
-a baby! We'll go home and I'll send Watkins after
-Daddy and then we'll tell him."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It sounded so logical that even Mrs. Atherton
-nodded approvingly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Where is she?" asked Patricia, looking around
-the room as though some corner might conceal a
-bundle that would prove to be the little war-orphan.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I left her outside, in the taxi. I wanted to
-find out what could be done."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, let's hurry!" commanded Patricia, turning
-toward the door. "I know Daddy'll say yes, for
-you see my mother and sister have ever so many
-orphans and this will be mine and Daddy's." She
-was running eagerly ahead of Capt. Allan out of the
-door and down the long flight of steps.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Can she walk yet?" she whispered excitedly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I should say so!" he laughed, throwing open
-the door of the taxicab.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And within Patricia beheld staring gravely at
-her from a corner of the automobile, her small hands
-clasped tightly in her lap, her pale face framed by
-a wealth of golden hair that hung in soft curls over
-her shabby coat--not the war-orphan she had
-pictured, but a little girl of her own age!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Miss Renée LaDue," the Captain said with a
-sweeping gesture. "And this young lady----" he
-hesitated a moment, as though the name Mrs. Atherton
-had spoken had slipped his mind.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia, almost too astonished and too delighted
-to make a sound, stammered:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'm Patricia Everett, but please, just call me Pat!"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-captain-s-story"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER II</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">THE CAPTAIN'S STORY</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Certain that some serious catastrophe must have
-happened, Thomas Everett ran up the steps of his
-house with the speed of a schoolboy. Watkins, the
-chauffeur, had found him at his office.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Miss Pat, sir, says you are to hurry home at
-once--that it is awfully important." He had
-repeated her exact words and even imitated her
-imperative tone.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When Mr. Everett had anxiously asked him
-"what had happened," he had shaken his head and
-had said: "I don't know, sir, what it is, sir, but I'm
-sure it is something because I've never seen Miss Pat
-so excited!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia was awaiting her father in the hall.
-There were not many things that she had ever wanted
-that he had refused her--but then this was very
-different and he might say "No!" She greeted him
-with a violent hug and, talking so fast that he could
-not make out one word that she was saying, she
-dragged him toward the library door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"They're in there, Daddy, and oh, </span><em class="italics">please</em><span> do let
-her stay!" she whispered.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Within the room Mr. Everett found a tall soldier
-holding a shy little girl by the hand. The officer
-introduced himself with a word or two, and with the
-same directness he had used in telling his story to
-Mrs. Atherton, he now plunged straight to the point.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I have brought this little girl from France.
-She is one of--those many--who has lost everyone
-and everything--through this war!" He was trying
-to choose his words carefully so as to spare the little
-girl as much as he could.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Realizing his embarrassment Mr. Everett interrupted
-him. "Pat, dear, take the little girl and show
-her the birds." Patricia, rather reluctantly led the
-little stranger off to the small conservatory beyond
-the dining-room where, in beautiful cages, many
-different kinds of birds sang joyously.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Thanks, sir," the officer drew a breath. "Taking
-care of this small lady has been the most difficult
-thing I ever attempted. I'll tell you the story, sir,
-so that you can understand. About six months ago
-a young French officer was attached to our company.
-He directed the scouting. There were six of us
-picked out to work with him. I was one of them.
-We did some mighty ticklish work, sir--for a few
-weeks there." Almost involuntarily the man's
-fingers went to the small cross of honor he wore on
-his tunic. "And we fellows get pretty well
-acquainted, you know--just lying hours in a shell
-hole next to another man is like knowing him for
-years and years back home. It was like that with this
-Emile LaDue and me. I found out that his father
-and mother had been born in America--they were
-both dead, for one night he told me that if anything
-happened to him--and there was plenty of chance
-for something to happen any minute--it would leave
-his little sister all alone in the world. He never talked
-much about himself--back in the lines he was the
-bravest, cheeriest one in the crowd, laughing at every
-sort of hardship, but when we'd get out he'd get quiet
-and I knew what was on his mind. He'd tell little
-things at different times. It seems he'd made a
-promise to his mother that he'd bring the little girl
-to America to live--and he'd kept putting it off, and
-then the war came along and he thought it might be
-too late! That bothered him more than anything
-else. The last night I was with him we were hiding
-in a dirty hole--four of us--almost covered with
-mud and water. He and I lay close together; we
-could only whisper, for some of the Boche had seen
-us and we had to keep low until it was darker. We'd
-been there for hours, not more'n just breathing when
-he whispered suddenly in my ear: 'Allan, I may
-not come out of this--and you may. Will you----' You
-know some of the boys over there have premonitions
-and they're pretty nearly always true and I
-suppose he had one! I knew what he wanted to say,
-and he'd been the bravest and best pal a man could
-ever find and we'd faced death a hundred times, side
-by side, and he'd never flunked once, so I whispered:
-'Don't you worry--just tell me where I can find
-your little sister.' He twisted around until he could
-get a hand into his pocket. He gave me a card.
-He said: 'She's all alone in the world! Take her
-back to America--I didn't make good! All her life
-my mother planned that and when she died I promised
-to do it!' He tried to tell me something about
-a box, but a star shell burst right next to us and we
-had to dig down into the mud and we scarcely
-breathed for fear the Boche snipers would hear
-us!" Capt. Allan's voice, halting through the story as
-though it hurt him to recall the bitter memories,
-suddenly broke.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Just after that we crawled out--we had to do
-our job and get back with the stuff the Colonel
-wanted to know! We divided up--two of us went
-one way and two the other. I got over and through
-and back to our lines with the information and I
-won this"--touching his cross--"and got a sniper's
-bullet in the shoulder. I was put out of business
-then--for three weeks." He stopped again--it was
-very hard for him to tell his tale. Mr. Everett was
-giving occasional nods of sympathy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"When I got back to my company they told me
-the Jerries had caught LaDue! He had almost
-gotten away when he was killed by a hand grenade. The
-other man with him was made a prisoner. The boys
-found LaDue when they advanced--they buried him
-out there with a lot of others! That was always
-the worst, sir--these good pals that you'd messed
-with and bunked with under the same muddy blankets
-and lived with through hours and hours of waiting
-for no one ever knew what--and then--just flesh and
-bones out in that desolation and buried--any old
-place----" He pulled himself together. "Excuse
-me, sir--I loved the boy--I'd have liked to have
-just said--oh, good luck, old chap--or something
-like that! Well, I asked for a furlough to hunt up
-the little sister and what did they do but order me
-back to the States on a special mission to the
-Intelligence Department. I had just twenty-four hours to
-find the child. I had no trouble, though--she was
-at the address out in St. Cloud, living with a queer
-old couple--the man was a veteran of the Franco-Prussian
-war and the wife raises flowers--only no
-one in France is buying flowers now! I suppose
-they were all living on what Emile was sending to
-them. They didn't want to let the child go--I think
-they were truly fond of her, but when I told them
-what I had promised Emile they never said another
-word. I had to break it to them that he had been
-killed! I was afraid of Renée crying and wondering
-how I'd comfort her and then I wished that she
-</span><em class="italics">would</em><span> cry! She was such a pathetic little thing--all
-she'd say was 'He told me it would be for
-America and France!' I tell you, sir, even the little
-ones are as brave as any!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, old Susette packed her clothes and I
-started back with her, though I hadn't the ghost of
-an idea where to take her! I haven't a home or any
-folks of my own, sir, but I said to myself--there's
-the Red Cross, they'll tell me! I had come to this
-town first, sir, so I just brought her along with me
-and--here we are!" He laughed ruefully. "I
-guess I didn't think the thing out very much! Over
-there, you know, homes are smashed up in a twinkling,
-and so many kiddies--like this little one--are
-left along by the wayside, that you don't stop to think
-but just gather 'em in! Our boys can't stand seeing
-the children suffer, sir--why, I've watched many
-a one just turn his whole mess right over to a bunch
-of kids--they're so hungry looking." He paused
-for a moment. "That's all, sir, and if you can find
-a place for Renée to live where she'll be safe
-and--happy, I'll gladly give half my pay and take her
-when I come back!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The story of Renée LaDue finished, the officer
-stood very straight and looked anxiously at his
-listener.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Often during the story Mr. Everett had brushed
-something suspiciously like tears from his eyes. He
-rose quickly now and held out his hand.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"With what you boys are doing--and giving up--there
-isn't anything we who have to stay at home
-could refuse to do! Renée shall be taken care of--I
-promise you that! Nothing must be said about
-money. When the war is over and you return--then
-you shall come and claim her if you wish!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The soldier's face beamed with pleasure.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, sir, that is splendid! You can't imagine
-how responsible I feel about my promise to
-Emile--or what a fine chap he was!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Everett took a notebook and a pencil from
-his pocket.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Please give me some of the facts concerning
-this child," he said in a business-like manner.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As Capt. Allan repeated them he entered each in
-the little book.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And you know nothing more concerning Emile's family?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Only a little more--back in the hospital I talked
-with a French surgeon who had known Emile's
-father. He said he had been a sculptor--until he
-grew blind. I imagine they were very poor. The
-doctor said that Emile had been studying, too--in
-Paris. I remembered he had said something once to
-me that had made me think he was just waiting to
-finish his studies to keep his promise to his
-mother--to come to America to live!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Thomas Everett shook his head. "Oh, what this
-war has done! The boy was doubtless gifted!" He
-sighed deeply. "When it is possible go to Paris
-and, for the child's sake, find out all you can of her
-family. In the meantime----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But at this point Patricia, too impatient to longer
-await her father's decision, burst into the room!</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="renee-finds-a-home"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER III</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">RENÉE FINDS A HOME</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>At her first introduction in the taxi-cab Patricia
-had undertaken to converse with Miss Renée in the
-stilted French she had learned at Miss Prindle's.
-But Renée had answered in perfect English.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Now, with the singing of the birds to tune their
-voices to a happy note, with the pretty flowers
-bringing a smile to Renée's sad little face, it was easy to
-bridge over the formality of "getting acquainted." Renée
-exclaimed in delight over the birds and the
-flowers and Pat rattled on like a small magpie, though
-all the while straining her ears to catch a single
-word or tone of her father's voice from the library.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She had her own way--sometimes a rather
-naughty way--of getting what she wanted from
-her family, but this was so different, and she wanted
-it so very much that she felt very anxious and
-uncertain! So after she had waited what seemed
-to her a very long time she abruptly led Renée back
-to the library. As they entered the room her father
-held out both hands. One took one of hers, with the
-other he drew Renée close to him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My dear little girl, Capt. Allan is going to
-leave you with us for a little while! And I have
-given him my promise that you shall be as safe and
-happy as it is possible for us to make you----" He
-wanted to say a great deal more to make Renée feel
-at home but Patricia interrupted him with a
-tempestuous hug that almost swept him from his feet.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, you dear, dear Daddy!" Then she threw
-her arms around Renée's neck. "Oh, I am so
-happy!" she was crying over and over, as though
-she had been the homeless one and Renée had taken
-her in.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Don't forget me, Miss Everett," the soldier
-put in so comically that Patricia almost embraced
-him, too! Instead she shook both his hands delightedly.
-As Renée turned to Capt. Allan her lips
-trembled a little, for she had learned to love and trust
-him and already looked upon him as her guardian.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Just you be brave and happy, little sister!" he
-said softly to her, "and as soon as I can I will come
-back!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then he shook hands with each one of them and
-Renée shyly kissed him. Mr. Everett went with him
-to the door. Patricia, knowing how hard the parting
-was for her little guest, seized her hand and dragged
-her toward a door at the end of the big hall.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's go and find Melodia! I know something
-she's got!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Only a few moments before Melodia had been
-telling the butler and the upstairs maid about "that
-Miss Pat's giving her orders so comical" and they
-were all laughing merrily over it when Miss Pat
-burst in upon them, leading Renée by the hand.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Melodia, I have a guest only she's going to
-live with us! Please make lots of tarts, and can't
-Renée have just a little one now? Jasper, carry
-Miss Renée's trunk to my room--it's in the front
-hall! Maggie, please get a cot from the storeroom
-and put it right next to my bed." She turned toward
-the pantry. "I'll take some tarts now, Melodia, for
-Miss Renée is hungry! Don't all stand and stare
-like that, but please do as I tell you!" She helped
-herself as she spoke to two of the juiciest of the
-tempting tarts.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, I never!" Jasper and Maggie and Melodia
-all exclaimed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia turned with dignity. "Miss Renée has
-come from France. She is a--a----" She was
-going to say "war-orphan" but suddenly it occurred
-to her that that might make Renée unhappy. So she
-finished: "Her brother has died for us in France and
-left her all alone!" Patricia used an expression she
-had heard often. "You three and Daddy and me
-have a debt to pay--and we are going to pay it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The three servants were deeply impressed by the
-grandness of Patricia's words and manner; and,
-too, Renée's sad little face won their hearts in an
-instant. Jasper coughed violently and hurried away
-to find the trunk. Melodia wiped her eye with the
-corner of her apron.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The dear little thing! Well, we'll just make
-you happy and put flesh on your bones, bless your
-heart, missy!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia, satisfied that she had properly established
-Renée in the household, then led her upstairs
-to her own room. Renée, accustomed to the tiny
-chamber under the gable at St. Cloud, exclaimed with
-admiration when Patricia opened the door. Already
-Jasper had put down the queer old trunk and was
-busily engaged unfastening its buckles and straps.
-Maggie was watching, much disturbed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Miss Pat, I wish your mother was home! I
-know she wouldn't want me to bring a cot in here
-a-cluttering up the tidiness of your room when there's
-the blue room and the violet room empty and that
-room on the third floor----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Alarmed that Maggie might separate them,
-Patricia exclaimed quickly: "I don't--</span><em class="italics">care</em><span>! We
-</span><em class="italics">won't</em><span> make things untidy! I </span><em class="italics">want</em><span> her in here!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What's all this about?" interrupted Mr. Everett,
-coming at that moment to the door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia, Renée, Jasper and Maggie all turned to
-him. But Patricia, catching his coat, pulled him to
-her so that, by reaching on tip-toe, she could
-whisper in his ear:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You see, Daddy, I want her right in here!
-Maggie says that it will make things untidy but we
-can't let her get homesick or--or unhappy, and
-she might if she's left all alone in the blue room or
-the vi'let room----" Patricia rubbed her cheek
-coaxingly against her father's shoulder, then added
-solemnly: "I guess </span><em class="italics">I</em><span> know what it is to be lonesome,
-for I have been lots and lots of times--just because
-everyone was so grownup and I hadn't anyone to
-be with like a little sister, and now--please, Daddy,
-we will keep the room as neat as can be!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée's eyes echoed Patricia's pleadings.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, well, Maggie, we'll have to let them
-decide things, I guess," he laughed, "at least until
-Miss Penelope comes!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In all the excitement Patricia had quite forgotten
-the approaching arrival of Aunt Pen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Aunty Pen, Aunty Pen," she cried, catching
-Renée's hands and, swinging her around. "I'd
-just clean forgotten she was coming! You'll </span><em class="italics">love</em><span> her!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Certainly little Renée had not time to be unhappy--each
-moment seemed to bring something new!
-While Patricia was explaining all about Aunty Pen
-and why she was coming, and her story had, of
-course, to include Celia and even the Lieut. Chauncey
-Meredith and his fall from his airplane, Maggie,
-scolding a little under her breath, was spreading
-snowy sheets over a bed-lounge which Patricia had
-drawn up close to her own little bed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In the next moment, Aunt Pen again forgotten,
-Patricia was tumbling her own possessions from one
-of the drawers of the mahogany chest to make room
-for the contents of Renée's little trunk.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We'll just share everything," she cried. "We'll
-have just the same halves! And let's hang up your
-dresses now!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Poor Renée did not need the generous space of
-one-half of Patricia's wardrobe for her shabby
-dresses--they were only four in number and sadly
-worn! But she hung them away proudly, telling
-Patricia that no one in France now wore new things!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Poor Susette used to spend hours mending my
-clothes, trying to make them hold together," laughed
-Renée, tenderly recalling her good old friend at
-St. Cloud.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Tell me all about her!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So, sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the
-almost empty trunk, Renée described Susette and the
-cottage at St. Cloud and the wonderful flowers that
-had used to sell so well before the war, and the
-school where she had gone after her mother had died;
-how she and Emile always talked in English because
-her mother had made them promise, and how in the
-long, anxious, lonely days after Emile had gone, she
-had used to teach simple English words to Susette
-as they sat together among the flowers that nobody
-wanted to buy!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>From the bottom of the trunk Renée drew a box
-covered with worn leather, tooled and colored like
-the binding of a beautiful book. So old was it that
-the colors blended and looked all blue and gold and
-green. Renée lifted it tenderly, as though it was
-precious!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, how queer and how be-</span><em class="italics">ut</em><span>-iful!" cried
-Patricia, all admiration and curiosity. "What do
-you keep in it?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée held the box very close to her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I don't know! It was my mother's and now
-it's Emile's and mine, or"--she carefully corrected
-herself--"I suppose it's just mine. But we don't
-know what is in it for we never had the key! My
-mother died before she could tell Emile where it was!
-And Emile made me promise before he went away
-that I would keep the box and never let anyone open it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And you haven't even the teeniest idea what is
-in it? Didn't you ever just shake it?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, lots of times!" confessed Renée. "But
-nothing makes any noise. And of course I would
-keep my promise to Emile."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia rocked back and forth on her heels in joy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, what a </span><em class="italics">spliffy</em><span> mystery! I can't wait to
-write to the girls!" Then she laughed at Renée's
-bewilderment. "Spliffy is a word we learned at
-Miss Prindle's and it means scrumptious or delicious
-or grand! Don't you </span><em class="italics">love</em><span> a mystery? And isn't
-it the lov-li-est box?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Emile said it must have been made by some
-Italian master years and years ago. I have this
-queer locket, too--it was my mother's," and from
-a little bag, wrapped in folds and folds of tissue
-paper, Renée drew a curious gold locket. "It is
-much too big to wear but I am very careful of
-it--it is all I have! I pretend that the box and the
-locket both once upon a time belonged to some royal
-prince in Venice! Once, when I was little, mother
-took Emile and me to Venice--she had been sick and
-she had to go where the sun was warm!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia, who had always considered herself an
-experienced and much traveled young lady,
-suddenly felt very small and young compared to Renée
-and all that she had done!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Is Venice like the pictures--all colors like shells
-and funny boats and people singing?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Renée had no chance to answer. The doorbell
-clanged and in a moment they heard a cheery
-voice answering Mr. Everett's greeting.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's Aunt Pen--</span><em class="italics">come</em><span> on!" cried Patricia,
-rushing headlong down the stairs.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="gardens"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER IV</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">GARDENS</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"I'm certainly very glad you've come, Penelope;
-my family, which has so suddenly increased, is going
-to need a guiding hand!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Penelope Everett, called by some a "strong-minded
-woman" because she had, since her college
-days, worn low-heeled shoes, boyish coats, comfortable
-hats and simple dresses, was Thomas Everett's
-favorite sister. Though many years younger than
-he, there was a directness about her, a something in
-the way she carried her head, poised squarely, that
-made him feel he could put anything upon her
-shoulders.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She gave a cheery laugh now in response to the
-seriousness of his manner.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia and Renée had long since gone to bed,
-side by side. Renée had cuddled down under the soft
-coverings with a little sigh of content. Very tired
-with long days of travel she had dropped off to sleep
-quickly, while Patricia's voice, pitched to a low tone,
-had gone on in an endless account of "what we'll do
-to-morrow!" Aunt Pen, tiptoeing in a little later,
-had found Patricia's hand clasping Renée's tightly
-under the covers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She recalled that now as she sat with her brother
-before the library fire.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Do you know, Thomas, you've done the most
-wonderful thing in the world for Pat?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's father stared at her. He had thought she
-meant to praise him for taking in the lonely little
-girl from France!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Why--what do you mean?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Just this--Pat's going to have something now
-that she's never had before--true comradeship!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Thomas Everett nodded his head. "That is so!
-Pat said something queer to me, about being lonely
-lots of times!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Of course she's been lonely--often! She's
-almost a stranger in her own home! You whisk her
-from school to the seashore or some such place and
-then back--to another school! And everything on
-earth is done for her, she doesn't have to think of
-anything for herself, let alone for anyone else!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's father laughed. "Why, I thought we were
-bringing her up along the most model lines! But
-perhaps you have some new fads now!" He liked
-to tease Penelope.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Poor Pat has been the victim of too many fads
-already! I tell you, brother, this war has shown
-us a whole lot of silly mistakes we were making
-in our living!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Before you go one bit further, Penelope dear,
-do promise to speak in words of one syllable! I
-know all about steel but I must admit I'm very stupid
-about girls!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Thomas, you're not stupid--you just don't
-think about them and yet your two girls are more
-precious to you than the whole steel market! And
-what are you doing with them? Look at Celia--how
-has she stood the trials of this wartime? Goodness
-knows, you've spent enough money on her to have
-made a strong woman of her!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But she's young, Pen----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Celia's twenty-one--that's the age they've been
-drafting the boys to go and fight for us! She's a
-few years older than some who have died over in
-France. And now she's had a nervous breakdown!
-Why in the world should Celia have any nerves at all?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You're right, Pen, but----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"This draft we have had in this country has been
-a wonderful thing; it has sorted out our manhood.
-But I'm sorry the women couldn't have had it, too,
-I wonder how many would have measured up to the
-standards, and why not? Because we older ones
-make mistakes with the girls--like Pat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Penelope was standing now, very straight, before
-the fire, her eyes bright in her earnestness.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I tell you we've reached a wonderful day,
-brother--we can see things as we never saw them
-before! Silly old prejudices and habits and notions
-have been swept aside. Do you know one thing
-we've learned? That it is something even greater
-than love for one's country that has made men go
-out and fight--to victory; it's a love for right and
-justice! And in one of John Randolph's books he
-tells us that it is that love for right and justice
-that will make the real brotherhood of men and
-nations! Who is going to carry on this ideal as
-we have found it? Why, our boys and girls--girls
-like Pat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pen, your eloquence makes me feel as though
-I had never known the real meaning of the word duty!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, it isn't half so much--duty, Tom, as it is
-plain common sense. I've often thought that raising
-girls and boys is something like a garden! If you
-were planning a garden and wanted to grow something
-beautiful--oh, say larkspur, for I don't think
-any garden is perfect without it and no flower is
-harder to get started--wouldn't you want to know
-that you were putting in seed that would grow into
-hardy blossoms, blooming year after year, keeping
-your garden lovely and the world richer for their
-beauty?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Penelope paused long enough to draw a deep breath.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There at Miss Prindle's Pat is learning to speak
-French and Latin and how to use her hands and feet
-and walk out of a room properly and a dinner-table-speaking
-acquaintance with art and the masters and
-ancient history--and that's all very well, but how
-much will she know of the problems she must face
-by and by unless she begins to mingle with the sort
-of people that make up this world? And above all
-else--unless you build up for her a strong body that
-will mean a brave heart and a clear head, what
-service, I ask you, can she give to her fellowmen and
-her country?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You're certainly right, Pen! And now, if
-you've finished a very good sermon, let's get down to
-business. I take it you want to--raise larkspur!
-I don't know much about 'em, even in gardens! I've
-left these things to the children's mother!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Penelope dropped into a chair with a little,
-ashamed laugh.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My sermon does sound as though I was criticizing
-Caroline dreadfully! I know she is devoted to
-the girls. And so am I--and so are you. She's
-bringing them up just the way she was brought up!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, what shall </span><em class="italics">we</em><span> do?" asked Pat's father
-with the tone of a conspirator.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You've started doing right now the very best
-thing in the world--bringing that poor little girl
-into the family! Patricia loves her already and she'll
-learn for the first time to consider another child
-before herself. She's never had to do it before!
-Why, to-night I found her carefully dividing her
-clothes so that Renée might have just as many things
-as she had."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Does Renée need clothes? I'll----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now don't spoil it all by buying new things--let
-Patricia give up some of her own! It is making
-her very happy. Through Renée she is going to
-know something of the trials that come to others and
-she is going to learn to want to be helpful. She has
-gone to sleep now holding Renée's hand."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Both their minds turned to Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A curious tragedy--this, that has brought this
-child into our circle! Caroline might have made
-some other arrangement, but Pat's heart was set upon
-keeping her--and she </span><em class="italics">will</em><span> have her own way!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pat's mother is too absorbed now in Celia to
-think much about it and when she returns Renée
-will win her love with her little face! What a
-story the child's life makes with just what we know!
-The family must have been American--evidently
-exiled; they loved this country, else why would the
-mother have made the brother promise to come back?
-I hope sometime we will know more about them!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Capt. Allan has promised to look them up as
-soon as he can!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Captain Allan----" Penelope breathed, her
-face flaming, then turning white. When her brother
-had told her Renée's story, so intent had she been
-upon the tragedy of little Renée and the poor Emile
-that she had not heeded the name of the American
-officer.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Can it be the same?" she thought now, a wild
-fluttering at her heart. Then she sternly admonished
-herself. "Of course not! Don't be silly! There
-are hundreds of Allans and I don't even know that
-he joined the army!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She said aloud, very calmly: "Love has given
-to Renée what money couldn't--she has been well
-educated, I believe! Her mother taught her, she
-says, and after her mother's death she went to a
-communal school near St. Cloud. She will help
-our Pat a great deal!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, I'm very glad we have her with us! And
-now, Pen, I'll put you in command--head gardener,
-or whatever you want to call yourself! Raise your
-larkspur--only let a mere father be of what help
-he can! Things are pressing pretty hard at the
-Works--I can't help but fear that the winter may
-bring serious problems of unemployment and we
-must be ready to solve them! A few weeks will see
-the end of this war--it is in sight now! By the way,
-we are just completing the formula for a new
-explosive--more powerful than any the world has ever
-known! If the enemy knew it the war would end
-to-morrow!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Penelope shuddered. "Why do we need it?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My dear, that little formula alone, scrap of
-paper as it is, will be a safeguard against future
-wars! The government is sending on experts to
-go over the experiments and the formulas. And, if
-they are satisfied, it will be my gift--the gift of my
-men--to our country!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Penelope listened with divided attention, her
-mind not so much upon the wonders of shot and
-shell as upon the problems of the two little girls
-upstairs. She stared into the crackling flames.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Do you think Miss Pat will fall into your plans,
-sister? Remember she is sadly spoiled!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pen laughed. "She'll never know we're making
-plans--wait and see! The first thing we must do is
-to make Renée feel that this is home and then--well,
-we must fill their days with sunshine--flowers and
-children grow better with that, you know! And
-I promise you, Thomas, that after a few months--if
-I'm let alone that long--you'll agree that my hobbies
-are commonsense things after all!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You're generally right, sister--I've found that
-out from long, sad experience! Grow your larkspur
-and I'll help! And now I move that we call the plot
-finished and go to bed--you've worn me out!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With two fingers he tipped her face toward him
-and kissed her good-night. Each was very fond of
-the other--it was this affection that bound Penelope's
-heart so closely to her brother's children.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Long after he had gone she sat alone before
-the fire, her elbows on her knees, her chin dropped
-into the palms of her hands. And as she mused
-over her plans, between her and the flames danced
-pictures of what she would like to do to help Pat, and
-now Renée, grow into "hardy blossoms, blooming
-year after year, keeping the garden lovely and the
-world richer for their beauty!"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="first-aid"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER V</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">FIRST AID</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Renée wakened to find the sun streaming
-through the pink-flowered curtains and Patricia
-sitting bolt upright in bed, staring at her. She had
-been dreaming of Susette and Gabriel; she had to
-rub her eyes once or twice before she could
-remember that this was America and her new home!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I thought you'd </span><em class="italics">never</em><span> wake up! I was just
-sitting here thinking how nice it is to have you here.
-Miss Prindle would never let any of us have a
-room-mate. Let's dress fast--there's </span><em class="italics">so</em><span> much I want to
-show you! I'll ring for Maggie."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As she spoke Patricia sprang from her bed and
-ran barefooted across the floor to the bell. With the
-sunshine and Pat's enthusiasm, the little homesick
-feeling that had begun to ache its way into Renée's
-heart disappeared in an instant.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen answered the bell instead of Maggie.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Lazy girlies!" she cried cheerily. "I have been
-waiting an hour to eat breakfast with you! Melodia
-has a touch of her "rheumtics" and I've told
-Maggie that she may stay downstairs and help her. You
-and Renée can put away your things and make your
-beds." She was throwing back the bedclothes as she
-spoke and did not notice the surprise that flashed
-across Pat's face. Pat did not guess that this was
-one of Aunt Pen's "plans" because she did not
-know, yet, that Aunt Pen was "planning"; she had
-never made a bed in her life, nor had she ever had
-to hang away her clothes! But already Renée was
-neatly tucking into a corner of the wardrobe her
-warm, comfy slippers and was hanging her nightgown
-upon a hook, so, although Patricia had opened
-her lips to utter a protest, she closed them, suddenly ashamed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Over their breakfast Aunt Pen and Pat made the
-plans for the day. It must be like a holiday to
-celebrate Renée's coming! She must be taken about the
-city and shown every spot of interest.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It will seem stupid to you after Paris," declared Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée smiled. "Oh, it couldn't! Paris is beautiful
-but--this is America! Always my mother told
-us stories of America. She loved it and she wanted
-us to love it, too! She used to say that America
-was like a splendid, growing boy! I think she meant
-that everything here is young and over there in
-France it is so old! But I love France!" The
-child's eyes grew dark with feeling. "Only I feel
-so sorry for France! She's like poor Susette and
-her flowers!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's Susette's cheery, brave soul that you love,
-my dear--as we love the cheery, brave soul of
-France," finished Aunt Pen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, maybe France has a soul but does she
-have pancakes like these?" put in Pat, for she felt
-that Renée and Aunt Pen were growing far too
-serious for such a glorious morning.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The day was full of interest for them both; for
-Patricia, because she suddenly found a new pride in
-showing to her little guest the various things in her
-home city of which she was justly proud. Then
-Aunt Pen gave bits of historical information that
-added to everything they saw. Pat had not known
-that over the stretch of pretty park near her home
-the early settlers had once fought with the Indians;
-that the huge boulder in the park, shadowed by old
-elms, marked the grave where some unknown soldiers,
-who had given their lives in the war of 1812,
-were buried. Aunt Pen also pointed out the street,
-thronged now with trucks, wagons and street-cars,
-that had once been the trail through the forest over
-which, when the Indians had burned the village,
-Patricia's great-great grandmother had escaped,
-hidden under sacking and straw in the back of the old
-farm wagon, drawn by oxen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, how thrilling!" cried Pat with a little
-shiver of delight. "What fun it would be to have to
-escape now! Only we'd just go in this car with
-Watkins driving about fifty miles an hour!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Later in the day Patricia begged that she might
-take Renée again along the river road, past the old
-fort that had once leveled its wooden cannon toward
-the shore of Canada, past the huge factories with
-their countless chimneys belching forth flame and
-smoke. Aunt Pen had let them go alone and the
-ride had been one of endless interest. They were
-returning swiftly along the maple-shaded street that
-led toward home when the car swerved sideways,
-Watkins gave a quick laugh, and the air was pierced
-by the sharp cry of a dog in pain.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Watkins--it was a dog!" cried Patricia.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I know it. He'll be more careful next time!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée had covered her eyes. Pat sprang from
-her seat and leaned toward the chauffeur.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Stop!</em><span>" she cried so commandingly that he
-ground on the brake. "I think you're--you're </span><em class="italics">awful</em><span>
-to go on and leave the poor dog!" Tears threatened
-her voice. She opened the door and sprang out,
-followed by Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But another little girl had gone to the dog's
-rescue. Sheila Quinn, walking homeward from
-school, had seen the accident. She had run out into
-the street and had gathered the dog into her arms.
-When Pat and Renée had reached the spot she had
-laid Mr. Dog upon the grass and was examining him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Is he dead?" cried Pat and Renée in one voice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, no! See him try to lick my hand! He
-knows we want to help him! I guess he's more scared
-than hurt! Here, it is his leg. See, it is broken."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"How can you tell?" asked Pat, filled with
-admiration at the quick careful way Sheila had
-examined their patient.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Run your hand gently over his body; see, it
-doesn't hurt him! But look at his leg--how it hangs!
-And watch him, he'll wince if I just move as though
-to touch it! We won't hurt you, doggie dear, just
-keep quiet and we'll fix you up all nice."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What will we do?" asked Pat anxiously.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We must put it in a splint and bandage it,"
-promptly answered Sheila, looking around her as
-though to find the necessary things.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I know--I know! There's the white stuff Aunt
-Pen got at the Red Cross, we can use that! She
-forgot it--it's in the car."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That will be just the thing!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Get it, Renée! And here are some sticks--won't
-they do for splints?" asked Patricia eagerly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It ought to be something firmer, at least until
-the bone is set." Sheila was straightening out the
-poor little leg with so gentle a touch that the dog
-only whimpered. "If you'd let me use your scarf
-we could make a sort of pillow----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For answer Pat snatched the woolen scarf from
-her shoulders. Sheila, rolled it tightly into a firm
-pillow. Renée had returned with Aunt Pen's package
-and she and Patricia commenced tearing it into
-strips. Their fingers, eager though they were, made
-awkward work of it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let </span><em class="italics">me</em><span> do it! You hold his leg," exclaimed
-Sheila. She tore off strips two inches wide. Then
-she neatly covered the woolen scarf with a wider
-piece. Renée and Pat, deeply concerned, leaned over
-the dog and watched. Pat held the injured leg and
-Renée gently stroked the dog's head.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Isn't he a darling?" cried Pat. "I just </span><em class="italics">hate</em><span>
-Watkins for hurting him!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It wasn't Watkin's fault--he might have saved
-the dog and had a serious accident and hurt--you
-girls! The dog ran out in front of the car! This
-will be a lesson to him."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The splint ready Sheila gently placed it under the
-dog's leg and instructed Pat how to hold it in place.
-She wound the bandage around and around, careful
-to avoid the break, but firmly, so as to hold the splint
-securely in place. Then she straightened up from
-her kneeling position with a long breath.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There, now--that will do nicely, until someone
-can set it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I think you're wonderful--the way you can
-do things!" cried Pat, always generous in her praise.
-"Where did you ever learn? And oh, I forgot, we
-don't know your name and we'd like to----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The three girls, grouped about the injured dog
-who lay very contentedly with his head pillowed on
-Renée's lap, presented striking contrasts. Pat, like
-a picture in a fashion book in her trim green
-broadcloth coat and turban set jauntily on her smooth dark
-hair, had a frankness and sunniness in her face that
-was invariably winning despite a slight imperiousness
-of manner; Renée, small for her thirteen years,
-her delicate face, framed in golden curls, touched
-by the shadow of the sorrows she had known, seemed
-like a fragile flower. And Sheila Quinn, a head taller
-than even Pat, her black hair neatly braided in two
-tight pigtails reaching almost to her waist, her face
-and form showing the vigor gained from healthy
-exercise and simple living, had something both of
-Patricia's winsomeness, Renée's quiet poise and a
-happy contentment all of her own which came from
-the Quinn philosophy of "just make the best of
-everything, sweetness, there's sure to be some
-sunshine somewhere!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila laughed. "Which question shall I answer
-first? I'm Sheila Quinn! I know you are Patricia
-Everett, but----" she hesitated as she glanced toward
-Renée. Patricia added:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"This is Renée LaDue who has come way from
-France to live with us!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, how nice!" Sheila glanced with friendly
-curiosity up and down the little figure. "And I
-learned bandaging and all that at the scout meetings.
-I was highest in my first-aid test," she
-concluded proudly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Scouts----" queried Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Girl Scouts," explained Sheila. "I belong to
-Troop Six and it's the best troop in the city!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Les Eclaireuses!" cried Renée. "There were
-some in the School of St. Cloud. I loved them--they
-used to bring the soldier's coats and socks to Susette
-for us to mend! They were like little girl soldiers."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Again Patricia felt small and insignificant before
-the greater experience of Renée and now, Sheila!
-But her nature was too sunny to show the moment's
-sting of pride. Besides, she was immensely curious.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What do you have to do to be a Girl Scout?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Why, just want to join! I mean just want to
-be all that a scout must be and then put in your
-name. I wish you'd join Troop Six--it's the best
-and everyone just loves Captain Ricky--she's the
-scout captain."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What do you have to want to want to be a
-scout?" asked Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila squared her shoulders. "This is what
-you have to want," and she repeated with dignity,
-for she was leader of her patrol and felt the
-responsibility of her position, "to do my duty to God and
-my country, to help other people at all times, to
-obey the scout law. There are lots of laws but they're
-the kind you just </span><em class="italics">like</em><span> to obey. Captain Ricky says
-the real meaning of scouting for girls like us is
-service to God and our country; that it helps each one
-of us to build strong characters that anyone can
-depend upon! And when girls are scouts why, we
-don't stop to think that one, maybe, is rich and
-another poor and one's black and one's white or one's
-a Jew and one's a--a Baptist--we're just all scouts
-and loyal! Oh, I love it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Renée, </span><em class="italics">let's</em><span> be scouts!" cried Pat. "Let's
-tell Daddy we want to join Troop Six--it's the best
-in the city!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Dog, his patience exhausted, had commenced
-to stir restlessly and lick his bandaged leg. The
-three girls exclaimed in dismay:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We've forgotten the dog!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What shall we do with him?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'd better take him home. I am sure my mother
-can set his leg and then we'll put it in a stronger
-splint," said Sheila.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat and Renée could not dispute Sheila's claim
-to the interesting patient.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then we'll come over to-morrow to see him.
-I think he's a nice dog because he looks just like
-Miss Prindle's General who has all kinds of prizes,
-only dirty!" Patricia motioned to Watkins who,
-resigned to waiting, had become more concerned in
-the afternoon newspaper than in the fate of the dog.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He looked a little angry now when Pat explained
-that they intended to carry the dog in the automobile
-to the Quinn home, but there was something in
-Pat's face that stilled the protest on his lips.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat exclaimed with delight when she found that
-Sheila lived in the old brick house whose windows
-were in sight of her own. With Renée and now
-Sheila, the world that had seemed only the day
-before to be so lonely, now seemed full of friends.
-Sheila did not tell Pat that she had often watched her
-come and go from the house that was so like a palace
-compared to her own. Sheila knew that there had
-been just a little envy in her heart at times and she
-was ashamed of it. For, after all, not for worlds
-would she exchange her dearest mother and the
-three small brothers for the wealth of the Everetts!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's have lots of good times together," Pat
-called in parting, "and we'll come over first thing
-to-morrow to see the dog!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So much had Pat and Renée to tell of their day
-that Mr. Everett quite forgot an after-dinner
-engagement he had made with a business acquaintance.
-All four of them, Aunt Pen and Daddy, Pat
-and Renée sat before the fire. Pat, with a diplomacy
-not suspected by her innocent family, led up very
-carefully to what she wanted "more than anything
-else in the world!" That was always the way she put
-it. She used the very words now as she told of
-Troop Six--the best in the whole city!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Bless Pat!" cried her father, using Melodia's
-favorite expression, "</span><em class="italics">I</em><span> can't keep up with you!
-Yesterday it was one thing and to-day it's another,
-and it's always what you want more than anything
-else in the world!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, Daddy--</span><em class="italics">this</em><span> is!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A Girl Scout----" he glanced over the children's
-heads at Penelope and his brows lifted as
-much as to say, "Well, this is </span><em class="italics">your</em><span> garden--what
-have you to say?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen answered his look.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Do you know, Thomas, I think it's just the
-thing! It will bring the girls in touch with joys
-and responsibilities they've not known before!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It makes us build up--oh, something about
-character!" In her excitement Pat could not remember
-Sheila's grand words. "Renée says that in Paris
-they are like girl soldiers. And Sheila says we'll
-love the girls in the troop; there's Keineth Randolph
-and Peggy Lee and True Scott and a lot of
-others----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I know Mrs. Lee, and if Peggy is like her
-mother she is a fine girl," added Aunt Pen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Keineth is John Randolph's girl," put in Pat's father.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then we may?" Pat asked anxiously.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You may," laughingly answered Mr. Everett
-and Aunt Pen in one voice, covering their ears that
-they might not be deafened by Pat's boisterous
-"hurrah!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Upstairs Pat chattered on, although Renée's
-eyes were almost shut with sleep. They opened their
-beds and each laid out her nightgown and slippers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You know I'm glad Maggie's downstairs now--we
-ought to take care of things ourselves; we'll
-</span><em class="italics">have</em><span> to, if we make good scouts! Oh, good
-gracious!" Pat whirled a stocking in midair. "We'll
-have to try exams and I'm always scared to death.
-But you'll help me, won't you, Renée?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And little Renée, her heart overflowing with
-gratitude, glad to do the smallest service within her
-power, answered heartily, though sleepily, "'Deed
-I will!"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="eagles-and-golden-eaglets"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VI</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">EAGLES AND GOLDEN EAGLETS</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<!-- -->
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"A bun fell on my kitten,</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>She died where she was sittin'----"</span></div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>sang Sheila, holding up for inspection the blouse
-she had just finished ironing.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The front doorbell rang, its rusty tone resounding
-through the house.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Goodness gracious," exclaimed Mrs. Quinn,
-smoothing out her apron. Few came to the sombre
-front door of the old house; somehow instinct seemed
-always to lead visitors along the flagged walk to the
-door leading into the cheery kitchen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila, flying to the door, had guessed in an
-instant who the callers were! She led Pat and Renée
-back through the long hall and the injured dog,
-comfortably established in a basket near the stove, set up
-a vigorous barking by way of welcome.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"He's all right, or will be as soon as the break
-mends, mother says! This is my mother, Pat," and
-Patricia turned from the dog to Mrs. Quinn, who
-greeted the girls with her cheery smile.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The children would have him here and I guess
-the poor dog is glad enough to find a home," she
-explained, nodding toward the basket which the
-younger Quinns, with scraps of old carpeting, had
-made most comfortable.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mother says he's an Irish terrier, so let's call
-him Paddy!" And Paddy, as though he liked and
-accepted the name, barked and wagged his stump of
-a tail and tried to jump out of his basket.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With little effort to conceal their curiosity
-Patricia and Renée were staring about them. Patricia
-had never seen a kitchen like this before! She could
-not tell just what made it so different--it might be
-the neat rows of pretty china dishes on the shelves
-of the open cupboard, or the shiny tins and pots and
-pans in the stove corner, or the bright rag rugs on
-the spotless floor, or the gay patterned cloth across
-the table at the window, or the blooming plants on
-the sills framed by crisply ruffled muslin curtains!
-And Mrs. Quinn, a pink bow at her neck brightening
-her faded dress and heightening the color of her
-thin cheeks, looked as though she belonged there
-with the geraniums and the bright rugs and the
-spotless dishes! Patricia was thinking that it was just
-the sort of a room one felt like staying in--and
-anyone could feel sure that--if there was any sunshine
-anywhere--it would be slanting across that floor.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée was standing with her hands quaintly
-clasped.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is like home," she cried. She caught sight
-of a little wooden stool and exclaimed: "Oh--like
-Susette's!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila had told Mrs. Quinn that Renée had come
-way from France. The motherly woman now drew
-the child to her and let her tell of Susette and
-the cheery kitchen at St. Cloud so that the tiny
-shadow of homesickness might pass from her heart.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia was joyously announcing that her Daddy
-and Aunt Pen had said they might join Troop-Six!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And I saw Captain Ricky and she told me to
-bring you girls to-day! Scout meeting is at three
-o'clock at Lincoln School," Sheila added.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Renée--do you hear that? Goodness, I'm
-scared! What do we have to do first?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Form in patrols for inspection. I hope you can
-come into the Eagle Patrol with Keineth Randolph
-and Peggy Lee and myself!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Patricia had innumerable questions to ask. She
-and Renée sat upon the floor, one on each side of
-Paddy's basket which had been drawn out into the
-middle of the room. Sheila resumed her ironing,
-explaining that it must be done before she could do
-anything else. Mrs. Quinn commenced a vigorous
-beating and stirring that promised goodies of some
-kind, joining now and then in the merry chatter.
-This was the beginning of many such pleasant hours
-in the kitchen of the old brick house!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As the girls were going home Patricia said
-suddenly to Renée, speaking out of a moment of deep
-thought: "What was it made it so jolly--there? I
-believe it was the piano! Who'd ever think of having
-a piano in the kitchen?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No!" declared Renée. "It was the rocking
-chair and the piece-work cushions and the stool!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>At the scout meeting Renée, unused to large
-groups of children, felt a wave of shyness grip her.
-She was grateful for Pat's vivacity--no one would
-notice how quiet she was! At first there seemed
-to be a great many girls and as though they were
-all talking at once, but soon she made out through
-Sheila's rather offhand introductions that the girl
-with the nice eyes and jolly smile was Peggy Lee, that
-the smaller one with the golden hair was Keineth
-Randolph and that these two with the three girls
-standing near Pat made up the Eagle patrol.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Capt. Ricky, who was really Miss Fredericka
-Grimball, only no one ever called her anything but
-Capt. Ricky, greeted warmly the new recruits. She
-was a tall young woman, her fine face made beautiful
-by beauty of character rather than feature and with
-a personality that won her girls' liking and at the
-same time their respect.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She whispered to Sheila that she would place
-Pat and Renée in the Eagle Patrol! A shout went
-up in answer which was quieted by Capt. Ricky's
-whistle and her command to "fall in!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat felt delightfully like a soldier as she drew
-up her slender five feet of body between Renée and
-True Scott. But she was an absurdly awkward
-soldier as she obeyed the commands and her pride
-met a sad fall when upon inspection she had to hold
-out ink-stained fingers!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>After a brief drill the Captain gave the command
-to the Color Guard to form. From the ranks three
-girls stepped forward and with military precision
-brought from its place at one end of the room the
-Troop flag. Every scout's hand went instantly to
-the forehead in salute! Together they repeated:</span></p>
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the country</span></div>
-<div class="inner line-block">
-<div class="line"><span>for which it stands;</span></div>
-</div>
-<div class="line"><span>One nation indivisible, with liberty and justice</span></div>
-<div class="inner line-block">
-<div class="line"><span>for all!"</span></div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Renée could not follow their words, but in a clear,
-sweet voice she sang with them the "Star Spangled
-Banner," and as the words rang out, "Then conquer
-we must when our cause it is just," there was an
-added brightness in her eyes, for she had come closer
-than the others to "war's desolation."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In Sheila's kitchen the girls had studied the scout
-laws; they repeated them now, carefully. To Pat,
-whose life so far had had few "laws" or "rules"
-of any kind, they seemed to mean more, now, as she
-repeated them in chorus, and she wondered deep
-within her heart if she could really keep them all!
-But just at that moment she caught a glance and a
-smile from Capt. Ricky that put courage in her heart
-where the faintness had been! It would be well
-worth trying!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A business meeting followed. The business on
-hand to be discussed ranged in character from reports
-on "war savings," "thrift kitchen work," "city
-beautiful plans," a "back-to-school" campaign,
-knitting and sewing, to a noisy argument over a
-coming hike. The girls all tried to talk at once, and
-but for Capt. Ricky's whistle might have succeeded;
-nevertheless, out of the jumble of words Pat and
-Renée caught the impression that these merry girls
-were really doing a great deal of earnest work as
-well as play! In these khaki clad youngsters strong
-characters were in the building, "that anyone could
-depend upon" as Sheila had put it!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sheila, I know something un-us-u-al is going
-to happen!" whispered Peggy Lee, leaning across
-Pat and Renée. The Eagle patrol had grouped
-together, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "When
-Capt. Ricky looks like that she's got some grand
-surprise----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Maybe it's an overnight hike! We take our
-ponchos and blankets and dog-tents and sleep
-outdoors!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's too cold for that now, Ken! Perhaps it's a
-real party like the one we had last spring!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But none of them had guessed right! Capt. Ricky
-had a surprise for them but it was even better
-than the overnight hike or the "real party!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When the business of the meeting was over she
-stepped before them, her hands clasped behind her
-back in a most mysterious manner. She began:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Scouts, I have been given a great privilege--and
-you shall all share it with me! An honor has
-come to Troop Six!" She had to wait, then, for a
-moment; loud cheers interrupted her! She did not
-seem in the least disturbed. "But like all the honors
-that have come to Troop Six this has been won
-through merit, earnest effort and hard work. We
-may well be proud of her who has brought us this
-honor; we can all follow her example and seek the
-standard she has attained! We can hail her as a
-leader among us! Sheila Quinn, please step
-forward!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A ripple of "oh-h-h" ran through the girls!
-Sheila's face turned crimson. Peggy and Keineth
-excitedly pushed her forward.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Capt. Ricky's left hand clasped Sheila's and with
-her right she held up a glittering badge.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sheila, it is my happy privilege, upon the
-recommendation of the National Commissioner, to
-award to you the Golden Eaglet, the highest honor
-that can be won by a Girl Scout!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A din of cheering drowned out anything more
-that Capt. Ricky might have wanted to say. Peggy
-and True Scott were capering about like jumping-jacks.
-There were shouts of "What's the matter
-with Sheila! She's all right," "Three cheers for
-Troop Six," "Now a tiger for the Eagle Patrol,"
-and through it all Capt. Ricky stood smiling, clasping
-Sheila's hand, and Sheila, the color of a red poppy,
-looked wildly about as though seeking some corner
-that might swallow her up.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Someone called "speech"; Peggy took it up,
-then it came from every corner! Capt. Ricky nodded
-to Sheila. Sheila swallowed hard to clear her voice
-of the tight band that seemed to choke it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'm awfully glad I won--just for the sake of
-the Troop! It was hard work at first but afterwards
-one thing helped another. I hope you'll all be
-Golden Eaglets and I'll help anyone that wants to
-work for it and--Oh, I can't say another word!"
-and poor Sheila made a dash for the corner where
-the Eagle patrol awaited her with eager arms.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There were "eats," then, for it was of course
-a great occasion, and Peggy insisted that Sheila must
-eat six of the raisin cookies that were served. Pat,
-feeling now as though she had always belonged to
-Troop Six, asked, humbly, "if plain Eagles might
-not have just five?" and helped herself as she spoke!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The girls walked home together, a merry troop!
-Peggy Lee and Keineth Randolph turned after a
-few blocks; as Pat, Renée and Sheila went on Pat
-slipped her hand through Sheila's arm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She had been deeply impressed by Sheila's
-modesty of manner. She was certain if she had been
-awarded such high honor she would have strutted
-like a peacock!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Doesn't it feel grand to be a Golden Eaglet?"
-she asked Sheila solemnly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila hesitated. "I--don't--know! It makes
-me sort of--scared! I must live up to it, you see,
-and sometimes--it's awfully hard!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For a few paces the girls walked along in silence.
-Serious thoughts had crossed each mind. An honor
-won was not enough--it must be lived up to!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat, who could not be still for very long, was the
-first to break the silence. She gave a merry chuckle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, I guess Pat Everett has a long way to
-go before she can be a Golden Eaglet! I've got to
-learn to be just a good scout first and you can believe
-that the next time I go to a scout meeting--I'll wash
-my hands before I go!"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="aunt-pen-plans"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VII</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">AUNT PEN PLANS</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The Everett family was holding a "pow-wow." That
-was what Pat called the after-dinner hour
-when they gathered about the library fire. Renée
-thought it quite the jolliest time of the day; almost
-always Mr. Everett had so many funny or exciting
-things to tell and he and Aunt Pen never shut the
-girls out of their conversation; when sometimes their
-talk became serious and of problems which the girls
-could not understand, then either Mr. Everett or
-Aunt Pen carefully explained. And in turn Aunt
-Pen and Pat's father would listen with deep interest
-to the girls' account of their day.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's not nearly as jolly when Celia's home," Pat
-had confided to Renée, "'cause she always talks
-and won't pay any attention to me!" Although
-Aunt Pen, overhearing her, had laughed and said,
-with a world of meaning: "Poor chatterbox!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Letters had come from the south that day. They
-read them over now as they sat in the "pow-wow." In
-her letter to Pat's father Mrs. Everett had told
-him how glad she was they had taken Renée and
-how eagerly she looked forward to knowing the little
-girl! As Mr. Everett read this Pat squeezed
-Renée's hand and Aunt Pen patted the fair head.
-To Pat her mother had enclosed a little note.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span class="small">* * * Be a dear good child and help your Aunt Pen by doing
-whatever she wishes you to do. Keep your father from being
-lonely without us, and remember that sometimes he is very tired
-when he comes home at night and likes to have some one read
-to him! And be very considerate of the little stranger you have
-taken into your circle. * * *</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Mother needn't worry! I'll just like to do all
-of those three things, you'll see!" cried Pat, folding
-her precious note and tucking it away in her pocket.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Aunt Pen's letter was the one that claimed
-their deep attention!</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span class="small">* * * If everything goes along all right at home--and
-I know it will with you there, dear Pen--we may stay until
-spring. We are very comfortable, the hotel is quiet and the
-food is good. Celia seems brighter and is quite contented.
-Chauncey is out of danger, too, and in a short time we may
-go to the hospital and see him. * * * It was very hard for
-me to make up my mind to leave home just now, but I could
-not hesitate when I knew that it was for Celia's good. And
-you, dear girl, made it easier for me by taking my place.
-* * * I am worried about Pat's school. I really don't think
-she ought to go back to Miss Prindle's at all--there is so much
-sickness everywhere, and I simply cannot stand any more
-worry. I think I'd rather she stayed right at home. But she
-ought to have some work--dear Pen, please plan this out for
-me! I feel so helpless way down here! I will leave it all to
-you, knowing that whatever you do will be for Pat's good. * * *</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Read that last again," broke in Pat's father
-with a twinkle in his eyes. Pat was looking rather
-anxiously at Aunt Pen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Penelope read it again and then folded the letter.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's just exactly what I wanted Caroline to say!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But, Daddy, I don't care--now--about not
-going back to Miss Prindle's, but I'd hate a tutor
-or anything like that!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"All play and no work----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But I do work! Ask Aunt Pen if I haven't
-made my bed every morning!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I have some plans," Aunt Pen began slowly,
-"the girls ought to have some studies and----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And a tutor, Aunt Pen?" Aunt Pen nodded.
-"Not that awful Miss Gray--please, Aunt Pen!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, not Miss Gray! I think I know someone
-whom you'll like--or at least you are very fond of
-her now!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Amused at the real distress in Pat's face her
-father broke in:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Aunt Pen says she has some plans! Her plans
-are generally very interesting," with a sidelong
-glance at his sister, "though I admit that sometimes
-she is very heartless! Let's hear them! Then if you
-don't like them, why----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, then," cried Pat resignedly, "let's hear
-them!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée was listening with deep interest. She had
-never gone to school except for the three years
-following her mother's death when she had on pleasant
-days gone to the communal school at St. Cloud.
-Before that her mother had taught her; she had
-stored away, too, in her mind valuable knowledge
-from the books which had been always about her.
-Now the thought of going to an American school
-filled her with terror!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen assumed a comically serious air. "I
-will tell the girls my plans and they shall decide, for
-unless they go into the work with all their hearts it
-will do them little good! First, each day must be
-divided into periods, the first to begin at eight o'clock.
-Between eight and nine there will be instruction in
-household arts"--she could not resist a sly wink at
-Pat's father--"that includes making beds without
-wrinkles and tidying the corners; of the room,
-especially behind the wardrobe where things collect--"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Aunt Pen, you are </span><em class="italics">just</em><span> joking!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, my dear! I never was more serious in my
-life! To my thinking accuracy in such work is as
-important as accuracy in algebra or geometry! And
-I am sure you did not get it at Miss Prindle's!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What then?" cried Pat and her father.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"An hour of out-of-door exercise in the morning
-and one in the afternoon, or at least two hours
-out-of-doors each day, regardless of weather!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, I </span><em class="italics">like that</em><span>!" interrupted Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen continued severely: "And that does
-not mean riding with Watkins! That leaves six
-hours for study, classes and indoor recreation."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Study what?" demanded Pat, still suspicious
-that there must be something unpleasant somewhere.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, different things for each of you. Besides
-the classes in bed-making, sweeping and dusting,
-cooking and home-nursing, I think you should study
-Algebra and spelling, Renée may study English and
-she will help you with your French, and you will
-both have Latin. Then in the evening you may read
-American history from books selected by your
-tutor----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Did ever anyone hear of a school like that?"
-cried Pat, clapping her hands. "I love it, Aunt Pen,
-and I'll work hard--honest! Oh----" her face fell.
-"Who will be the tutor?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Where can you find anyone who can make bread
-and teach Latin infinitives?" put in Mr. Everett
-mischievously.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well," Aunt Pen tried to look modest, "how
-would I do?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You!" cried Pat incredulously, certain now
-that the whole plan was only a joke. "You--really,
-truly?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Really, truly, my dear! I will dearly love to
-teach you and help you both!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat threw both arms about her neck in a strangling
-hug. "Oh, Aunt Pen, it will be such fun and
-I'll really, truly try to learn Latin and I won't stuff
-things behind the wardrobe any more--that was my
-half of the room, you know! And maybe, with
-Renée to help me, I can soon speak French as well
-as Celia!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And I'll offer a prize for the best loaf of bread
-that one of my girls makes!" added Mr. Everett.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, there shall be no prizes in this school! If
-one of the girls can do something better than the
-other then she is going to help the other! More
-than all the French and Latin, in the world I want
-my pupils to learn unselfishness! And we will keep
-reports and the reward will come when Pat and
-Renée show these reports to Pat's mother."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What do you think about it, Mouse?" That
-was the name Mr. Everett had given Renée. Her
-eyes were shining with delight.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, I will like it very much! And there is so
-much I want to learn if I am to live in America and
-I will try so hard! I was afraid to go to school!"
-she confessed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is very natural that you should have dreaded
-it, my dear! After a little that shyness will wear
-off and you will find many staunch friends and
-playmates."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I want to learn to iron as nicely as Sheila
-can," announced Pat with her accustomed
-enthusiasm. "And cook, too--make tarts and things!
-Why, Aunt Pen, all that is what we'll need to be
-second-class scouts!" The thought suddenly
-brought concern to her face. "Will we have time,
-Aunt Pen, to study for the tenderfoot test? Peggy
-Lee and Keineth Randolph are going to teach us to
-tie knots and, you know," she added hastily, "that
-is important! Everybody should be able to tie all
-sorts of knots--it's very useful, lots of times!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen nodded. "Of course! You shall have
-a chance to learn all that!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Peggy says her brother will teach us how to
-semaphore, too! Oh, we'll be </span><em class="italics">so</em><span> busy, Renée! I
-think I'll write to Angeline all about it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She ran to the spinnet desk across the room and
-pulled out paper and pen. Her head was whirling
-with Aunt Pen's delightful plans! She wrote
-furiously for a few moments, with a loud scratching of
-her point. But as she wrote into her mind slowly
-crept a vivid picture of the girls at Miss Prindle's
-and of the life there! With the page half written
-she stopped. Then she caught up the paper and tore
-it across, dropping the pieces one by one into the
-waste-basket. From the divan before the fire Aunt
-Pen was watching her, wondering at the fleeting
-shadow that had crossed the brightness of her face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What is it, Pat?" she asked gently.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat hesitated. "Oh--nothing!" There was a
-note of defiance in her voice. She did not add that
-into her heart had suddenly come the illuminating
-conviction that the girls she had known at Miss
-Prindle's would laugh at Aunt Pen's "school!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There was just so much to write about that I
-couldn't seem to begin!"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="breadwinners"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VIII</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">BREADWINNERS</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>A perplexing problem confronted Pat. Her
-scout uniform must be bought out of money she had
-earned herself. And she had never earned a penny
-in her life!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I earned my money knitting mittens and selling
-them and True Scott crocheted tam-o'-shanters.
-They were awfully pretty and all the girls ordered
-them. Peggy Lee worked on Saturdays in a grocery
-store--taking telephone orders," Sheila explained.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I can't knit well enough or crochet or do
-anything," Pat wailed afterwards, in gloomy
-consultation with Renée and Sheila.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then at Sheila's suggestion the girls studied the
-"Help Wanted" column of the newspaper. They
-spread it out upon the floor and knelt around it;
-Renée reading off each advertisement and Sheila
-and Pat passing upon its possibilities. After
-considerable discussion it was decided that on the next
-afternoon Pat should go to a certain office address
-where, as the advertisement read, any refined lady,
-young or old, would be told how to make ten dollars
-a week, in pleasant occupation, in her spare hours!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That will be just right for me!" Pat declared
-enthusiastically. "It won't interfere with 'school.'"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen's "school" was well started. At first
-Pat had been inclined to treat rather lightly the
-schedule of "household arts," but she realized very
-soon that Aunt Pen was in earnest and that she
-intended to demand the same thoroughness and
-accuracy in the simple tasks about the house that
-were necessary in the sums in Algebra! At the
-beginning Pat had detested what Melodia called
-"the upstairs work," but under Aunt Pen's pleasant
-instruction and with Renée's cheerful company--that
-little lady was a true housewife and her hands flew
-eagerly about her work--Pat began to feel more
-interest and to try very hard to do everything just
-right! And at the end of the first week Aunt Pen
-had allowed the girls to make apple pies which
-Mr. Everett had declared were better than any apple pies
-he had ever tasted!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And ten dollars a week!" Pat went on, "I will
-be rich very soon! Now we must find something for
-Renée!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Perhaps I might earn a little arranging flowers
-in shop windows; often I helped Colette Voisin,
-who had a stall at St. Cloud, and I loved it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Just the thing!" cried Pat, delighted with
-anything out of the ordinary. "Most of the flower
-shops look hideous and they'd probably pay you
-well! While I go for my position to-morrow
-afternoon, you and Sheila can stop at each one of the
-florists and offer to trim their windows!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The fortune-seekers spent an excited hour
-preparing for their adventure. Aunt Pen had gone out
-for the afternoon, so they were undisturbed. Pat
-insisted upon fastening her hair tightly back from
-her face so as to give to herself an appearance of
-mature severity! At the last moment she donned
-a long coat of Aunt Pen's which concealed her own
-kilted skirt and then for a finishing touch added
-Celia's last year's sable furs!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There--I'm sure anyone would take me easily
-for twenty-one!" she declared, surveying herself
-with satisfaction. And to Pat twenty-one seemed old
-enough to suit the most exacting employer!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They had arranged to meet Sheila at her gate.
-Renée was frightened to death, and as the three girls
-trudged on toward the business section of the city
-she repeated over and over, after Pat, just what
-she must say upon entering each florist's shop!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Be sure to tell them that you used to fix that
-flower stall in France!" warned Pat as they parted.
-She waved her hand, calling "good luck," and
-walked on with a brave step. Sheila was to stay
-with Renée because Renée was not acquainted with
-the city streets.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But two hours later it was a crestfallen trio who
-met--as they had agreed to do--in Sheila's kitchen.
-Pat, in spite of her ridiculous make-up, looked like an
-unhappy, thwarted child! She had waited over an
-hour in a stuffy office, packed in with dozens of
-other "refined lady" applicants who had--although
-Pat would not tell this even to Sheila or
-Renée--openly laughed at her!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And by the time it was my turn to go in I was
-so tired waiting that I got all sort of scared and
-couldn't say a word," she explained in deep disgust.
-"Anyway, it was to sell "Beauty Packages" at
-people's houses--things that'd make straight hair
-curly and remove freckles and everything else and
-you had to deposit twenty-five dollars before they'd
-even let you begin!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And all the flower shops said they had experts
-to decorate their windows--they would not even let
-me tell of Colette's stall! I think they thought I was
-too little," sighed Renée; "often they laughed!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well," Pat tossed her head, "we just mustn't
-get discouraged but try, try again!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée shuddered. "Oh, I can't--not like that!"
-she cried vehemently.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Would you rather not be a scout?" demanded
-Pat. "You never get anything without trying for
-it and I guess I'm not going to let one failure
-discourage me!" In the pleasant shelter of the Quinn
-kitchen she felt very brave! But a threat of tears in
-Renée's eyes softened her. "Don't worry, Ren, we'll
-find something! Maybe," she hesitated, "maybe
-we'd better consult Aunt Pen!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, I wish you would!" Renée cried eagerly.
-Pat's adventurous spirit frightened her a little.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'll think about it and maybe to-morrow----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For Pat was not quite sure, in her own mind, just
-what Aunt Pen might think of the borrowed coat and
-Celia's furs!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>By countless little signs Aunt Pen knew that her
-girls had something on their minds! Hurrying down
-to dinner she had caught a glimpse, as she had passed
-Pat's door, of her own coat and Celia's furs thrown
-on Pat's bed; the girls had been unusually silent
-during the evening meal and she had twice
-intercepted an appealing glance from Renée to Pat which
-had drawn a nod of assurance from Pat in answer!
-Pat's room work the next morning had been sadly
-careless and her Latin recitation had found her
-abstracted! Aunt Pen was too sensible to force a
-confidence--she was sure that it was only a matter
-of a little time before Pat would bring to her
-anything that troubled!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So she was not surprised when after the morning's
-work was over Pat came to her door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Renée and I want to talk to you, Aunt Pen!"
-she said so seriously that for a moment Penelope
-was startled.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The two stood before her, Pat with her hands
-clasped behind her as she had often seen her father
-stand.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You see it's like this, Aunt Pen--Renée and
-I have got to earn some money to buy our uniforms!
-We can't just use allowances! It's about six dollars
-and a half apiece! We can't knit well enough to
-sell things and Peggy Lee worked in a grocery store,
-but it was where her mother traded and they were
-nice about it! But we--can't--find--any work!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then you've tried?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat colored. "Yes--we tried yesterday!" Without
-going too much into detail and carefully
-giving their experience as much dignity as possible,
-she recounted the efforts of the afternoon before to
-find employment. Aunt Pen was suddenly seized
-with a violent coughing fit which left her tearful!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I </span><em class="italics">hope</em><span> you're not laughing," Pat ended with
-some wrath in her voice. "I'm sure we're old enough
-to earn money--</span><em class="italics">boys</em><span> do at our age! And I am not in
-the </span><em class="italics">least</em><span> discouraged!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That is right, Pat," cried Aunt Pen admiringly.
-"But perhaps you have not gone about it the right
-way! Let's sit down now and go over the whole
-thing!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Afterwards Pat told Sheila that one thing she
-always liked about Aunt Pen was that she treated
-a person as though that person </span><em class="italics">knew</em><span> something!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And Pat never dreamed that it was not her own
-mental processes that, after a few words, arrived at
-the conclusion that she and Renée must content
-themselves with just trying to do what they were qualified
-to do!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Renée is too young to be employed even for
-any part of a day in a store--we have a law that
-forbids it! And you, Pat, could scarcely sell enough
-Beauty Packages in what spare time you have to
-replace the shoe leather you'd wear out!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But what </span><em class="italics">will</em><span> we do?" cried Pat, humble now.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen thought for a long time. Pat's
-earnestness was a very precious thing--she must
-guard it!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Suddenly she clapped her hands with the
-girlishness that made her such an understanding companion.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I have a brilliant idea! You remember the box
-of apples that came last week from my farm? We
-must have at least fifty bushels of them! My farmer
-said he was going to take them to market next week.
-Instead, you and Renée may go around and take
-orders! You can sell them for a dollar and
-seventy-five cents a bushel--even then it'll be under the
-grocer's price--and you will pay the farmer a dollar
-and a half, which is all he'd get wholesale, anyway."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then we'll make a quarter a bushel?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes. If you sell the whole lot, you'll have
-twelve dollars and a half to divide between you,
-besides lots of exercise and some experience! And
-you can take orders for potatoes, too, up to twenty
-bushels."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, great!" cried Pat. She danced around
-Indian-fashion. "May we begin this afternoon?
-And may I take some of the apples that came here
-around in a basket to show people?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That is a good idea! I think you'll find it
-pleasanter than selling Beauty Packages! Then other
-ways of earning money may turn up. You know one
-thing you can learn, even when you are little girls,
-that will help you all through life is to know and
-grasp opportunities when they come."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I don't know what we'd do without you, Aunt
-Pen! I'll keep accounts in a little book, for I love
-putting down and adding figures. Let's call
-ourselves 'LaDue and Everett, Agents.'"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée, whose face reflected her pleasure and
-approval of the new plan and her relief that the
-afternoon need not bring further search for
-employment, spoke now, shyly:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I want so much to earn some money so as to
-send a little to Susette and Gabriel. I have so much
-here and they may need many things! Do you think
-I could sell Christmas cards?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What kind, child?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée told, then, of the little cards she had
-painted and sold in St. Cloud. She ran to her room
-to bring a few that she had. Penelope exclaimed
-with real admiration over them:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Why, my dear, they are beautiful! Of course
-you can sell them! And you must make more! And
-dinner cards, too!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then valentines!" cried Pat. "And I'll sell
-them, 'cause you see I am bigger! We can buy your
-paints and cardboard out of our apple money and--"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What a business woman you have suddenly
-become!" Aunt Pen declared.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We'll need a great big account book and an
-office----" Pat stopped suddenly and clapped her
-hands to her head, a motion which always indicated
-that she had an idea!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, spliffy! Renée--come on! I've the </span><em class="italics">best</em><span>
-plan!" That it was to be a secret was certain! She
-caught Renée's two hands and dragged her from
-the room, leaving Aunt Pen convulsed with laughter.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There ensued, then, from the third floor, between
-the lunch hour and the afternoon study period, a
-rumbling like thunder, mingled with pounding and
-scraping and bursts of laughter. To add to the
-mystery Pat rushed downstairs to return shortly with
-broom and dustpan and a mob cap over her dark head.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Not until the next afternoon was the secret
-revealed! Then with much ceremony Pat and Renée
-escorted Aunt Pen to the third floor. For years the
-low-gabled room stretching across the east wing of
-the house had served as a sewing room where the
-Archer sisters had worked stitching frocks for Celia
-and Pat and mending the household linen. The Archer
-sisters--Pat had always thought they looked like
-gnomes---were dead now and Mrs. Everett had the
-girls' dresses made by a downtown dressmaker. The
-room had not been used for a long time.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Now upon its door had been nailed an imposing
-and elaborately decorated sign which read: "</span><em class="italics">Eagles'
-Eyrie</em><span>." And beneath that, emphasizing its warning
-with a skull and crossbones, was another sign: "</span><em class="italics">No Admittance</em><span>."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Three knocks and then a quick one is the
-signal," explained Pat mysteriously; "and you and
-Sheila and Peggy and Keineth and True Scott are
-the only ones that will know it--except, of course,
-Ren and me!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat was unlocking the door as she spoke. She
-threw it open proudly. "This isn't going to be any
-silly club!" she explained. "Everyone that comes
-here must work! That desk over there is mine
-and Renée has this table because she can paint on
-it and the light's good. And that big table is for the
-other girls, only we have to keep it against the wall
-'cause one leg's off!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A few hours' work had utterly transformed the
-room and had removed all traces of the patient
-Archer sisters and their livelihood. The floor, very
-dusty in spots, was covered with strips of an old hall
-carpeting which, when hardwood floors had been
-laid, had been stored away. Pat had also resurrected
-from the storeroom the antiquated desk and tables
-and a dilapidated assortment of chairs. Over one of
-these, to add a note of elegance to the room, she
-had thrown an old Bagdad lounge cover and across
-the windows the girls had hung pieces of faded
-velour, replaced a few years before in the living
-rooms below. The air was heavy with the smell
-of camphor and dust; the three-legged table had a
-pathetically helpless look, a corner of the wall was
-stained from a leak in the roof, but to Pat and Renée
-it was an inspiring retreat!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My account books are there in my desk, and
-I'll have you know, Aunt Pen, that 'LaDue and
-Everett' have gotten orders for ten bushels of apples
-which wasn't bad for one afternoon's work and for
-girls, too!" declared Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, that reminds me!" Aunt Pen's voice was
-as enthusiastic as that of the junior member of the
-firm. "I have an order for LaDue and Everett!
-Miss Higgins will take twelve of the Christmas
-cards! I showed her one this morning. She is going
-to put them on sale in her tea room. She may order
-more! You must decide as to your prices, Renée."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée was too delighted to answer. Pat fairly
-bubbled with excitement. She caught Aunt Pen and
-Renée in a whirling step that almost completely
-demolished an ancient chair that lay in her mad path.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Hurrah for the Eagles' Eyrie! And won't we
-just have fun? You, know"--she quieted
-suddenly--"the day mother and Celia went away I
-was awfully miserable and I wrote the silliest things
-in my diary! But that was before I found Renée!
-And now we've got Sheila and you and our jolly
-school and our business and I'm glad's can be they
-left me home and I didn't go back to Prindle's!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen, for lack of breath and a chair had
-sunk down upon the floor. She looked up laughing.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'd hate to have to analyze that sentence of
-yours, Patsy! But even if your English is
-constructed badly your heart is gold and I say--good
-luck to you and your Eagles' Eyrie!"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-new-lodger"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER IX</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">THE NEW LODGER</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Whatever in the world are all those whistles
-blowing for?" asked Pat, springing from her bed
-and running to her window. "Something's
-happening--I know!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The girls listened. The early morning air was
-filled with incessant sound; the shriek of sirens,
-shriller blasts, the heavy tones of boats' whistles
-from the harbor, intoning bells.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It makes you shiver!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's dress quickly!" Pat reached out for a
-stocking. "Maybe it's peace!" she declared
-suddenly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh-h!" was all Renée answered, but there was
-a world of meaning in the single sound. "Listen!
-There are more bells! Aren't they beautiful?
-Perhaps they are ringing all over the world."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Downstairs they found everyone wildly excited.
-Even Jasper, who had not been over from England
-for so many years that he had forgotten his relatives
-there, was talking volubly to Aunt Pen and passing
-her sugar for her boiled egg!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What is it, Aunt Pen?" cried Pat and Renée
-in one voice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My dears--the fighting has stopped--at last!"
-Mr. Everett answered. He seemed too moved to
-say more.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I don't know whether I feel more like praying
-or shouting," laughed Aunt Pen with two tears
-rolling down her cheeks.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>From the extra which Jasper had brought in
-Mr. Everett read to them all the terms of the
-armistice to which Germany had agreed. Melodia and
-Maggie listened from the door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I feel all queer inside!" announced Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée's breakfast lay before her, untouched.
-Aunt Pen, seeing the real distress on the child's face,
-divined the ache that lay in her heart. So that when
-Renée, unable to control herself longer, rushed
-toward the door she felt two quick arms fold about
-her and draw her close to a friendly shoulder.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Dearie, tell us! Don't grieve by yourself!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then poor Renée buried her face; it was several
-moments before she could speak.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I wish I was--there! Home, I mean--poor
-Susette is old--and has--only Gabriel! We worked
-so hard--we made a flag, Susette and I, and we tried
-to make it just like your Stars and Stripes; we put
-in the thirteen bars, 'cause I had counted--but
-not--nearly--enough stars! We'd promised Emile when
-peace came--he said that the Germans </span><em class="italics">would</em><span> be
-beaten--we'd hang it from the corner of the roof,
-'long side of Gabriel's old French flag! And"--the
-head went back against Penelope's shoulder--"I'm
-'fraid Susette--will forget--and it--will not--be
-there!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She will remember, Renée, because right at
-this moment I know her heart and her mind are full
-of thoughts of you, just as you are homesick for
-her and the little cottage!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Everett, who had been deeply moved by
-Renée's story, interposed some practical comfort.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Renée, will you let me--by way of celebrating
-this day--send a money order to Susette in your
-name? Remember, child, how little we have
-suffered as compared to you and Susette and countless
-others--over there! You shall write her a little
-letter to go with it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, I will </span><em class="italics">like that</em><span>! And then Susette will
-surely know that I am with kind, generous friends!" The
-child's eyes were bright again. "And I will
-remind her where we put the flag and she can hang
-it out, for I think now there will be flags flying in
-France for a long time!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"This must, of course, be a holiday," declared
-Aunt Pen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And let's just do things we've never done
-before," cried Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>At that moment Mr. Everett was called to the
-telephone. He returned greatly excited.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Burns telephones from the Works that the men
-are forming a monster parade! They've got a band
-and helped themselves to every flag in the place!
-The city's gone mad! I must hurry away. Take
-the girls downtown! This November eleventh must
-be a day we will never forget--as long as we live!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And as he hurried off he said to Renée in parting:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Have that letter ready, my dear, and I will
-send the money order home at noon-time."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The girls rushed away to put on their wraps.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"May we stop for Sheila?" called Pat over the
-banister.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Of course!" assented Penelope, glad that Pat
-wanted to share all her joys with her friends.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>By the time they reached the downtown section
-the walks were thronged with people and the streets
-had been cleared of traffic for the marching hosts.
-The girls found a place on the curb. It seemed to
-them as though everyone had gone mad all at once
-and that they were as mad as anyone else! At every
-corner processions were forming, headed by any sort
-of a makeshift band and where not even a drum could
-be commandeered, tin pans and pails had been pressed
-into service! And through it all the incessant,
-deafening tumult of whistles!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Everyone was smiling! The sun had burst
-through the accumulated clouds of long years of war!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A group of men and girls from a shipyard
-marched by. Some of them were drawing a huckster's
-wagon they had seized and upon its load of
-potatoes and apples and cabbages they had placed a
-big ship's bell! One of their number rode on the
-wagon and with a huge sledge pounded the bell at
-regular intervals. They were all carrying flags, big
-and small, and one grimy man had a baby in his
-arms! The crowd on the curb cheered wildly and
-the man held the baby high in the air!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The marchers had to halt and while the man
-with the bell rested, they sang the Star Spangled
-Banner. Others took it up--it was carried down
-block after block, a rising wave of sound, a chorus
-of triumph! Pat and Sheila and Renée sang lustily
-and as they sang Pat felt her hand suddenly caught
-in a warm, tight clasp! It was her neighbor, a little
-bent woman with the dark eyes of the Italian race
-and a worn shawl over her head and shoulders. Her
-eyes were brimming with tears, but through them she
-was smiling like the others! Pat was too young to
-guess the tragedy of sacrifice that might lie behind
-those tears, but she was not too young to sense the
-common joy and thankfulness and privilege they
-shared! So she squeezed the worn fingers and
-smiled back into the little old woman's face!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Here come the men from the Works!" cried
-Aunt Pen, standing on tiptoe to look over the crowd.
-The shipbuilders had passed on. Along surged the
-approaching host, fifteen thousand strong, men and
-women! They had stripped the works of flags and
-carried them now high in the air with arms that could
-not tire! The discordant blasts of their band was
-heavenly music to their ears! Old men stepped along
-like boys; scattered through the lines were hundreds
-of girls in their working overalls and caps.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée was puzzled. These men, many of them,
-did not look like the Americans she had seen! One
-of them shouted out in a strange tongue, but he
-carried a banner that said "We are for the
-U.S.A." Perhaps, like herself, he had come to America for
-refuge and was giving now of his strength and
-loyalty to the mother country he had sought.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Can't we march, too, Aunt Pen?" cried Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Some one from the lines shouted to them to come
-in! They made a place in the ranks for them and
-even the little old woman with the shawl joined the
-procession. A voice from behind hailed them and
-Pat saw her father marching with his men.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Could a day be more wonderful? But I am as
-hungry as a bear," declared Pat at luncheon. "And,
-oh joy, chicken and biscuits! What shall we do this
-afternoon, Aunt Pen?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Dear me, Pat, do you think as fast as you
-talk? For the sake of your digestion I shall keep
-the plans for this afternoon a secret until you are
-through luncheon! But it is going to be something
-you'll </span><em class="italics">just</em><span> love!" and Aunt Pen imitated
-perfectly Pat's characteristically enthusiastic tone.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Aunt Pen, I'll choke if you don't tell even a
-</span><em class="italics">teeny</em><span> word! Let us guess!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Aunt Pen was firm, and not until the last
-crumb of luncheon had been eaten would she say
-one word!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then: "Your father says we may all go through
-the Works!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"All--Sheila and Keineth and Peggy?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes. And we will start in half an hour. That
-will give Renée a chance to write her letter to
-Susette." For Renée had found on her plate an
-envelope containing a money order for one hundred
-dollars!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Because of the day's celebration the Works were
-almost deserted and for the first time in months the
-great wheels were still and the furnaces smouldering.
-Mr. Everett met the girls and took them himself
-from building to building, explaining carefully
-every process of manufacture. Peggy and Sheila
-were intent listeners; Keineth, more imaginative than
-the others, thought that the wheels were like great
-giants, harmless now as they slumbered! And Renée
-loved the empty, dusty spaces, the gleaming metals
-of the engines and dull glow of the furnaces! Pat's
-most lasting impression was pride that her father
-should know so much!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila became particularly absorbed in the pattern
-shop. She had lingered behind the others to examine
-more closely a series of beltings. Of an inquiring
-and inventive mind, she was always deeply interested
-in the putting together of any piece of mechanism.
-Suddenly she realized that she was alone and hurried
-out of the building to overtake the others. They
-had gone on through a long, enclosed alleyway to
-the main shop. She could still hear Mr. Everett's
-voice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As she rushed through the passage she ran
-headlong into a man who appeared suddenly from a
-doorway letting into the passage. He was as startled
-as she! "</span><em class="italics">Du verdamte dumkopf!</em><span>" he snarled,
-under his breath, hurrying on. Sheila stood
-motionless.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That was </span><em class="italics">German</em><span>!" she thought. She turned
-quickly. The man was disappearing at the end of
-the passage. And in a flash she recognized him as
-her mother's new lodger!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's voice came to her from the other direction.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Shei-la! Come along!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A multitude of thoughts were whirling in Sheila's
-head! She did not hear one word of the light
-chatter about her, for the exploring party had ended now
-in Mr. Everett's office. That man had certainly
-cursed in German and there had been an evil look
-in his face; she had frightened him so that he had
-lost control of himself for an instant! And what
-could he have been doing there--like that--when
-all the other men were off celebrating?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Down deep in her heart a voice told her that she
-ought to tell Mr. Everett immediately! But another
-voice warned her that that would surely mean the
-man would be discharged and her mother would lose
-her lodger! The back room would be empty again--and
-the music! She had begun her lessons and Miss
-Sheehan had said she "was learning quickly!" It
-had been a precious dream come true--</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She listened to the second voice--it was very
-coaxing! "Perhaps he is a German who has become
-a loyal citizen of the United States," it told her, and
-that sounded very reasonable! She had startled him
-and he had spoken in the old, forgotten language!
-And the evil look she had caught in his eyes might
-have been imagined--for she had been startled, too!
-Besides, had the fighting not ended this very day?
-What harm could an enemy do now! If she told
-Mr. Everett and he laughed she would feel very
-foolish! Mr. Everett was placing them in the
-automobile and instructing Watkins to take them to
-Huyler's where they would have chocolate and cakes
-to end the great day. She could not tell him now!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But the doubt in her heart made her sweets taste
-bitter, and while the others chattered merrily Sheila
-sat silent and absorbed. She had listened within
-herself to the pleasanter voice, but in her ears still rang
-that muttered "</span><em class="italics">Du verdamte dumkopf</em><span>," and she was
-haunted by the gleam of evil eyes.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="a-scout-s-honor"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER X</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">A SCOUT'S HONOR</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>That night Sheila dreamed all the great wheels
-she had seen in the Everett Works were rolling down
-the street after her and, though she ran as fast as
-she could, they advanced more quickly and came
-nearer and nearer; then they began to roar and to
-wave arms of hot metal towards her! The nearest
-reached out and caught at her with fiery fingers and
-just as she felt them close about her, she wakened!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Paddy was barking furiously, running from her
-bed to the door and back, as though to implore her
-to come!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Her fingers clutched at the bedclothes--with terrified
-eyes she peered into the darkness of the room!
-It had been a dream--she was safe in her bed!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Woof! Woof!" growled Paddy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila crept out of bed, scolding Paddy in
-whispers, that she might not waken her mother who slept
-in the next room. Barefooted she stole down the
-stairs to the kitchen, Paddy leaping on ahead of her.
-The kitchen was dark; it was a moment or two
-before Sheila's eyes could make out the familiar
-objects. Paddy growled and barked again! A
-sound outside startled Sheila so that she had to clap
-her hand over her mouth to still a scream! Then
-she realized it was the lodger going up the outside
-stairway! Each step creaked under his foot; she
-heard the door above close and a key turn in the
-lock!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Paddy was not satisfied! He did not bark
-again, for Sheila had soundly rapped his nose, but
-he ran to the window, and placing his fore-paws
-on the sill, looked out and whined. Sheila, following
-him, peeped through the curtains. A light snow
-had covered the ground in the small backyard; it was
-still falling. Not an object was visible except the
-bare lilac bush in the sorrier.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I s'pose it's a cat--you bad dog!" Sheila
-muttered crossly. "Come right upstairs, now, and be
-quiet!" So the two scampered back to Sheila's
-room and Sheila cuddled down under the bedclothes,
-pulling them well up over her face. Paddy jumped
-upon the bed and laid down very close to her feet and,
-though Sheila knew this was against the Quinn
-rules, she was grateful for his company and did not
-drive him away!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In the morning Sheila was not her cheerful self;
-she helped prepare the breakfast, clear it away and
-get the three small brothers ready for school in an
-abstracted manner. Her mother watched her start
-off herself with an anxious heart.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Land o' goodness, what's got into my sweetness
-this morning?" she thought. "Never mind--if it's
-anything wrong she'll be telling her mother!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Which was exactly what, at noon-time, Sheila ran
-all the way home from school to do. Not for a
-moment longer could she bear the self-reproach and
-doubt that was tormenting her! And her mother
-gave her the counsel she expected!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You go just as straight to Mr. Everett as you
-can, dearie! And don't worry!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila found the Everett family in a state of
-intense excitement. She needed only to glance once
-at Mr. Everett's stern face to know that something
-terrible had happened! And with incredible instinct,
-born of remorse, something within her told her what
-it was! She stood quite still and looked from one
-face to another down the length of the table upon
-which the day's luncheon had been spread.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, Sheila, somebody has stolen some dreadfully
-important formulas from the Works----"
-began Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No--no--no!" cried Sheila, as though her
-protest must stop the truth! Then she realized that
-they were staring at her in amazement! She clutched
-the back of a chair and tried to speak but not a sound
-would come.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is true," explained Mr. Everett in a tired
-voice. "It must have been the work of a very clever
-band of spies! All three copies of the formula have
-been taken! Each one had been put in a place we
-considered absolutely safe! We had just completed
-them and were ready to turn them over for the
-examination of the government experts!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And think of it, Sheila, Daddy says that it
-was for an explosive so dreadfully powerful that
-just having the formula and knowing how to make
-it would help prevent wars! Isn't that what he
-said, Aunt Pen?" Pat was greatly excited.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"To keep the secret in our country will certainly
-help to prevent future wars! There is no doubt but
-that the theft is the work of German agents,"
-Mr. Everett answered. "And I did not know that we
-had a man we could not trust!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Sheila swallowed hard. As she began to
-speak she felt as though her voice was coming from
-a great way off--that it did not belong to her at all!
-Everything in the room began to whirl around her
-excepting Mr. Everett.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In broken words she told her little story. And
-at the end she burst out, tears choking her voice:
-"I just hate myself for not having told you right
-then and there!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It seemed to Sheila that long minutes of silence
-followed her outburst and as though every face in
-the room was turned upon her in condemnation. Her
-own eyes were fixed on the rug at her feet. But
-presently Mr. Everett's voice answered with a
-hopeful ring it had not had before and, gaining courage,
-Sheila looked up to find Aunt Pen nodding in
-approval and Pat regarding her with open envy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My dear girl," exclaimed Mr. Everett, "I
-believe you've given us an important clue! I'll call
-up the secret service detectives and will ask you to
-repeat your story to them--if you will wait!" He
-quickly left the room as he spoke.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sheila Quinn, you're just like a real detective!
-Isn't it grand and exciting? I'd never have thought
-a thing about that awful man!" Pat cried.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And Aunt Pen was solicitous that Sheila should
-have some hot luncheon immediately!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>From that moment on everything happened with
-exciting rapidity. Sheila repeated her story to the
-two detectives who came at Mr. Everett's call. It
-was too late to return to school, so, hurrying home,
-she went grimly about various little household tasks,
-constantly listening for a knock at the door, starting
-at every sound!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Do you know, Sheila," her mother whispered,
-"I'm as nervous as can be! I'm sure I heard
-Mr. Marx go upstairs the front way! He's never done
-that before! I believe he just doesn't want a body to
-know he's in the house! Hark!" Holding hands
-tightly they listened; a soft pad-pad overhead made
-them certain someone was moving about in the room
-above.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I wish they'd hurry and come and arrest him,"
-Sheila groaned. And scarcely had the words left her
-lips when the front doorbell gave out its rusty clang.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Quinn met three men at the door who
-briefly explained that they came with a warrant for
-the arrest of one Mr. John Marx who they thought
-might be found in her house. With a nodding of the
-head that set awry all sorts of little gray curls,
-Mrs. Quinn made it known that she was very certain the
-gentleman was at that moment right up in her back
-room! She started up the stairs with two of the
-men while the third lingered uncertainly in the hall
-below.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Quick--come and watch these stairs outside,"
-cried Sheila running to him. She led him back to
-the kitchen. They reached there just in time to hear
-the outside door above close quietly and quick steps
-on the rickety stairs. Not quick enough, though, for
-as Mr. John Marx opened the door at the foot of
-the stairs he faced the muzzle of a revolver!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila, frightened and unnerved, shrank to a
-corner of the kitchen. She heard quick, angry voices,
-a sharp command, a click of metal as of a lock
-snapping shut! Her mother and the two other officers
-had come into the kitchen. Then the one man and
-his prisoner went away and the others returned to
-the room above to search its contents.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Dear me, I feel almost as though we'd done
-something ourselves," sighed Mrs. Quinn, worn out
-with excitement. "And he was a nice appearing
-man, too, with always a pleasant word when he
-brought me the----" she stopped. For the first
-time it came to her that she had lost her lodger!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And as though the same thought tormented
-Sheila the girl dropped her work and went to the old
-piano. It had been tuned and polished and
-Mrs. Quinn had draped a linen and lace square over one
-end of it. Sheila sat down and slowly, with a
-lingering touch, ran her fingers up and down the scale.
-Then she rose abruptly and closed the cover over
-the keys with a resolute bang.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's not half the punishment I deserve--but I
-did want to learn!" and bursting into tears she,
-rushed off to her room to fight out by herself the
-disappointment she must face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And as though the day had not brought enough to
-"just clean tucker one out," as poor Mrs. Quinn put
-it, that evening, after the boys had gone to bed,
-Mr. Everett and Pat came to the door! Mrs. Quinn's
-hospitable soul was greatly distressed that she could
-not invite her guest into the parlor--occupied now
-by old Mr. Judkins at twenty-five dollars a month--but
-Mr. Everett declared that he could not ask for
-a more comfortable chair than the old rocker nor for
-a more cosy room! With his usual tact he made
-Mrs. Quinn feel that they were old acquaintances.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He told them--keeping Pat's voice out of the
-story with difficulty--how the arrest of John Marx
-had led to the rounding up of the entire band;
-how they had been quickly proven to be Germans and
-paid agents of the German government and
-how--although as yet the formulas had not been found and
-their whereabouts remained a deep mystery, it must
-be only a short time before they </span><em class="italics">would</em><span> be discovered,
-as some of the best secret service men in the United
-States were working on the case!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Everett's face looked worn and worried.
-Nevertheless he spoke cheerfully, as though to relieve
-Sheila's concern.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And now, my dear," he concluded, "you have
-helped us so much in this matter I want you to tell
-me frankly--is there not some way in which I can
-show my appreciation? Is there not something you
-want to do? Girls like you and my Pat here have
-so many air castles and I would like----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, </span><em class="italics">please</em><span> stop!" Sheila sprang to her feet,
-her face burning. "I just can't </span><em class="italics">bear</em><span> it! If I had
-done what I knew, right then, I </span><em class="italics">ought</em><span> to do--and
-told you, there at the Works--they might have been
-stopped--in time! But I didn't! I waited! The
-only way I can bear thinking about it is knowing
-that--I'm being punished!" Her shame-faced
-glance went from the piano to her mother's face.
-"So please don't say anything to me about----"
-she stopped, held by a sudden thought, and drew
-from the pocket of her blouse a small, flat package of
-tissue paper. With trembling fingers she unwrapped
-it and held up to view her badge of the Golden Eagle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I didn't live up to it! I didn't keep my Scout's
-honor! Mr. Everett, please, will you take it and
-keep it for me--until the formulas are found? I
-cannot wear it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There was no doubting the resolution in Sheila's
-face. The man marveled at the courage with which
-this mere girl inflicted upon herself the punishment
-she thought she deserved! In spite of a half-smothered
-exclamation from Pat, he took the badge, carefully
-re-wrapped it, and put it away in his pocket.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sheila, you are evidently determined not to
-forget this lesson! Many of us make mistakes often
-by hesitating to heed the voice of our conscience,
-but I know one girl that isn't going to let it happen
-again!" He patted her affectionately upon her
-shoulder. "I don't know," he added, enigmatically,
-"but that this all may not be worth more than the
-formulas--for us all!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then he shook Mrs. Quinn's hand warmly in parting.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I congratulate you, madam." And though Mrs. Quinn
-was too flustered to know what in the world
-for, nevertheless she beamed with pleased pride!</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="young-wings"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XI</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">YOUNG WINGS</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Tat! Tat! Tat! T-tat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The mystic door of the Eagles' Eyrie opened
-wide enough to admit Peggy Lee and Keineth
-Randolph.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>All sorts of greetings assailed them. "Hello,
-Eagles!" "We were afraid you wouldn't come!"
-"A half-holiday and such a storm," regretfully from Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We'd come through flood and fire!" cried
-Peggy, with magnificent expression. "We are the
-bearers of good tidings!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What? What? What?" came at once from
-three throats.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The Wasps have challenged us to another game,
-and if we don't beat the pigskin right off of
-'em--I'll resign as captain of the team!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Peg--you talk more and more like Billy!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Garrett, if you please," and Peggy struck a fine
-pose! "Now that he has come into the dignity of
-long trousers, my dear brother desires to be called
-Garrett! Billy is far too childish for him and
-William would confuse him with his respected father
-who is also my dear daddy----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, Garrett, then," Keineth laughed, "only
-I heard you promise your mother you would not use
-any more slang!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"So I did, and I am trying, and what I really
-mean is that if my dear little Yellowbirds do not play
-an exquisitely nice game and defeat the Wasps I
-shall be prostrated with chagrin and shall send in
-my----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, for goodness sake, Peg!" they begged.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Peggy now became very earnest. The Wasps,
-Troop Nine's basketball team, was the only scout
-team that Troop Six had not been able to beat. Now
-the Yellowbirds were going to have another chance!
-For the next two weeks they must practice as they
-had never practiced before! They </span><em class="italics">must</em><span> uphold the
-honor of Troop Six!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's face, as she listened to the plans, wore a
-wistful look. She wanted so much to make the
-Troop team! No one of the scrubs worked harder
-at practice! And Peggy had told her, too, that she
-was beginning to play a good game. Of course it was
-wicked to wish that anything might happen to any of
-the valiant Yellowbirds, however--</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée interrupted the plans of the young athletes
-by abruptly pushing back the one sound chair in the
-room which she had been occupying.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's too dark to work!" she declared, shutting
-her paint box.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's just sit around and talk," suggested Pat
-"I feel lazy! Anyway, Ren, you work too hard! I
-heard Aunt Pen say so."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Against the windows of the Eyrie the storm beat
-relentlessly--rain and hail; gusts of wind, sounding
-like witches' voices around the gable. The girls
-stretched out on the floor. Sheila shut the book she
-had been reading. Pat pulled Keineth's head into
-her lap that she might "play," as she called it, with
-the bright curls escaping from the band that held
-them back.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You'd almost think there were fairies around!
-Listen!" Keineth held up her hand. "It makes me
-think of a story poor Tante used to tell me about
-the kind fairies who came to whisper to the princess
-what she should do when she had been shut in the
-tower of the castle by the wicked prince. Tante used
-to try and make me understand how one could learn
-something from all those fairy tales--the wicked
-prince was our own selfish natures, the beautiful
-princess was, of course, our bestest selves that we'd
-shut away in the prison tower and the fairy voices
-that whispered and sang 'round the tower were the
-voices of Opportunity! But, dear me, I used to
-think it was more fun just to believe that the princess
-was a real princess!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I wish a fairy would come right now and tell
-me what </span><em class="italics">would</em><span> rhyme with "long" besides "song!"
-sighed Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And </span><em class="italics">I</em><span> wish a fairy would just guide my fingers
-for me," put in little Renée from her corner.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's all tell what we want to be," cried Peggy.
-"I've always said I was going to be an actress! I
-was in a play once and did awfully well! But
-Barbara met Ethel Barrymore when she visited college
-and she told the girls that only a few of the women
-who go on the stage are really happy or become
-famous! I don't believe Barb told her about me
-but Barb got the idea that she sort of--meant me!
-And Billy--or Garrett--says my feet are too big,
-anyway, and I guess he's right! So now I'm trying
-to decide whether to be a chemist or a doctor! I love
-to fuss with the cunning little dishes and mix up all
-sorts of things, and if I don't blow myself up Dad
-says I'll be all right. But I'd like to be a doctor,
-too!" Poor Peggy's forehead wrinkled in a deep
-frown over the perplexing problem of her future.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My father says that after four more years of
-school he will take me abroad to study my music
-from great masters! And I will learn to play and
-to write beautiful music!" said Keineth softly,
-looking as though off in the shadows of the room she
-could see her dearest dreams come true.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Your turn, Ren!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée blushed under the serious glances turned
-toward her. "I've wanted ever since I was a little
-girl, to make things out of clay and marble, like my
-father used to make--and Emile. Emile had
-promised to teach me when I was older. My mother could
-never bear to see the clay and tools around, it made
-her very sad, I think because it made her think of
-my poor father. One summer mother and Emile
-and I went to the sea, and when we'd sit on the
-beach Emile would help me make rabbits and cats and
-birds out of the wet sand. I love to draw and paint,
-but when I am older I shall learn to carve, too!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now, Sheila!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila laughed. "Goodness, girls, I've never had
-a moment to make nice dreams like yours! I </span><em class="italics">did</em><span>
-want to learn to play the piano----" she stopped
-short; the hurt of disappointment and the smart of
-remorse had not healed in her heart. "But I never
-could have earned any money--with it! I just want
-to hurry through school as fast as I can so that I
-do something that will help the boys and mother
-along! They'll want, maybe, to go to college! I
-think I'd like sometime to be a nurse! I'm awfully
-big and strong, you see, and mother has taught me
-a lot of sensible things!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You be a nurse and I'll be a doctor!" exclaimed
-Peggy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We've all told but you, Pat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What are you going to be?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat looked around the circle of earnest faces. It
-was a moment of noble thoughts, of precious
-confidences!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Girls, I'll tell you all a secret if you'll </span><em class="italics">promise</em><span>
-not to tell!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We'll promise!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Cross your hearts?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Cross our hearts and on our scout's honor."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well"--Pat hitched along to the center of the
-circle--"I'm going to be a poet! And I'm writing
-a ballad--</span><em class="italics">right now</em><span>," she mysteriously tapped her
-pocket from which protruded a long pencil and a
-corner of paper. "And it's about Aunt Pen!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Aunt Pen!" cried Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes--</span><em class="italics">that's</em><span> the secret! You think she's happy
-but she has a secret sorrow and </span><em class="italics">I found it out</em><span>!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, tell us! What is it? </span><em class="italics">Do</em><span> hurry, Pat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's voice dropped to a fittingly sorrowful note.
-"It was a disappointed love, I think! That silly
-malady even attacked poor Aunt Pen, though she
-isn't like lots of people and doesn't go round with
-a broken heart within her bosom and sighing and
-weeping like they do in stories! I guessed it when
-she asked me so many questions about Captain
-Allan, Renée's guardian, you know, and she looked
-so funny and red when she was asking them just
-like I do when I'm saying one thing but really
-wanting to say another! Then she wanted to see a letter
-he had written to Renée and Renée brought it, and
-I watched her face </span><em class="italics">and then I knew</em><span>! It turned fiery
-red and then white and she did the </span><em class="italics">queerest</em><span> thing--she
-</span><em class="italics">kissed</em><span> that letter, real quick--just a plain letter
-he'd written to Renée! I couldn't believe my eyes
-that it was Aunt Pen! She </span><em class="italics">knew</em><span> I saw her and she
-began to laugh and then to sort of cry! She told
-us that she was </span><em class="italics">sure</em><span> it was a Mr. Allan she had known
-her senior year in college! I begged her to tell more
-but she just said 'there isn't any more to tell!' and
-we couldn't get another word out of her! Of course
-Aunt Pen has a right to hide her own secret sorrow
-away but she can't stop my putting it into a ballad!
-Only I can't think of anything to rhyme with
-'long'--except 'song' and I've used that!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Go right through the alphabet, Pat! Bong,
-cong, dong----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now </span><em class="italics">don't</em><span> you girls tell a </span><em class="italics">soul</em><span> that I'm going to
-be a poet!" Pat admonished.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Peggy sprang to her feet. "Girls--let's make a
-solemn pledge to stick to our ambitions and not let a
-single thing stop us! And we'll help one another!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We must have a pass-word! Let's have it
-'Steadfast!'"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We ought to have a motto, too!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I know a Latin one, 'Labor omnia vincit!'
-How's that?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Spliffy! Now to do this right, girls, we must
-have a ceremony! Stand up--in a circle! Hold
-hands--thumbs in--like this! Now all say the motto
-together! What was it, Keineth?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Keineth repeated, "Labor omnia vincit!" and the
-girls said it with her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now, altogether--'Steadfast'--so we'll get
-used to it!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Steadfast!" in hissing whispers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila was so thrilled that she was moved to
-oratory! "Girls, I know some day we're all going to be
-</span><em class="italics">great</em><span>! I just </span><em class="italics">feel</em><span> it! And we'll look back to this
-afternoon in our youth and say----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Steadfast!" giggled Peggy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Tat! Tat! Tat! Tat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sh-h! It's Aunt Pen!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen, deserted below, had blackened her face
-and put on her head a bright yellow turban, to look
-as nearly as possible like Aunt Jemima of pancake
-fame! Now on a huge tray she bore a plate of
-doughnuts and a pitcher of cider. A noisy greeting
-welcomed her into the Eyrie!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>That night Renée was wakened by Pat's insistent
-call in her ear. The lights were burning and Pat was
-standing over her, tragedy written in every line of
-her face. Alarmed, Renée sat bolt upright, her eyes
-wide.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sh-h! Don't be frightened! It's just--I've
-</span><em class="italics">lost</em><span> my ballad!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée thought she must be dreaming--or was
-Pat stark crazy?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I couldn't sleep and I was thinking I'd change
-that 'long' for 'carry,' 'cause there'r so many words
-rhyme with that--and I looked in my pocket and it
-was gone!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée was aghast at the seriousness of the loss!
-Putting on their slippers they stole down the stairs
-and made a thorough search. But they could find
-no trace of the missing ballad! At last Renée
-persuaded the disconsolate Pat to go back to bed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, I'll </span><em class="italics">just</em><span> have to write it again!" she
-sighed, digging her tired head into the pillow.
-"Maybe this time I'll write it in prose 'cause it's
-</span><em class="italics">such</em><span> a bother making words rhyme! Only, poets
-are </span><em class="italics">so</em><span> much nicer than just authors, don't you think
-so, Renée? Renée----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But for the first time Renée failed to meet her
-friend with sympathetic understanding--she
-soundly sleeping!</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-game"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XII</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">THE GAME</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Renée! Aunt Pen! Guess!" Pat climbed
-the stairs two steps at a time.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'd guess that you had been running every inch
-of the way home," laughed Aunt Pen, for Pat's
-cheeks were scarlet from the outdoor air and her
-hair was tumbling down about her ears.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I should say I had! Such </span><em class="italics">good</em><span> luck! Or"--she
-attempted to correct herself--"of course it isn't
-exactly </span><em class="italics">good</em><span> luck, only--True Scott sprained her
-ankle and I'm to play guard in the game tomorrow!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, Pat, I'm so glad! I </span><em class="italics">know</em><span> you'll win!"
-and Renée looked as though she believed that the
-Yellowbirds needed only Pat as one of their guards
-to rout the Wasps in an overwhelming defeat!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'm glad you've been chosen to substitute, for
-you have practiced so faithfully," declared Aunt Pen.
-"It is hard on True, though!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Peggy says that maybe it's a kind Providence
-that sprained her ankle, 'cause True didn't play as
-well in the last game! Of course, as Peg says, when
-you're captain of a team you can't let friendship make
-a </span><em class="italics">bit</em><span> of difference! And she says if I play all right
-in this game she thinks I'll be put on the team! You
-can just know I'm going to </span><em class="italics">try</em><span> my best!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen had decided that Renée was not strong
-enough as yet for the basketball practice. Sometimes
-she went with Pat to the gymnasium, carefully
-keeping out of the way of the players but watching with
-interest Pat's progress in the game; more often she
-spent the hours when Pat was at practice, in painting,
-working out new designs for her cards, reading or
-walking with Aunt Pen. Each day found the little
-girl happier, more contented in her new home and
-more passionately devoted to her new friends who
-had brought into her life a wealth of affection and
-interests she had never dreamed could exist. Day
-by day Aunt Pen saw the fragile body develop into
-girlish strength and the timid spirit gain in courage
-and confidence. The shadow of her sorrows would
-never completely leave her, but it had helped in
-moulding and maturing the young mind and strengthening
-it to meet whatever the future held for her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen had found a fascination in Renée's
-quiet company.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"One gets the impression that never a word
-passes her lips quickly! Sometimes she makes me
-feel ashamed of my impulsiveness!" Penelope told
-her brother one evening. They had been talking
-of her work with the girls. Mr. Everett had asked:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well--is our larkspur budding?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen, taking his question very seriously,
-had answered modestly: "I don't know about the
-Latin and Algebra but I </span><em class="italics">do</em><span> know that Pat is a
-healthier, happier girl than she has ever been before,
-and we may feel very proud of Renée when we turn
-her over to Captain Allan!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat was not there to see the color flood Aunt
-Pen's face as she said these last words.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We ought to hear from him soon! I hope he
-has been able to find out more concerning the child.
-I do not like to question her too closely--I can see
-that it makes her unhappy and homesick."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Penelope would have liked to have asked her
-brother more concerning Renée's guardian but he
-began to talk of something else. Often, as she and
-Renée sat or walked together, she allowed to creep
-into her thoughts a rosy day-dream of that time when
-the officer would come to claim his ward!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat upset her entire family with her preparations
-for the all-important game! She must have her
-dinner early in order that a sufficient time for proper
-digestion might elapse before her bed hour! As
-authority on this point she quoted rules which seemed
-to have been laid down by their tyrannical captain.
-She must have eggs, too; for her supper, and could
-not dream of eating the steam pudding, rich with
-dates and raisins, which Melodia had prepared. It
-would surely lie heavily in her stomach, make her
-restless all night and stupid and sluggish the next
-day! A nice custard--Pat detested custards--she
-must have!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then for ten minutes early the next morning the
-chandeliers of the house rattled in their brackets and
-the pictures danced on the walls--not an earthquake,
-only Pat, guard of the Yellowbirds, "just loosening
-her muscles" in a process of gymnastics that included
-everything she had ever heard of!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As the hour of the game approached the gymnasium
-of the Lincoln School was a-flutter with color
-and noisy with life. Enthusiastic rooters from
-Troop Nine, gaily decked with the green, gold and
-black colors of the Wasps, were packed solidly against
-one side of the room. Equally brilliant and
-boisterous were the upholders of the Yellowbirds! As
-they sang their troop songs they waved small yellow
-flags and strands of ribbon.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>An older girl from Troop Nine acted as umpire
-and Captain Ricky as referee. Peggy's face was a
-comical mixture of sternness and entreaty as she
-whispered a few last commands to her team. Pat,
-outwardly proud and calm, was inwardly quaking!
-What if she should fail at any moment! As the
-game began she was seized with a terrible giddiness--the
-room swam about her, she saw only a ridiculous
-composite of eyes and noses and mouths and color
-against the dancing walls! Her feet were heavy like
-lead and a long way from her!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Afterwards Pat could not have told at what
-time or why this curious sensation left her! She only
-knew that suddenly everything cleared and she felt
-that the only thing in the whole wide world that
-mattered was keeping the alert forward, whom she
-was guarding, from throwing a basket! And the
-faces and colors that had whirled a moment before
-faded and left these two alone, in deadly combat!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The cheering that had been constant suddenly
-ceased; the circle of spectators sat with bated breath
-while the ball passed backward and forward, now a
-basket thrown for the Wasps, in another moment
-one for the Yellowbirds. Occasionally a particularly
-good play would bring forth a loud shout only
-to have it hushed immediately in the suspense of
-watching. Renée and Aunt Pen sat side by side.
-Aunt Pen had played basketball in her college days;
-now she watched eagerly, admiring the splendid
-guarding of the Wasps as generously as Peggy's
-swift center work. Renée just sat very still, saying
-over and over to herself: "Oh--oh--oh!" with her
-eyes fastened upon Pat's every move!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>At the end of the first half the score stood
-twenty-four to twenty-six in favor of the Wasps.
-Peggy had a whispered word with Keineth who was
-playing forward. Her guard was a girl a head taller
-than she; a little overwhelmed by this Keineth had
-been slow in one or two of her plays!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The second half went on with quick, even play,
-that now and then drew forth shouts of approval
-from the spectators. The Yellowbirds scored four
-baskets only to have the Wasps, with brilliant team
-work, recover their lead with four baskets! The
-Wasps' center shot the ball with a low throw to her
-forward. As she caught it the linekeeper sharply
-pounded the floor with an Indian club. "Over the
-line," the referee declared. "Yellowbirds have an
-unguarded throw!" Patricia was given the ball.
-Renée shut her eyes--she could not watch! But she
-knew when Aunt Pen sprang to her feet that her Pat
-had not failed. With a movement quick as lightning
-she had passed the ball to the other guard who in
-turn had shot it back to center! And while Aunt
-Pen was still on her feet Peggy had thrown it to
-Keineth who, with a low, lithe movement of her body,
-ducked the wildly waving arms of her guard and
-threw a basket!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A tie! </span><em class="italics">Now</em><span> for the test!" whispered Aunt
-Pen, clutching Renée's hand so hard that it hurt.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For the next few minutes the ball passed swiftly
-backward and forward, the guards and forwards
-leaped and ran! Each player, keyed to the utmost
-effort, was everywhere at once, arms waving, eyes
-alert to the slightest advantage or weakness in
-defense! A dreadful stillness held the room broken
-only by the occasional low, sharp exclamations--like
-pistol shots--of the players. Peggy's face was pale;
-again and again Keineth eluded her guard only to
-find her, in a second, again towering before her!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The ball passed toward the Wasps' basket;
-Patricia caught it and threw it toward the center;
-Sheila, playing side-center, with a swift leap, gripped
-it and threw it to Keineth. But Keineth's guard
-sent it hurtling back to the Wasps' center! While
-the spectators, conscious that this was the last and
-crucial moment, rose to their feet in a body, the
-Wasps' forward caught it and, swift as lightning,
-threw it backward over her head straight down
-through the basket! The referee's whistle ended the
-game--the Wasps had won!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was always customary, following the Troop
-games, to have a spread for the contesting teams.
-Almost always the players laid aside immediately
-all joy of victory, sting of defeat and bitterness of
-contest and threw themselves heart and soul into a
-general frolic! But this afternoon the atmosphere
-was charged with resentment! While the triumphant
-Wasps gathered noisily in their corner the
-Yellowbirds sulked in another part of the room. Captain
-Ricky and her assistants had gone to prepare the
-goodies. There was no one to check the rapidly
-rising tide of complaint and criticism!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She </span><em class="italics">did</em><span> only have one hand on the ball--I
-could swear now!" "The line watchers </span><em class="italics">weren't</em><span>
-fair, I </span><em class="italics">saw</em><span> her foot go over!" and "She just shoved
-me!" "Who'd </span><em class="italics">ever</em><span> expect her to throw over her
-head!" and "I </span><em class="italics">saw</em><span> that center walk </span><em class="italics">three whole
-steps</em><span> with the ball and the umpire </span><em class="italics">never</em><span> called a
-foul!" The mutterings grew louder and the word
-"cheat" penetrated to the corner.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Captain Ricky, coming into the room, heard it,
-too. She guessed in a moment, by the expression of
-the girls' faces, what had been happening! She
-drew them close about her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Girls! Girls!</em><span>" They had never heard just that
-tone in their captain's voice. "What is this spirit
-you are showing! I have </span><em class="italics">always</em><span> been so proud of
-you--so </span><em class="italics">sure</em><span> of you! And I was very proud to-day!
-You played a brilliant game! You were only
-defeated because the other team played even a better
-game! If each one of you feels that she played
-her very best, then there is not a complaint that can
-be made! You were outplayed--and just because
-you are the good players you have shown yourselves
-to be--why, you should be quick and generous in
-your praise of the better work of the other team!
-I am disappointed, my scouts! I want you to remember
-always that I'd lots rather have you good losers--if
-you've done your best--than winners! If you will
-learn that it will help you years from now when you
-are playing more serious and difficult games than
-basket-ball! And it will teach you to turn defeat
-into a real blessing!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The Yellowbirds had stood with drooping
-plumage while their leader spoke. Each one was
-ashamed. Peggy was the first to speak. Throwing
-back her dark head she stalked across the room to
-where Cora Simmons, who had played center for the
-Wasps, stood in a group of Troop Nine scouts.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'm </span><em class="italics">just</em><span> ashamed of myself!" she cried,
-"'cause I didn't shake hands with you the moment
-the game was over and tell you how well you
-played!" There was no questioning the sincere ring
-in Peggy's voice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The other Yellowbirds followed her example,
-and soon there was a babble of voices going over
-in most friendly discussion the crucial moments of
-the game. Now the defeated players were determined
-that there should be no stint to their praise
-of the work of the Troop Nine girls!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's have a cheer-ring!" cried Peggy, and
-immediately each Yellowbird caught a Wasp by the
-shoulder and formed a close circle. The room rang
-with their cheers; Troop Six cheered for Troop Nine
-and Troop Nine cheered for Troop Six, and then,
-they all cheered for the Girl Scouts!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat, wanting to free her soul before her whole
-world of whatever guilt might lie between it and
-Captain Ricky's approval, loudly clapped her hands
-and demanded that they all listen while she confessed
-to them that she was sure she had once even pinched
-the forward she was guarding and that "she had
-been a perfect </span><em class="italics">peach</em><span> not to tell!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's declaration caused peals of laughter which
-quickly burst into shouts of delight when Captain
-Ricky's lieutenant called loudly from the doorway,
-"</span><em class="italics">Eats!</em><span>" And the afternoon ended with the happiness
-and contentment found in good fellowship!</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-christmas-party"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XIII</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">THE CHRISTMAS PARTY</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Christmas was drawing near with all its promise
-of joy. And the world wrapped for so long in the
-gloom of war, took on a new gladness; weeks before
-the holiday, doors and windows were hung with
-holly, stores spread out a fascinating array of
-giftwares; a new light shone in smiling faces as though
-"Peace on earth" was ringing through the souls of
-the people!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's head was bursting with plans for the blessed
-holiday. It must be a different Christmas from any
-Renée had ever known! For days they had busied
-themselves preparing the box that had gone to
-St. Cloud--a dress for Susette and some aprons that
-Renée herself had made, tobacco for Gabriel and
-warm slippers and shoes for them both; sugar, coffee,
-and canned goods and dried fruits until Renée was
-sure Susette's neat shelves would groan under their
-weight. And in a heart-shaped silver frame a
-picture of Renée!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat declared that they must have a Christmas
-tree, for Renée had never had one! And even though
-they were quite grown-up they must also hang up
-their stockings! Aunt Pen and Daddy promised to
-hang theirs, too, so that Pat and Renée spent many
-an afternoon in secret shopping tours, returning with
-mysterious packages which were carefully hidden
-away in the Eyrie.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then a letter from the south, whose usual cheery
-tone was tinged with a little homesickness, made
-Mr. Everett decide to join his wife for the holiday season.
-At first Pat rebelled stormily, lamenting that his
-going would spoil everything; then for days she
-sulked like a naughty child until Aunt Pen came to
-the rescue! From spending the afternoon with
-Peggy Lee's mother, Aunt Pen returned, with a "secret!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What is it, Aunt Pen? </span><em class="italics">Can</em><span> we know?" the
-girls asked eagerly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, you will be </span><em class="italics">in</em><span> the "secret!" It's a--</span><em class="italics">real</em><span>
-Christmas party! And it will be different from any
-you've ever heard of before! I'll tell you the plans
-we discussed and then we'll get your father's
-permission. I know when you hear all about it you'll
-smile again, Miss Pat, and declare that this </span><em class="italics">is</em><span> going
-to be the best Christmas you've ever had--even with
-Daddy away!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Will the party be here?" asked Pat, recalling
-on the instant some very lovely parties given for her
-sister which she, because she was too little to go
-downstairs, had had to watch over the stair banister.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, I don't believe the house would be big
-enough for this one," and Penelope laughed at the
-mystified expression on Pat's face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Aunt Pen unfolded the plans she and Mrs. Lee
-had made. The girls of the Troop would be the
-hostesses of this party and the guests would be the
-men, women and children in the neighborhood of the
-Works. There must, of course, be a tree, and the
-girls could arrange tableaux and then everyone could
-sing and dance! And there would be sandwiches
-and coffee and ice cream and cake and a gift for
-each one.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Gradually into Pat's face crept a deep interest
-so that when the last small detail had been explained
-the smile that Aunt Pen had prophesied came back
-once more. It would be a </span><em class="italics">wonderful</em><span> party, and could
-they begin planning the tableaux right away and
-couldn't they run over this very minute and tell
-Sheila?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So that Mr. Everett's going made scarcely a break
-in the exciting preparations, the rehearsals, the
-arranging of costumes, the planning of the party
-"supper" and the gifts for the guests. In
-desperation Aunt Pen declared that the holidays might as
-well begin at once as it was impossible to hold Pat
-down to any lessons! And Renée, too, was working
-feverishly, completing a rush order for Christmas
-cards that had come to "LaDue and Everett" from
-Miss Higgin's tea room!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>On Christmas Eve the Eyrie was emptied of the
-treasures it had held, the stockings hanging over
-the library fireplace were filled and little piles of
-tissue paper packages of all sizes were made for
-Jasper, Melodia and Maggie. The rooms were filled
-with a spicy odor of hemlock; holly hung over
-window and door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, isn't it fun?" laughed Pat, stepping back
-to survey the bulging stockings. "Can you </span><em class="italics">guess</em><span>
-what's in anything, Ren? And don't you wish you
-were little again and really truly believed in Santa
-Claus?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Susette used to tell me stories of the real
-St. Nicholas--she said he was the patron saint of
-children!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, </span><em class="italics">I</em><span> like to think of him as a jolly old fellow
-driving his reindeers faster'n Watkins can drive the
-car--and lots of jingling bells! I think about it and
-then I can most hear them!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée had gone to one of the windows at the
-end of the room to peer out into the darkness. Snow
-had fallen which dulled the sounds of the city to a
-musical tone not unlike distant bells of the good
-Santa. Suddenly she called to Pat:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Come and look--over at Sheila's!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There on the strip of lawn before the old brick
-house was a Christmas tree, hung with tinsel and
-twinkling with lighted candles that swayed and
-blinked in the darkness.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>That was Mrs. Quinn's merry Christmas! She
-and the children had hung ropes of tinsel, red and
-gold balls, sparkling hearts and rings and little
-candles out on the old spruce that grew in the corner
-of the yard.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"To give to any poor body going by that maybe
-hasn't any Christmas just a bit of the brightness!"
-she had explained.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée, watching from between the library curtains,
-thought it very beautiful! It was like a fairy
-tree, placed there in the darkness by spirit hands,
-breathing from its fragrant brightness a joy that all
-could share! Even at that moment they could see
-a bent old man, leading a little boy by the hand,
-lingering to stare at the twinkling lights!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Many years before this the Everett Works had
-been moved from the modest factory not far from
-the Everett home, where it had had its beginning, to
-the great pile of steel and concrete buildings
-distantly removed from the business center of the city.
-Immediately there sprang up on the stretches of
-fields intervening between the smoky walls of the new
-plant and the quiet shaded streets where the Lees and
-the Everetts and the Randolphs lived, a community
-of small, shapeless houses, one exactly like the other,
-divided by half-paved streets with their rows of
-sickly infant elms and maples; with muddy backyards
-barricaded by miles and miles of clothes-line,
-and thousands of window-panes blackened by the
-incessant rain of soot from the belching chimneys.
-Though the suburb had the beautiful name of Riverview,
-suggestive of cool breezes and open spaces, it
-was always and more fittingly known as "The
-Neighborhood."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>To the hundreds of little dingy homes had come
-men, women and children from every land of the
-globe--here Liberty offered them asylum and the
-Everett Works an honest living. In the center of the
-community the Works had erected a splendid
-schoolhouse and had presented it to the city. Although
-its outer walls were soon stained and blackened like
-the rows of houses, its interior was as fresh and
-attractive as clean paint, pictures and many growing
-plants could make it! Here the children of the
-foreign-speaking parents were taught to be true
-Americans. And in its big assembly room, whose windows
-looked out over the rows and rows of railroad tracks
-with their solid wall of motionless freight cars, to the
-river and open fields beyond, the girls of Troop Six
-held their Christmas party.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Even before the last holly wreath had been
-fastened in place the guests began to come--whole
-families at a time, in holiday attire that to Pat made them
-look like pictures in some fairy-tales; old men and old
-women, younger men with hands still grimy from
-their work, younger women with tired faces and
-babies in their arms; some eager, some a little shy, all
-smiling.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat, peeping out from behind the curtain,
-declared that there were hundreds there and that
-they were talking in every language known--except
-Latin! But when some one at the piano began to
-play "America," in some way or other the strange
-words melted into a common tongue--the high treble
-of the children carrying the song along!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A hush fell on the audience when the curtains
-of the stage slowly parted to show the first of the
-tableaux. Briefly John Randolph, Keineth's father,
-told in Polish the story of the landing of the
-Pilgrims on "the stern and rockbound coast" while
-on the stage the Pilgrims, with painfully suppressed
-laughter, struggled to keep the </span><em class="italics">Mayflower</em><span>, made
-out of old canvas and chairs, from falling to pieces!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The next picture showed the early colonists
-making treaties with the Indians. Sheila, grave and
-dignified in Puritan collar and hat, was holding out
-strings of gay beads to an Indian chief, resplendent
-in paint and feathers, who carried over his arm the
-hides that the colonists needed. Then in simple
-words Mr. Randolph explained how the first
-purchases of land in the United States came about.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Peggy made an impressive George Washington
-at Valley Forge, while Garrett Lee and some of his
-friends sat about a smouldering camp-fire. Again
-she appeared with Betsey Ross, who was stitching
-on the first American flag, which part Keineth played.
-But Washington's dignified manner was sadly spoiled
-when his wig suddenly slipped to one side, so that
-poor Betsey had to bite her lips very hard to keep
-from giggling at his rakish appearance! Nevertheless
-the audience--especially the children who recognized
-in the picture a favorite school story--clapped
-loudly with genuine enthusiasm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The last tableau, everyone declared, was the best
-of all! Captain Ricky was America, standing in
-white robes against a big American flag, her arms
-outstretched to the eager pilgrims who approached
-her! And these were dressed in the national
-costumes of almost every country on the globe; some
-had approached, apparently, with brave step, heads
-high and shoulders straight, others had come wearily;
-some were old and some were young; many had been
-carrying heavy burdens which they had cast aside.
-And from the wrists of each hung the broken links
-of the shackles that had bound them!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The tableau told its own story! For a moment
-there was a hushed silence, then a mighty applause
-shook the room. And Captain Ricky, as though she
-indeed embodied the gracious spirit of America,
-smiled back from the stage at the men and women
-who, like the pilgrims in the picture, had come to this
-land of freedom!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>After this tableau the curtains at the back of
-the stage were drawn back, displaying a beautiful
-Christmas tree, trimmed only by the many lights
-half-concealed in its branches and by a huge, gleaming
-star at its top. Some of the scouts at one corner
-of the stage began a simple Christmas carol--the
-guests took it up, humming where they could not
-speak the words. A group of young men broke
-into a Polish song; other songs followed--songs that
-these people had brought with them across the sea.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"They are more beautiful than ours!" cried
-Keineth to her father.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then, under Captain Ricky's direction, the
-trimming of the tree began. This was a surprise even
-to the girls of the Troop, who sat with bright eyes
-watching. For each one in the room who had had
-a son, a brother, a husband or a father in the service
-of the country, was given a silver star to hang upon
-the branches of the tree. One by one they went
-up--at first shyly, then proudly; bent old men with
-uncertain step, young wives, blushing, with children
-tugging at their skirts; old women, scarcely understanding
-it all but eager to hang their symbol, until the tree
-was a-twinkle with the gleaming stars!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>From long tables in one of the classrooms adjoining
-steaming, fragrant coffee in big cups and turkey
-and chicken sandwiches were served, then ice cream
-and cake. Everyone talked at once--the children
-ran round in complete abandonment to the joy of
-the moment; some of the guests, too excited to eat,
-had already begun the dancing!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And Mrs. Lee and Aunt Pen were busy distributing
-among them all the small silk American flags
-which were the gifts of the evening!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's the </span><em class="italics">best</em><span> party </span><em class="italics">ever</em><span>," Pat stopped long
-enough in a whirling dance to whisper to Aunt Pen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Where's Renée?" Aunt Pen answered.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>After a moment's search she found her alone
-behind the big tree. She was fastening upon one
-of the branches her silver star! Tears dampened
-her cheeks.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh--</span><em class="italics">my dear</em><span>!" cried Aunt Pen. Over her
-swept the realization of what Renée had given that
-"peace might come upon this world!" She caught
-the small hand and held it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Not </span><em class="italics">there</em><span>," she whispered, "but </span><em class="italics">here</em><span>!" and
-taking the star she hung it close to the big Star at
-the top.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"He gave his Son for us, too," she added softly.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="hill-top"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XIV</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">HILL-TOP</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Picnics," explained Peggy, with a conviction
-born of experience, "are just as much fun in the
-winter as they are in the summer, 'specially when
-they are at Hill-top!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For the four days following Christmas snow had
-fallen steadily. Each moment of the holiday time
-had been filled with out-of-door fun: now Mrs. Lee
-had suggested that--as a sort of climax--the Eagle
-Patrol have a picnic at Hill-top!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat had never heard of a picnic in the middle of
-the winter!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Peggy's enthusiasm was contagious! Hilltop--Pat
-had never been there--was a very old farmhouse
-ten miles from the city, back in the hills near
-Camp Wichita, where Captain Ricky took her girls
-in the summer-time. It belonged to an old man and
-his wife who had been friends of Mrs. Lee's father.
-During the winter months they preferred to move
-into a more sheltered cottage nearer the barns. The
-house--a short walk from the lake on which the
-young people skated in the winter and canoed in the
-summer--had great square rooms and many of them,
-warmed by fire-places like caverns that consumed
-whole logs at a time. Often Mrs. Lee, who found
-real recreation in such little excursions with her
-young people--had taken the girls and boys there
-for week-end picnics!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mother says we may stay three whole days this
-time! We can skate and coast and have all kinds of
-fun! Garrett has a new bob that he made and he
-says he'll bet anything it can beat all the others."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Do the boys go, too?" broke in Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, yes, mother likes to have them go! They
-help a lot, you see, and she says it wouldn't be nearly
-as much fun if they weren't along. Jim Archer
-and Bob Slocum and Ted Scott and maybe Wynne
-Meade will go--and Garrett! They're </span><em class="italics">sort</em><span> of fun!"
-for Peggy read disappointment in Pat's face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">I</em><span> think boys are a nuisance!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila came promptly to the defense.
-"Perhaps--sometimes! But brothers are nice!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's experience had been limited to the bashful
-young brothers, miserable with too much scrubbing
-and stiff collars, who had occasionally visited the
-other girls at school.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Peggy thought it a decided waste of time to be
-bothering over such a point when there was so much
-to plan and do! So, with a conviction intended to
-end the discussion, she said: "Well, they carry the
-logs and the water and go out and open the house
-and I guess we'll find them mighty useful!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And, indeed, Pat </span><em class="italics">was</em><span> to find one of the boys
-more than useful before the picnic was over!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A few hours' well-organized activity put everything
-in readiness for the house-party. Garrett Lee
-appointed himself chief of the commissary and flew
-tirelessly between his home and the grocery store
-until he had assembled enough cans of soup, bacon,
-weiners and other eatables peculiar to scouts'
-appetites to feed a regiment! Sheila and Mrs. Lee, after
-a brief consultation, added to the equipment many
-little necessities that Garrett in his masculine
-ignorance had overlooked. Two of the other girls
-collected the necessary kitchen utensils and a simple
-first-aid kit. Loaded down with all these and with
-extra blankets and the bobs, the boys and Mrs. Lee
-went on out to Hill-top a day in advance to open
-the house and prepare it for the others.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat, inspired by the activities of the others and
-not having been pressed into troop service, busied
-herself by packing and repacking almost every
-garment that she and Renée possessed!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Patsy, dear, you </span><em class="italics">won't</em><span> need all those things,"
-Aunt Pen had laughed, pointing to the bulging
-suitcase.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat admitted this. "Well, it's fun packing 'em
-and I just had to do something," she confessed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The next day eight merry girls boarded the funny
-little train that puffed off slowly toward the hills.
-To Renée the picnic was the most exciting of
-adventures! She had seen little snow--never in her life
-anything like the great piles, snowy white, through
-which the train was snorting its way! She had never
-had on a pair of skates in her life, nor had she ever
-coasted down a hill! And as Peggy told of Garrett's
-new bob, "Madcap," and its lightning speed, she
-shivered with an ecstasy of fear and wondered--if
-they made her ride on it--what it would feel like to
-fly over the snow and whether she might not just
-die outright of terror!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The boys, in rollicking spirits and muffled to the
-tips of their noses, met them at the station; together
-they trudged back through the snow to the
-farmhouse. Logs were crackling merrily in the big
-fireplaces and a table had been spread ready for an early
-supper. The girls fell to unpacking the equipment
-and spreading their blankets over the funny old beds
-and the cots which had been brought up from the
-nearby camp. Sheila, who had been appointed
-officer-in-charge, promptly, in accordance with the
-custom of scout outings, posted in a conspicuous
-place, the "standing rules."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, they're the kind of rules any good scout'll
-keep," Peggy exclaimed to Pat, who was regarding
-the slip of paper in amazement with a look on her
-face that said plainly "this is the funniest picnic
-I ever knew!" "Come on and find the others!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For supper they ate many baked potatoes and
-weiners and hot biscuits, which Mrs. Lee had mixed
-and baked by magic--"just to have a nice
-beginning!" At the table the boys announced the schedule
-for the skating and coasting races which they had
-planned for the next day and fell to arguing with
-friendly violence over the speed of their different
-bobs! Garrett then insisted that the four who had
-grabbed the last of the biscuits should make up the
-Kitchen Police, whose duty it would be to clear
-away the supper dishes! And to the accompaniment
-of a mighty rattle of china plates and cups the others
-gathered around the blazing fire and sang.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat and Renée slept together in a huge four-posted
-bed. Gradually the big house had grown
-very quiet. "Isn't it fun?" Pat giggled into Renée's
-ear. "I've never been in the country in the
-winter-time before! And doesn't it feel </span><em class="italics">queer</em><span> sleeping
-without sheets?" Then she sighed. "I wish I
-could skate well!" She was thinking of the races
-planned for the morrow. Renée was apprehensive,
-too. "Do you suppose they'll make me go down
-on one of those dreadful bobs?" and she shuddered
-at the very thought!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Poor Pat, her pride--cropping up now and
-then--was her besetting sin! And the next morning,
-when she should have been gloriously happy, it
-mastered her! She </span><em class="italics">hated</em><span> the races, because she was
-always lagging along in the rear! She declared to
-herself that the boys were silly, tiresome stupids,
-because they made </span><em class="italics">such</em><span> a fuss when Peggy beat
-them all in a race down the lake and back! Finally,
-disgusted, she took off the hateful skates and joined
-Renée near the bank.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I think they're </span><em class="italics">stupid</em><span>," she grumbled, digging
-her heel into the ice and not explaining whether she
-meant the boys, or the skates or the races!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The coasting in the afternoon comforted her a
-little! Jim Archer let her steer his "Gypsy!" They
-beat Garrett's "Madcap" and Pat secretly rejoiced
-at Garrett's chagrin!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée, from the top of the long hill, had watched
-the flight of the bobs with trembling fascination.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Come along on Madcap," Garrett had called
-out. The three girls on it waved entreatingly to her.
-She had not the courage to refuse! White with
-terror she slipped in between Garrett and Peggy.
-The others shouted wildly as the bob began to move
-slowly down the hill but poor Renée's breath caught
-in her throat. As it went faster and faster she hid
-her face against Garrett's wooly back.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Hang on!" cried Peggy behind her. Renée
-was certain they were flying! But just as she felt she
-</span><em class="italics">must</em><span> die with terror a wild "hurrah" went up, she
-opened her eyes--they were sliding over the ice at the
-bottom of the hill and the Madcap had won!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And to Renée's utter amazement she wanted to
-go down again--</span><em class="italics">right away</em><span>!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Afterwards Garrett let her steer the bob, and
-although they ended in a snowdrift and were almost
-buried in the soft snow, it did not in any way dampen
-her enthusiasm over the new sport she had learned!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, it was </span><em class="italics">wonderful</em><span>!" she exclaimed to Pat
-as they walked with the others toward Hill-top.
-"I thought I'd be so frightened and I wasn't!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Jim Archer's bob is much the best," Pat
-answered in such a disagreeable voice that Renée
-looked at her in hurt astonishment! How </span><em class="italics">could</em><span>
-there be enough difference in two bobs to make Pat
-speak to her in that tone!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>However, hot oyster soup and pancakes scattered
-for a time the little cloud that threatened and through
-the meal Pat's voice was as merry as the merriest.
-After supper, leaving the Kitchen Police to their sad
-lot, the others again donned caps, sweaters and
-mittens and fell to building in front of the old
-farmhouse door two great snow forts, between which, in
-the morning, a mighty battle would be waged!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And Jim Archer, one of the self-appointed generals,
-asked Pat--before he asked any of the others--to
-be on his side!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>This was balm to Pat's hurt vanity. Perhaps
-she couldn't skate as well as the others, but she
-guessed Jim Archer knew she could throw a snowball
-as straight and as hard as any boy! Anyway,
-Garrett Lee was too conceited! So that night, as she
-slept cuddled down in the big four-posted bed, she
-dreamed that she stood alone on the frosty
-breastwork of the fort she had helped build and by an
-onslaught of snowballs, thrown with unerring aim,
-drove Garrett Lee and his army to complete and
-ignominious surrender!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Poor Pat--the next day was to bring to her pride
-a sad fall!</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="pat-s-pride-and-its-fall"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XV</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">PAT'S PRIDE AND ITS FALL</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The next morning a bright sun peeped up over
-the hills touching field and lake, trees and
-house-tops with a frost of diamonds. At an early hour
-hungry boys and girls were demanding their breakfast
-"quick" and were hurling orders over the banister
-at the sleepy Kitchen Police, toiling below.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The snow-ball fight ended in a complete rout
-of Garrett's army, which put Pat in high spirits,
-and, although it had not been quite like her dream
-of the night before, Jim Archer </span><em class="italics">had</em><span> said to her,
-to her secret joy:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Say, you throw as good as a boy!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The remainder of the morning was spent playing
-hockey and coasting; the boys allowing the girls to
-race the bobs down the hill. Renée, quite by herself,
-steered the beautiful Madcap twice to victory!
-Perhaps never in her life had she felt so keenly alive
-or so happy! She stood looking over the little lake
-and the surrounding hills and drawing in long
-breaths of the frosty air. Its keenness made her
-cheeks and fingertips tingle, put a ringing note in the
-youthful voices around her and an added brightness
-into happy eyes!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's all just skate this afternoon--no races
-or anything like that!" declared Peggy at luncheon
-and the suggestion met with instant approval.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, </span><em class="italics">don't</em><span> you wish we were just coming? Did
-you ever know days to go by so fast?" lamented one
-of the others.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"This hasn't gone by yet! To-night we're going
-to toast marshmallows!" put in Bob Slocum.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And have a good sing! We always end a
-picnic that way!" explained Peggy to Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And breakfast bright and early to-morrow, so
-that we will be all packed in time for the----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Lightning mail train!" Garrett added to his
-mother's injunction.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Lee was never happier than when she was
-with her "boys and girls!" She loved each and
-every one of them as though they had all been hers
-from babyhood. She watched them now as they
-trooped away toward the lake, skates jingling over
-their arms. Something within her quivered with
-pardonable pride as her eyes rested for a moment on
-Garrett's manly young figure striding on ahead of
-the others. And when Peggy's voice, always boyishly
-loud, reached her ears as she shouted back to
-one of the other girls, her mother shook her head
-and laughed: "Oh, Peggy child, what a tomboy!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For Pat the skating was much more fun, now,
-when there were no races! More accustomed to her
-skates she managed to get over the ice in better
-and easier fashion than she had on the day before.
-She was pleasantly conscious, too, that she made a
-rather pretty picture in her scarlet sweater and
-tam-o'-shanter--several of the girls had declared that
-they were going to immediately make red tams.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's have a turn, Pat!" and Garrett Lee
-extended two warmly mittened hands in genial
-invitation. So Pat linked her arms with his and together
-they flew over the glittering stretch. With her
-balance supported by Garrett's strong grasp she skated
-easily; as they sped along down the length of the
-lake the wind whipped her breath and sent the blood
-bounding through her veins!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>At the end of the lake they stopped "to take in
-air," as Garrett put it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's skate down there," cried Pat, pointing to
-the Inlet just beyond. There a narrow gorge,
-cutting deeply through the hillsides, let into the lake.
-Garrett knew that, because of its steep banks, its
-changing depths of water and strong eddies, the
-ice there was very unsafe.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, no, it's dangerous there! We never go
-into the Inlet, even in the summer! That's a rule!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Poor Pat--she fancied Garrett was treating her
-like a little child! So she answered with a toss of
-her head:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I haven't bothered to read the rules! I'm not
-afraid--if you are!" and she turned toward the
-Inlet.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pat--don't! It </span><em class="italics">isn't</em><span> safe--honest!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The more earnest and concerned Garrett grew
-the more headstrong Pat! She started toward the
-Inlet, calling over her shoulder: "Oh, you're just
-a 'fraidy-cat'!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Garrett watched her for a moment. There was
-no doubting her intention! He started after her
-and at the mouth of the Inlet overtook her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pat," he begged, "mother'll be angry! I tell
-you it's one of the rules!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Pat simply shrugged her shoulders.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Dare</em><span> you to come with me, little boy!" she
-laughed teasingly. The Inlet, its banks rising steeply
-on each side, filled with dancing shadows made by
-the sun through the bare branches meeting overhead,
-looked very inviting! Thrilled with a sense of
-adventure, Pat skated with short strokes into the
-narrow opening.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Garrett had no choice but to follow her! Deeply
-alarmed, he again begged her to turn back! Now
-she pretended not to hear him!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But in a few moments she suddenly screamed and
-wildly waved her arms! At a bend in the narrow
-gorge the ice had cracked under her weight!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Garrett!" she cried, turning.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Go on! Keep moving!</em><span>" he shouted. But Pat,
-terror-stricken, stood still, stretching out her arms
-imploringly. Garrett reached her just as the ice
-with a sharp crackle broke into pieces, dropping
-them both into the water.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Its iciness for a moment stunned Pat. Then
-she slowly realized that Garrett was supporting her
-with one arm and begging her to cling to the thin
-edge of the ice, to which he was holding with his
-other hand. His steady voice gave her courage!
-She tried to say something but her teeth only
-chattered together.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We'll get out all right!" Garrett said,
-hopefully. "Hold on as lightly as you can!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, don't let go of me--don't let go of me!"
-implored Pat, wanting to cry.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I won't! Keep up your nerve!" And Garrett
-strengthened his hold under Pat's arm. He looked
-about him. From a tree growing out of the bank
-stretched a bare limb just a little way out of reach.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We'll work along slowly until you can reach
-that branch! Take it easy, Pat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He began moving his grasp on the edge of the
-ice, slowly, cautiously, for sometimes it cracked,
-sending terror to Pat's soul! She recalled hearing
-someone tell how very deep the water was in the Inlet!
-And it was </span><em class="italics">so</em><span> black and cold!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Come on! We'll make it!" he called out
-cheerily. They drew nearer and nearer the branch;
-soon Pat could reach it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now let go of the ice and grab it! I'll hold you!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh no, no!" implored Pat, clinging tighter.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You've </span><em class="italics">got</em><span> to, Pat! It's our only chance!" Summoning
-all the strength he had in his fine young
-body he lifted her as he spoke! The effort made
-great veins swell on his forehead. With a gasp of
-terror she caught and clung with both arms to the
-branch.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Get your legs around it, too," directed Garrett.
-"Now work yourself along! </span><em class="italics">Hurry</em><span>, Pat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Stung into effort Pat with feverish haste did as
-he told her. Securing her hold on the branch by
-locking her strong legs about it she gradually swung
-around until she was astride it. Then it was but
-a moment's work to edge along to the bank. Grasping
-the strong roots of the undergrowth she pulled
-herself to the top. She wanted dreadfully then to
-throw herself down upon the ground and cry, but
-a sharp noise below made her turn suddenly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Garrett had attempted to lift himself upon the
-branch. Strained by Pat's weight, under his it
-snapped off, dropping him back into the water.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Garrett!" screamed Pat. In agony she watched
-for his head to reappear at the surface of the water.
-As he came up he again caught the edge of the ice,
-but his face was gray and drawn as though by sharp
-pain and his breath came and went in short gasps.
-She called him vainly over and over but he could not
-seem to muster enough strength to answer! She
-fancied, in her terror, that his fingers were slipping
-in their hold of the ice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was </span><em class="italics">her</em><span> turn to direct!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Garrett, move down! See, the tree's across the
-ice! Maybe it'll hold! Oh, Garrett, </span><em class="italics">try</em><span>!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With a slow, cramped movement he worked
-along the edge of the rapidly enlarging hole until
-he could grasp the broken branch which stretched
-now across the dark water, one end firmly held in a
-crack of the ice where it had buckled near the bank.
-Strengthened by desperation, Garrett managed to
-crawl along it until he reached the bank. As,
-numbed by exposure, he struggled to lift himself
-up the steep side of the gorge, clinging for support,
-as Pat had done, to roots and branches, repeatedly
-slipping back, it seemed to Pat as though he could
-not make it! At last her own frantic hands dragged
-him over the top to safety, only to have him drop
-in an unconscious heap at her feet!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>All Pat knew was that whatever she had to do
-she must do quickly! Loosening the straps of her
-skates she threw them from her! Then she attempted
-to lift him. He was too heavy--she could not stagger
-a step with his weight in her arms. So as gently
-as she could she dragged him over the soft snow to a
-higher point of open ground from which she could
-see the lake and the skaters and the farmhouse!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Girls! Girls! Jim!" she called frantically.
-They could not hear--only the echo of her own voice
-answered.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What </span><em class="italics">will</em><span> I do?" she cried. She tore off her
-bright tam-o'-shanter and waved it high in the air!
-Suddenly she saw one of the girls detach herself!
-from a group of skaters and wave back!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>An inspiration seized Pat! The semaphore code
-she had learned! Oh, could she remember it quickly
-enough? And poor Garrett himself had taught her!
-Snatching off her sweater she waved that in one
-hand and her tam in the other and slowly signaled:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Accident--bring bobs--blankets--quick!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It seemed to Pat as though they would </span><em class="italics">never</em><span>
-answer! She waved her message again--more
-slowly! Then one of the boys waved back:
-"Coming."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><em class="italics">Now</em><span> Pat began to cry--tears that left cold
-streaks on her own cheeks and splashed in a warm
-shower on Garrett's face as she knelt over him. He
-slowly opened his eyes and whispered, "All right,
-Pat?" Then, as though very tired, he closed them
-again and lapsed back into unconsciousness.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There was no more merriment at Hill-top! The
-boys brought Garrett, wrapped in blankets, on one of
-the bobs to the door of the farmhouse where his
-mother, warned of the accident, awaited him. No
-one would let poor Pat tell her story--there was too
-much to be done! While Mrs. Lee and Sheila cared
-for Garrett, the girls gave Pat a hot bath and a
-vigorous rub and put her to bed. And Jim Archer
-flew to the nearest telephone to summon a doctor and
-nurse from the city.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Garrett was very, very ill! Weakened by the
-exposure and strain he quickly developed pneumonia.
-The doctor would not let him be moved, he must
-remain at Hill-top! Mrs. Lee, brave with all her
-anxiety, begged the boys and girls to go back to the
-city quietly, not to worry, but to hope for Garrett's
-quick recovery! Sheila and Jim Archer she kept
-with her to help her. At the earliest possible moment
-came Mr. Lee with a trained nurse.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat, none the worse for her icy bath of the day
-before, lingered behind the others and miserably
-begged for a parting word with Mrs. Lee.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It was </span><em class="italics">all</em><span> my fault," she whispered, bursting
-into tears. "I called him a fraidy-cat and went on,
-just so's he'd follow----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Though Mrs. Lee took the girl in her arms, her
-face was very grave. But she guessed the suffering
-in Pat's heart, so she spoke kindly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Child, I am glad he </span><em class="italics">didn't</em><span> leave you! You
-must help us fight for him now and--well, he just
-</span><em class="italics">must</em><span> get well!" For a moment she could not keep
-her own tears back; then she resolutely wiped them
-away as much as to say, "</span><em class="italics">this</em><span> isn't fighting!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Anxious days followed. Every morning and
-every evening Jim Archer telephoned to the Everett
-home from Hill-top a report of Garrett's condition.
-Sometimes there would be a word of encouragement--then
-he would be a degree worse! Pat, pale as a
-ghost, scarcely speaking to anyone, trembling at
-every sound, in spite of all Aunt Pen's and Renée's
-efforts, refused to be cheered or comforted! She
-spent almost all her time in the Eyrie with the door
-locked.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'm downright worried!" Aunt Pen said to
-Pat's father, who fortunately had returned in the
-midst of the trouble and anxiety. "</span><em class="italics">Whatever</em><span> does
-the child do in that room all by herself?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>No one would ever know! In the most shadowy
-corner of the Eyrie Pat had crept and there she
-had found strength to bear the suspense! Kneeling
-before one of the old broken chairs, she repeated
-over and over a little prayer she had made:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Please God, make Garrett well! He was so
-brave and I was so wicked! I'm the one you ought
-to punish! Please make him well and I'll never,
-never be wicked again!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sometimes she would vary the wording of her
-little prayer and once, thinking that perhaps her
-clumsy sentences might not reach the Father's ear,
-she carried a prayer-book to the Eyrie and slowly,
-with great emphasis, repeated the prayer for the
-sick that she had often heard in church.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Going downstairs from one of these vigils in the
-Eyrie she heard Sheila's voice. Her heart stopped
-beating with an instant's fear! She rushed into the
-room where Sheila was talking to Aunt Pen and her
-Daddy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"He is----" She could not make herself ask
-the question.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila turned. Her tired face was bright with
-joy. "Garrett's better! He will get well! We
-didn't telephone because I wanted to tell you! I had
-to come home, for mother needed me."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Really, truly?" Pat could scarcely believe that
-the black shadow was lifted from her. Sheila
-nodded laughingly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Really, truly! The doctor says he has a wonderful
-constitution! And we're all so glad, because
-we love Mrs. Lee so much!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With quivering lips Pat turned and threw
-herself into her father's arms. There was so much
-she wanted to tell--of her silly vanity, her wicked
-recklessness, her leading another into danger, but the
-words would not come!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'll always remember--how he looked--up on
-the bank!" she shuddered, her face hidden against
-her father's coat. "I asked God to make him well
-and He did, and I guess I'll remember never--to
-be--wicked again!" And as though he understood how
-truly repentant poor Pat was, her dear Daddy patted
-her shoulder and held her very close.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="good-turns"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XVI</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">GOOD TURNS</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The winter days passed quickly in the Everett
-household. Each moment was filled with work or
-play. And so delightfully intermingled was the play
-with the work that the girls found themselves tackling
-their Latin verbs with the same zest they threw
-into their outdoor recreation.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In spite of the holidays and the suspense of
-Garrett Lee's illness the routine of Aunt Pen's
-"school" had been renewed with little difficulty.
-Pat, who always before had been very indifferent
-to the report system followed at Miss Prindle's,
-suddenly developed deep concern and pride in the reports
-that Aunt Pen carefully prepared at the end of each
-week to show Daddy and then tucked away in the
-spinnet desk to wait mother's return. She was
-improving in her Latin and her French; she could
-write a letter now with only one or two misspelled
-words; she tackled the difficult problems in Algebra
-in a fine fighting spirit, and with great pride--after
-many mortifying failures--was able to set before her
-father three beautifully browned loaves of bread!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Daddy had declared that such triumph must have
-its reward and had carried them all--pupils and
-teacher--off to the theatre to see "Penrod."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The Eaglets still gathered in the Eyrie. How
-much nearer each was coming to her ambitions no
-one of them could tell--that they were still
-steadfastly true to their pledge to help one another was
-certain; unconsciously perhaps, they did it by the
-strength of their friendship.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"LaDue and Everett" had developed a thriving
-business. Pat, quite all by herself, had gone to
-Brown Brothers, the leading bookstore in the city,
-and had sought and obtained an order for
-hand-painted valentines. This had given her courage to
-approach Miss Higgins and a nearby Gift-shop.
-Very proudly she presented the three orders to the
-senior member of the firm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There, I guess </span><em class="italics">that'll</em><span> make us work!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>At first Renée was aghast at the amount of work,
-but with Pat to help her and by steady
-application--although Aunt Pen was firm in her command that
-the work must not interfere with the outdoor play--she
-was able to complete the orders by the first of
-February. And so beautifully had the little
-valentines been made that Brown Brothers immediately
-ordered ten dozen dinner cards!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The rush of business set Pat at the company's
-books which had gotten into such a muddle that
-they had to be taken to Daddy to be straightened out.
-Pat's figures were like a Chinese puzzle running up
-and down the pages of her imposing ledger. Poor
-Mr. Everett had a knotty problem putting them into
-proper shape and Pat had a lesson in accounting!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Altogether, after all expenses had been paid, there
-was left to the account of the youthful firm a sum
-of eighteen dollars and fifty cents. Two-thirds of
-this, Pat declared, must be Renée's, because the
-responsibility of the work fell upon her--"though
-I'll just say it isn't any fun getting up your nerve
-to go in and ask for an order! They always treat
-you like a kid!" she explained, indignantly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There were many demands upon their earnings.
-The scout uniforms had been bought; the girls each
-pledged six dollars to the Victory Army; there was
-the Red Cross, too, and the French Babies and the
-Vacation Fund for the tots at home--innumerable
-other good causes, worthy of their help.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It makes me feel so grown-up to sign my
-name to all these pledges and things and pay for it
-out of my </span><em class="italics">very</em><span> own money!" And Pat assumed a
-comically mature air.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat was a real "Yellowbird" now and Renée
-was a "scrub." The girls had joined a swimming
-class, too; Pat, having spent many summers at the
-seashore was like a fish in the water, and helped
-Renée, who had to overcome a physical terror at the
-very thought of slipping over into the tank!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Early in February Garrett Lee was brought back
-to the city from Hill-top. Pat, with Aunt Pen, had
-immediately gone to see him and his mother.
-Mrs. Lee's kind welcome drove away the fear that had
-teen in Pat's heart; impulsively she threw her arms
-about Mrs. Lee's neck and, because Mrs. Lee could
-always see straight into the hearts of her boys and
-girls, she knew what prompted the caress and gave
-an affectionate hug in return.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Garrett doesn't want one single word ever said
-about it all," she whispered in Pat's ear.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>After that Pat went almost daily to the Lee
-house--sometimes with a book, or a basket of fruit or some
-home-made candy. At first she was a little shy in her
-friendly devotion, but after a while, so truly grateful
-did Garrett seem for her company and the things
-she brought to relieve the monotony of his convalescence,
-she simply rang the bell and ran straight up
-to his room. When these frequent visits interfered
-with lessons Aunt Pen said not a word, for she knew
-Pat was trying to make up in some small way for
-the harm she had wrought!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As Garrett grew stronger the young people
-deserted the Eyrie for the pleasant Lee living-room.
-"It does him more good than a trip to Florida!"
-his mother declared, looking with satisfaction at her
-patient. And the boys and girls were learning
-thoughtfulness and considerateness. When Peggy,
-of her own will, suddenly lowered her voice, and
-Jim Archer, without a word, shoved a pillow back of
-Garrett's head as he sat on the old divan, Mrs. Lee
-had thought--hard as it had been--Garrett's illness
-had brought some good.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat had never known before the wholesomeness
-of jolly comradeship with a large circle of boys and
-girls; she found it now in these pleasant gatherings
-at the Lees. Bob Slocum and Peggy could think of
-so many games; Jim Archer--all in one afternoon--had
-composed, staged, and produced a melodrama,
-"Heinie the Hun," although, because Pat could not
-control her giggling, the irate author-manager had
-made her play the drum to mark the dramatic
-climaxes. There were endless and lively discussions
-over everything under sun and earth; jolly songs
-with Mrs. Lee at the piano, and always some careful
-eye to notice when Garrett showed signs of fatigue.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And to Pat the best of all was when Garrett, one
-afternoon, had confided to her that he was planning
-an airship with a new kind of stabilizer; showed her
-his drawings and explained how, for days since his
-illness, he had been studying a housefly which he had
-caught and imprisoned in the old fish bowl. Pat
-wanted very much to tell the others what great
-things Garrett was going to do but he had made her
-promise on her scout's honor to keep his secret, so she
-carried it faithfully locked away in her heart, proud
-that Garrett should have honored her with his
-confidence after the unhappy accident at Hill-top!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We're </span><em class="italics">pals</em><span>--just's if I was a boy," she said to
-herself.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As the weeks slipped by Renée, to Aunt Pen's
-delight, was rapidly developing a fascinating and
-forceful personality. With so many true friends and
-playmates the shyness had gradually disappeared
-from her manner; contrasted with Pat's dynamic
-spirits Renée would always seem quiet, but her will
-was strong and often, in her gentle way, she was a
-leader among the young people. With a character
-that had been moulded and guarded by a simple life,
-she had in her a rare beauty and purity of thought
-that seemed to shine in her pretty face and clear eyes.
-Happiness and healthy living were dispelling the
-shadows from her young life; she could talk of
-Susette and the old cottage without a quivering of the
-lips; she often drew for Pat, as though she enjoyed it,
-a vivid description of how splendid Emile had looked
-in his uniform as he had marched away with the
-others--a rose she had given him stuck jauntily in
-his belt!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The cessation of the fighting and the approaching
-peace had brought many problems. Wounded
-men were coming home, employment was uncertain,
-living expenses soaring higher and higher; actual
-want stalked in many homes. And to add to it all
-a terrible epidemic had raged through the city,
-leaving in its wake untold misery and suffering.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There was serious work for everyone to do.
-There were countless ways in which the Girl Scouts
-helped. "Good turns," they called it and they held
-themselves always ready for the command of any
-organization, never counting one moment of sacrifice,
-tireless and faithful.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What do you think now?" Pat burst in upon
-her family from a special meeting of the troop.
-"The Scouts are going to adopt families!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>This astonishing announcement caused Mr. Everett
-to throw up his hands in mock dismay.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Good gracious, Pat, black or white?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'm really very serious, Daddy, and Mrs. Townsend
-from the Red Cross says we can make it a
-beautiful work! One family is assigned to each of
-us. We give as much time as we can spare and do
-everything we can--amuse the children, take 'em
-out, make things easier for the mothers so's they can
-rest and get strong again! You see these are families
-that have been sick. Mine is Mrs. K-a-s-u-b-o-w-s-k-i,"
-she read from a card.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat had, in her way, expressed the scout orders.
-To each of the older scouts had been assigned a
-family that had suffered from the epidemic. Each girl
-was to work under the direction of the District
-Nurse and in coöperation with the Red Cross. She
-was to give brief reports of each visit. And knowing
-that these girls could, in the homes to which they
-were sent, win trust where older women often met
-suspicion and unfriendliness, the Red Cross hoped
-to build up through their services, a sympathy and
-understanding that would benefit everyone and draw
-more closely the bonds of common interest.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In her youthful mind Pat did not sense any such
-vision; she only knew that her scout orders directed
-her to go and do all she could for a family whose
-name she simply could not pronounce; that her card
-stated that there was a Rosa, aged seven, a Josef, age
-six, a Stephanie, aged three and a baby Peter;
-that everyone of them had been desperately ill,
-including the father and mother; that only within
-the last two or three weeks had the father been able
-to go back to work and that upon the poor mother,
-still weak from the ravages of fever, had fallen the
-burden of making the meagre savings tide them over.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat called them all her "Kewpies." Her first
-two visits left her discouraged, the children were
-dirty and quarrelsome, the mother unfriendly. But,
-gradually, armed with picture books and toys, Pat
-won the liking of the little ones; at the next visit
-she gave them cakes of soap which Renée had carved
-to resemble dogs and pigs and promised them more
-if they would use these "all up"; warm sunshine
-permitted a long walk and outdoor play and
-Mrs. Kewpie, gratefully realizing that for an hour she
-was absolutely without chick or child, caught a
-much-needed moment of rest!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée had not been given a family by the Red
-Cross. At first she was disappointed, then,
-wholeheartedly, she fell to helping Pat. Aunt Pen and
-Daddy, too, were deeply interested. Almost every
-evening the "Kewpies" were discussed at the
-"pow-wow." Aunt Pen was aghast that Mrs. Kewpie
-could speak only a word or two of English!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"How can she be expected to bring up good
-American citizens--let alone be one herself?" she
-asked heatedly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Through Rosa Pat learned that poor Mrs. Kewpie
-would really like to talk and read English. Her
-husband had learned it at his shop, the older children
-were learning it at school; less and less they were
-talking the only language she had ever known! She
-felt, with the quick instinct of her mother's heart,
-that they were growing away from her into a world
-of interests where she could not follow. No one
-had ever offered to teach her this new, strange
-tongue! She was afraid of the teachers in Rosa's
-school! She misunderstood and resented the
-approaches of the few English-speaking women she
-had met; proud herself, she had thought them
-patronizing and officious! But Pat was just a girl!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So Pat, quite unconsciously, began making a
-good American citizen out of Mrs. Kewpie. She
-found that the picture books she brought the children
-interested the mother, too--not because of the
-pictures alone but because the mother could make out,
-through them, the meaning of the words beneath
-them. When Pat told of this at home Aunt Pen
-thought of the beautiful plan of making for
-Mrs. Kewpie a primer out of pictures. Every evening,
-for a week, the entire Everett family worked industriously
-with scissors and paste, compiling what Aunt
-Pen laughingly called: "Everett's First Lessons in
-the American Language."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She'll know all about this country of ours when
-she's graduated from </span><em class="italics">this</em><span> book," declared
-Mr. Everett, proudly smoothing down a colored picture
-of the Capitol at Washington.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And for everything I teach her in English I'm
-going to ask her to teach me a word in Polish! It's
-such a funny looking language and then it </span><em class="italics">sounds</em><span>
-like music! They have lots of awfully exciting
-stories in their history--Keineth Randolph told us
-some that her father had told her! And in the next
-book, let's have pictures of flowers and mountains
-and water and things like the country, 'cause I guess
-poor Mrs. Kewpie thinks there </span><em class="italics">aren't</em><span> such things!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Prompted by this thought on her next visit Pat
-carried to the Kewpie kitchen a pink geranium plant.
-Then she conceived the idea of making the untidy
-kitchen look as much like Mrs. Quinn's as possible!
-So interested did she grow in her work that for two
-afternoons she completely forgot basketball practice,
-thereby bringing down upon her head the fury of the
-Captain of the Yellowbirds!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And when Baby Peter fell sick with some
-digestive disorder, Pat, with the help of the District
-Nurse, was able to persuade Mrs. Kewpie that a
-daily bath would reduce the slight fever and to
-substitute the sweet, fresh milk that the nurse had
-brought in the place of the coffee she was accustomed
-to feed the baby.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Now Renée, to her delight, was given an opportunity
-to share the "good turns."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>One afternoon Mrs. Lee, always an angel of
-kindness and of wide charity, had sought Renée's
-help. She explained to Renée, as they walked along
-together, that this was a "case" of her own, and
-that she was taking her to this house because she
-thought she might bring a little sunshine into a very
-lonely life there.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Poor Mrs. Forrester is very cross and very
-queer, my dear! No one ever goes to see her now
-and she lives all alone with a servant almost as old
-as she is! I thought that if you would go there
-once in awhile and read to her you might help her
-pass the long hours."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Lee did not add that she hoped the child's
-quiet, sympathetic manner might waken some
-tenderness in a heart as cold and dead as stone.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Forrester lived in a very old house in an
-out-of-the-way street. Standing almost concealed
-by trees and overgrown shrubbery, it looked like
-some forgotten corner of the big, growing city. The
-door creaked on its hinges as the untidy old servant
-grudgingly opened it just far enough to permit them
-to enter. The rooms were dark, dusty and
-absolutely bare of any furnishings except a few worn
-chairs. Not a picture, not a book, not one spot of
-color was to be seen! There were no curtains at
-the windows and the cracked dingy-brown shades
-had been pulled close to the sill as though to forbid
-one tiny gleam of sunlight filtering through.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée thought it the most horrid house she had
-ever seen and wondered how Mrs. Lee could step into
-it so cheerfully!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But always tender with old people, she immediately
-felt sorry for the queer old woman propped
-up against a pile of pillows in a great, ugly bed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It isn't that she's so very old--or sick! I
-believe she just </span><em class="italics">won't</em><span> stir! Mrs. Lee says she has
-had a very unhappy life," Renée explained at home.
-Now Mrs. Forrester and the ugly old stone house
-shared the interest of the pow-wow.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Another time Renée told, with much amusement,
-how she had insisted upon raising the shade
-at the bedroom window so that Mrs. Forrester
-might see how spring-like the sun made everything
-look and how the old lady had promptly hopped out
-of bed and had pulled it down with such a snap that
-it fell to the floor!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But she just </span><em class="italics">had</em><span> to go back to bed and leave it
-there and I went on reading's though nothing had
-happened and I know she really loved the sunshine
-because she lay there as quiet as could be, staring
-at the window!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But one afternoon Renée returned, deeply
-excited, with a secret that she kept for Pat's ears and
-the seclusion of the Eyrie.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I was reading something awfully stupid for I
-thought she might go to sleep and I know she wasn't
-listening at all, and finally I heard her say, "If I
-could find my baby--I'd be ready to die!" Now
-I wasn't reading a </span><em class="italics">thing</em><span> about dying or a baby and
-she frightened me dreadfully! I suppose she had
-forgotten I was there. Then when I went on reading
-she said it again--real plain! Now, Pat, isn't that
-exciting? Where </span><em class="italics">do</em><span> you suppose her baby is and
-</span><em class="italics">how'd</em><span> she ever lose it?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>None of Pat's experiences could equal this for
-mystery! Pat stared at Renée and Renée stared
-back; in the quiet of the Eyrie they thought up all
-sorts of explanations and stories--tragic, all of
-them! Pat fairly shivered with delight.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Aren't you </span><em class="italics">lucky</em><span>, Renée--to have such a spliffy
-mystery! It's just </span><em class="italics">spooky</em><span>! I'm going to write a
-story about that! You get her to talk more--read
-a lot about babies and listen hard! And talk to that
-old Crosspatch, maybe she'll tell you something.
-That's the way they always do in detective stories.
-Something dreadful </span><em class="italics">must</em><span> have happened to make
-her live like that, in that ugly old house! Oh,
-rapture, I </span><em class="italics">know</em><span> I'm going to be famous! This goes
-way ahead of Aunt Pen's story! Of course," she
-added, hastily, "I don't know </span><em class="italics">all</em><span> Aunt Pen's secret
-sorrow yet and she doesn't stay in bed and act queer!
-I think I'll call this "The Lost Baby!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So that evening, armed with several newly-sharpened
-pencils and much of Daddy's writing
-paper, Pat began her first chapter. However, its
-progress met with a serious setback when Aunt Pen
-laid in her hands a letter from Angeline Snow. Pat
-opened it eagerly; she had not heard from any of
-her old schoolmates at Miss Prindle's for a long time.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She read it quickly. Miss Angeline, in a few
-breezy sentences, informed Pat that she would come
-immediately to make her a visit!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"... You were </span><em class="italics">such</em><span> a dear to ask me
-(Pat read that twice, thoughtfully)--and the doctor
-says I need a teeny rest. Mama is in California
-and of course I cannot go to her! But we'll have
-a perfectly sweet time together and I'm just dying
-to see you again. We've missed you dreadfully here!
-I have </span><em class="italics">bushels</em><span> to tell you--just you. (About the
-girls and things--you'll </span><em class="italics">die</em><span> when you hear it all!) I'll
-come on the Empire on Thursday, so please meet
-me. I have a stunning new hat, henna and turquoise
-blue and a feather you'll want to </span><em class="italics">eat</em><span>. Bye-bye, your
-Angeline."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So intent was Pat upon examining the gold crest
-on the paper that she did not see the curious look that
-flashed over Aunt Pen's face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Good gracious," she exclaimed, suddenly,
-"that's to-morrow!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes," Aunt Pen answered quietly, "and we
-must do everything we can to make her visit
-pleasant!"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="angeline"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XVII</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">ANGELINE</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>At a first glimpse, from the crown of her glossy
-black head to the patent tip of her smart little shoe,
-Angeline Snow, arriving the day following, was like
-a stranger to Pat!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat had left her at the close of that last term of
-school, after parting embraces and repeated pledges
-of undying friendship, a girl, long of leg and short
-of skirt like herself; now she beheld a fascinating
-young creature whose slim body was robed in a dress
-of the most stylish fabric and cut, its clinging skirts
-reaching quite to the tops of the little patent leather
-shoes, and the hair that Pat had always loved to
-braid and unbraid was pinned in curious puffs and
-waves close to the small head.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>However, in the transformation, Angeline had
-lost none of the fascination that had made of Pat,
-in the old days at Miss Prindle's, a sort of adoring
-slave. She was amazingly pretty, her black hair
-made her white skin dazzling, the faintest of
-rose-pink flushed her cheeks and the tip of her pointed
-chin; her eyes set deep under long black lashes were
-as blue as a June sky; her mouth alone marred the
-perfection of her face--when the lips were not
-twisted into an affected smile, acquired after faithful
-study before the mirror, they glaringly betrayed
-the girl's little weaknesses.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There might well be some doubt in anyone's mind
-as to why a doctor had prescribed a rest for the young
-lady! From the moment when, clasping her
-Pekinese under her arm and followed by a porter with
-two huge shiny leather suitcases she stepped down
-from the train, she fairly bubbled with spirits!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Quickly Pat fell under the old charm! Because
-Renée had developed a light attack of influenza which
-confined her to her bed and kept Aunt Pen in close
-attendance, lessons were suspended and the two girls
-were left very much to themselves. At Aunt Pen's
-suggestion Pat moved into Celia's room, which
-adjoined the room assigned to Angeline. A door
-opened from one to another and every night and
-morning Pat crept in under Angeline's covers for a
-little while and listened breathlessly while Angeline
-told the "secrets" of the school. Almost always
-there was a box of chocolates under Angeline's pillow
-so that at regular intervals the stories were
-interrupted while the two girls munched on the candies.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The very most exciting thing of all--and don't
-you </span><em class="italics">dare</em><span> breathe it to a soul"--and Angeline sat
-bolt upright and clasped her arms about her knees--"is
-the </span><em class="italics">awful</em><span> scrape that Jule Kale and I got into
-and that's </span><em class="italics">really</em><span> why I'm here!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Jule Kale had been a Junior when Pat had been
-at Miss Prindle's. Pat remembered her as a daring
-young lady whose adventures had more than once
-thrilled her and the other girls in the school.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You know she'd been writing to a French soldier
-for over a year, even after Prin said we couldn't
-and what </span><em class="italics">do</em><span> you think! He </span><em class="italics">came</em><span> to New York!
-He was the handsomest thing--the girls were all
-crazy about him, when we described him! He wrote
-to Jule right away and asked her to meet him at the
-Waldorf and she went real often and took me with
-her. I used to take a book and pretend to read, but
-I watched every minute so's I could tell the other
-girls. Once he bought me some chocolate, too, when
-Jule told why I was sitting there. He said there
-were some more Frenchmen coming over and he'd
-introduce them to us! Oh, the girls were </span><em class="italics">wild</em><span> with
-excitement! Then one afternoon Jule went to a
-tea-room and danced with him and she didn't take me
-and some one saw her there and told Prin and Jule
-was awfully scared, 'cause you remember Prin had
-told her that the next scrape she was in she'd have
-to leave the school! And what does Jule do but tell
-Prin that he was her </span><em class="italics">cousin</em><span> who had been in the
-French flying service! And Prin </span><em class="italics">insisted</em><span> that she
-invite him up to school for dinner like we always do
-our relatives and have him give a talk about the war
-and Jule had the </span><em class="italics">worst</em><span> time explaining how he had
-to go away and couldn't come! And we knew all
-the while that Prin was sniffing around the way she
-does for more information so Jule thought I'd better
-go away for awhile so's she couldn't question me!
-I pretended to faint one day--I can do it awfully
-well now--and Prin never said a word when I
-told her I wanted to come here for a visit. But
-wasn't that all exciting and wouldn't it be </span><em class="italics">funny</em><span>
-if some day Jule married the French soldier? His
-name is Henri Dupres. Only Jule says his teeth are
-all filled with gold and he shows 'em </span><em class="italics">all</em><span> the time as
-if he was proud of them!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Contrasted to these exciting revelations Pat felt
-that the telling of her little experiences--the happy
-school with Aunt Pen, the Eyrie and its secrets, the
-jolly hours at the Lee's, the basketball games, the
-Scout work and play, would be stupid to Angeline!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen had bade Pat do everything she could
-to entertain her guest; Pat found that Angeline was
-easily entertained. Indeed, the young lady never
-failed to indicate with daring frankness just what
-she wanted to do and what she did </span><em class="italics">not</em><span> want to do.
-And to Pat's dismay none of Angeline's desires
-included any of the other girls! Angeline stated very
-plainly that she considered Peggy "stupid,"
-Keineth "a kid," and Sheila--"downright common."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Why, do you mean she lives in that tumble-down
-house and her mother keeps </span><em class="italics">lodgers</em><span>?" she
-had asked with scorn.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat had opened her lips to answer and then closed
-them quickly. Something within her told her that
-nothing she could say would win Angeline's approval
-of Sheila--she, too, months ago, when she was at
-Miss Prindle's, might have thought the same thing!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Angeline, with pretty condescension, found
-Renée interesting. "Poor little refugee!" she said
-when Pat told Renée's story.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The two girls divided their time in the moving-picture
-theatres, the chocolate shops and the stores.
-Angeline never tired of hanging over counters and
-showcases; because she was smartly dressed and
-possessed a fund of information as to styles, she
-commanded respect and attention from the clerks.
-Each day Pat grew more and more envious and
-impressed by Angeline's "grown-upness."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Under Angeline's influence Pat began to feel
-ashamed of her own simple garments and to contrast
-them unhappily with the finery Angeline spread out
-over the bed for her inspection. She turned the
-henna and turquoise creation over and over while
-Angeline told that it had cost twenty-five whole
-dollars! "That's more than Renée and I earned
-all winter," Pat thought. And Angeline put into her
-hands a pair of pumps, gleefully remarking that
-"they were sixteen and I got them for
-twelve--</span><em class="italics">wasn't</em><span> that a great bargain?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In her rude way, which Angeline considered
-pretty frankness, she made Pat understand, too, that
-she was "simply amazed" to find that Pat lived in
-such a plain old house!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Of course it's nice and roomy and all that--and
-a long time ago it must have been fashionable,
-but you just </span><em class="italics">ought</em><span> to see Brenda Chisholm's father's
-new house on the Drive--why, it's like a </span><em class="italics">palace</em><span>!" She
-enlarged, then, upon its grandeur until Pat felt
-deep chagrin that her father had preferred to live on
-in the old homestead rather than to move into a
-newer part of the city.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat knew that she loved the old library with its
-deep fireplace and the rows of book shelves reaching
-to the ceiling and the long, deep windows overlooking
-the slope of lawn between her house and Sheila's,
-the old paintings on the walls and the softly colored
-rugs; she knew that her own room, over the library,
-held all her memories of nursery days; that she loved
-the way the morning sun, streaming in through the
-little conservatory where the birds sang among the
-flowers, turned to gold the dark oak panels of the
-dining-room. However, it must seem shabby to
-Angeline after she had visited Brenda's new home!
-She looked at the more modern houses they were
-passing, great piles of stone and marble surrounded
-by well-kept lawns, and resolved to urge her Daddy
-to move immediately!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>One morning, a week after Angelina's arrival, the
-girls found themselves with nothing to do. Aunt
-Pen had taken Renée out for a walk in the Park.
-The sun was shining warmly, buds were appearing
-on the lilac bushes, everywhere was the hint of spring.
-Aunt Pen had declared she had heard an oriole, she
-and Renée had started in search of the songster's
-nest. Pat had watched them depart with a little
-longing in her heart and a hurt that they had not
-even asked her and Angeline to go with them! Yet
-she knew how Angeline would have scoffed at the
-suggestion of a walk in the Park!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Angeline now was arranging and rearranging
-her hair before the mirror. Pat was crossly
-wishing she'd stop--she'd been fussing there for ages!
-"What'll we do?" she asked, as Renée's and
-Aunt Pen's figures disappeared up the street.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, let's go out somewhere for lunch. Then
-we can shop. You know, I think it's a </span><em class="italics">shame</em><span> your
-aunt doesn't buy you some decent things! If </span><em class="italics">I</em><span>
-were you I'd just go and get them myself! My
-goodness, you're too old to be dressed like a little
-kid. How the girls at school will laugh when I tell
-them!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's face flushed crimson. Angeline went on in
-her persuasive voice; "If you don't just show
-your independence </span><em class="italics">sometime</em><span> they'll go on treating
-you like a child! Of course it's none of my business,
-but you're my dearest friend and I </span><em class="italics">do</em><span> feel sorry
-for you! And I can help you pick out--oh, just a
-few things!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat gave her head a little toss! "Shall we walk
-or ride?" she asked, mutely yielding to Angeline's
-tempting.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, dear me, ride, of course! I couldn't walk
-a </span><em class="italics">block</em><span> in those heels!" and Angeline extended one
-of the bargain pumps for a loving inspection.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was necessary, before they started forth, for
-Pat to open her treasure box in the Eyrie and take
-from it the crisp six dollar bills which she had ready
-for her Victory pledge, due on April first. This, with
-her week's allowance, seemed a great deal of money
-and would surely meet the expenses of their outing.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As they whirled along the street toward the shopping
-section of the city Pat caught Angeline's gay
-mood. With a little thrill she told herself that they
-were embarked upon an adventure! At Angeline's
-suggestion they lunched at a fashionable restaurant,
-always thronged at the noon-hour. Emboldened by
-Angeline's composed manner, Pat gradually lost her
-own awkward consciousness and enjoyed to the fullest
-the gay bustle and confusion, the clatter of china,
-the music rising discordantly above the endless
-chatter at the tables.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">This</em><span> is more like what we girls do at school,"
-declared Angeline, dipping her pink finger-tips into
-the glass bowl before her. "And now let's go to the
-stores and find some things for you!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Under Angeline's direction this was an absorbing
-process. She recalled a love of a taffeta dress they
-had seen in a window. Of course it could be
-charged--everyone must know who Miss Everett was!
-Fortunately for the success of their shopping they found
-a clerk who had often sold dresses to both
-Mrs. Everett and Celia. Anxious to make a sale, she
-assured Pat that the dress would look beautiful on
-her! She shook out its flounces temptingly as she
-said it. Angeline added that the flame-colored
-chiffon collar was "chic--everyone's wearing them
-in New York!" Pat was promptly thrilled with a
-mental picture of herself in the stylish gown!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Of course your aunt will look cross for a
-moment," Angeline whispered, "but it's really none
-of her business is it? I know </span><em class="italics">my</em><span> mother likes to
-have </span><em class="italics">me</em><span> look after myself!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So Pat bought the dress, gave the address, and
-carried it away with her in a box. They then made
-other purchases; a silk and lace petticoat that
-Angeline declared a "love," some chiffon ties, a velvet
-bag with a jeweled top, a vanity case and a box of
-face powder.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What </span><em class="italics">fun</em><span>!" cried Angeline, seizing some of
-the precious packages. "Now I tell you what let's
-do! Let's stop at that Madame Ranier's place and
-let her curl your hair and do it up! Then you'll
-look just peachy! </span><em class="italics">All</em><span> the girls are wearing their
-hair up now--truly, Pat! Why, you'd be ridiculous
-in New York!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They found Madame Ranier's and Pat spent an
-uncomfortable hour before the mirror while a
-yellow-haired young woman curled her pretty hair with
-long, hot irons. Angeline hovered over them both,
-giving suggestions from time to time and exclaiming
-over the transformation. The hairpins hurt cruelly
-and Pat had a feeling that she could never move
-her head again; however, in spite of all this, she was
-secretly satisfied, as was Angeline and Madame and
-the young woman, that the result was most
-becoming and that she looked quite "grown-up!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Angeline caught her arm. "Now, silly,
-just stand still </span><em class="italics">one</em><span> moment and I'll have you looking
-</span><em class="italics">really</em><span> like something," and to complete her afternoon's
-work, she dabbed at Pat's nose with the tiny
-powder puff she carried in her bag.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As they marched forth Pat tried to assume an
-airiness of manner she did not feel. Between their
-luncheon and Madame Ranier she had spent almost
-all of her money; the purchases she had had charged
-began to trouble her soul. Angeline stopped
-suddenly at Brown's window--she saw a book there
-that she declared she must have! All the girls were
-reading it! She ran in without another word and
-Pat could do nothing but follow her. The book,
-"All on a Summer's Day," was purchased and Pat
-paid for it out of what remained of her money.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Prin said we younger girls couldn't read it,
-but guess she can't say anything to me now!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now to wind up this jolly day, Pat--</span><em class="italics">I'll</em><span> treat,"
-Angeline said, edging toward a chocolate shop.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As they sat down at one of the little tables Pat
-saw across the room Garrett and Peggy Lee and
-Keineth Randolph. Her first thought was to join
-them but something in their faces stopped her. In
-that moment's exchange of glances, though the girls
-had nodded pleasantly enough, Pat read surprise,
-disgust, and outright amusement!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A deep crimson dyed her face, in funny contrast
-to the powdery whiteness of her nose. Trying to
-assume an indifferent air she turned her back on the
-others and devoted herself to Angeline; her pride
-and satisfaction had fled, though, leaving her deeply
-hurt, not so much because of the girls' suppressed
-ridicule as by the thought that they had not invited
-her and Angeline to join them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Garrett added the last drop to her humiliation!
-As they trooped out, giving a passing smile
-to Pat and her guest, Garrett slyly poked Pat in the
-back and, leaning over, whispered: "Where'd you
-lose your ears, Miss Everett?" Involuntarily Pat
-clapped her hands to the curly puffs that were pinned
-carefully over her ears and threw Garrett a wrathful
-look!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But her adventure was ending most dismally!
-Reaching home she threw her boxes and bags and the
-book on her bed and fiercely shook out the miserable
-hairpins! For ten minutes she brushed the offending
-curls and then braided them into a tight pigtail.
-If Aunt Pen noticed the work of Madame Ranier's
-young woman, or the daub of powder still decorating
-the bridge of Pat's nose, she said nothing; neither
-did she question Pat concerning her absence at
-luncheon. She and Renée were in high good humor,
-they had had a happy afternoon and Renée was
-herself again.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pat, dear, don't you think--Renée is all
-better now--we might have some sort of a party in
-honor of Angeline?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Angeline's expressive face brightened. She was
-always prettily agreeable when with the family. She
-clapped her hands to express her delight.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's have a dinner dance," she cried; then--"oh,
-how </span><em class="italics">dreadful</em><span> of me to speak right out--like
-that!" and she affected deep embarrassment.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I had in mind a picnic at Hill-top on Saturday.
-The roads are open and we can all motor out, have
-lunch and then go to the sugar camp. The sap is
-running well, Mrs. Lee says."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen kept her eyes on her knitting and did
-not see the blank look of astonishment that crossed
-Angeline's face. Pat had exclaimed eagerly over
-the suggestion:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I've never seen a sugar camp, have you, Renée?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then I will tell Mrs. Lee that we will all go,
-Sheila and Peggy and Keineth, and Garrett may
-ask some of the boys. Garrett can drive their car
-too."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The next morning Angeline stayed locked in her
-room until after eleven o'clock. Then, hearing Pat
-in the adjoining room, she suddenly threw open the
-door and appeared fully dressed, even to the henna
-hat. To Pat's exclamation of astonishment she
-answered:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'm going back on the Empire! Will you tell
-Watkins? Now </span><em class="italics">don't</em><span> be a silly and make a fuss,
-Pat--just tell your aunt that I had a telegram! Jule
-wrote that everything was smoothed over and that I
-was missing some fun! So you </span><em class="italics">don't</em><span> think I'm
-going to stay any longer in </span><em class="italics">this</em><span> dead hole!" She
-snuggled her face in the Pekinese. "You've been a
-</span><em class="italics">dear</em><span> to keep me, Pat, but, you poor child, couldn't
-you see I was just bored to </span><em class="italics">death</em><span>? And a sugar-party!
-Oh, la, la--</span><em class="italics">won't</em><span> the girls laugh? Why, I
-wouldn't be seen </span><em class="italics">dead</em><span> at one!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Slowly Pat stiffened until she stood as though
-made of stone. Her lips tried to frame the tumult
-of wrath that raged within her, but she only
-managed to say lamely: "I'll tell Watkins--if you've
-really--got to go!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So Angeline and her dog and her bags of finery
-departed and ten minutes later, the rage in Pat's soul
-bursting all bounds, she presented herself at Aunt
-Pen's door, her arms filled with the hateful purchases
-of the day before, her face red with the effort
-to choke back her tears.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen had just come in. So she was amazed
-when Pat burst out: "She's gone and I'm glad of it!
-I just </span><em class="italics">hate</em><span> her! She said we were stupid and that
-Sheila was common--and she was--bored to death
-and we--we weren't fashionable--and--and she
-wouldn't be seen </span><em class="italics">dead</em><span> at a sugar-party! As if
-anyone wanted her, anyway!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pat, dear, one thing at a time! Who's gone?
-Angeline?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat dumped her boxes on the floor and sitting
-like a little girl on Aunt Pen's lap told of Angeline's
-dramatic departure. She could not see the smile that
-stole over Aunt Pen's face; she could not know that
-the sugar-party had been planned to bring about just
-what had happened! Wise Aunt Pen had decided
-that Pat had had just about as much of Angeline's
-company as was good for her! She listened to the
-tale of the shopping, glanced at each purchase, then
-patted the hair that was still curly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Poor Patsy, what a time you've had!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But I hate her, Aunt Pen, and I hate myself
-for ever having let her say Sheila was common!
-Dear old Sheila!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, dear, you've learned something in values--all
-around! Sheila, even though her life is a continual
-sacrifice of all the pleasures and luxuries most
-girls have, is a finer girl and a more worth-while
-friend than poor Angeline--and I think the </span><em class="italics">next</em><span>
-time you'll stand up for her, won't you, my dear?
-Now, for the book--</span><em class="italics">that's</em><span> the place for that,"
-aiming it at the waste-basket, "and if you want some
-novels I'll find you some that are more thrilling and
-better brain-food. Your curls"--she fondled the
-dark head--"they </span><em class="italics">are</em><span> pretty, Pat--it's too bad we
-aren't all born with curly hair and there's no
-particular harm in having it curled, only--it does take
-</span><em class="italics">so</em><span> much time that could be spent in some much
-better way! And after a few years you can do up these
-braids and be a young lady, but for awhile longer
-we want our Pat a girl that can romp and play and
-get all the joy that youth alone offers!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, Aunt Pen, you make me feel as if I'd been
-so silly! But what on </span><em class="italics">earth</em><span> will I do with all these
-things!" and Pat kicked at the offending boxes.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well," Aunt Pen glanced appraisingly over the
-spilled contents. "You can give the bag to Melodia
-and the vanity case to Maggie and we'll just go back
-with the other things and ask the store manager to
-exchange them for--what do you say to shoes for all
-the Kewpies?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, joy! For Easter! Oh, you're </span><em class="italics">such</em><span> a comfort,
-Aunt Pen!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Seriously, Pat, do you feel that you really need
-a dress? Perhaps I have neglected you!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, gracious no, I don't want to fuss with any
-more clothes! That's all Angeline talked about!
-Let's take this truck back right after luncheon!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pat, dear, just a moment," Aunt Pen still had a
-little sermon tucked away in her mind. "You
-mustn't hate Angeline--when you think all this
-over you'll realize she has taught you a valuable
-lesson--perhaps you, too, have given her something in
-return! Each one of us has within us much that
-we give all unknowingly to others, that helps them.
-Think how much little Renée has taught you with
-her unselfish companionship and Sheila, who is so
-brave and cheerful and honest, and Peggy and all
-the others! And you must think that you, too, in
-turn, through your friendship, give them something
-of what is good in you! Can you understand what
-I mean? So let Angeline go away with grateful
-thoughts in your heart--she is silly now but some
-day she may outgrow all that and be a fine girl!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's face reflected Aunt Pen's seriousness. "I
-just ought to feel sorry for her 'cause she hasn't a
-mother and a daddy and an Aunt Pen like I have!
-But, oh, I don't want to ever look another piece of
-chocolate candy in the face again! And I'm as
-broke as broke can be and have spent even my
-Victory money and I'll have to draw more from 'LaDue
-and Everett' to meet my pledge and save all this
-month to pay it back," with a groan. "But, Aunt
-Pen, will we have the sugar-camp picnic just the
-same?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We surely will," smiled Aunt Pen, folding the
-dress back into its box, "and a good time, too!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So Pat quickly forgot Angeline's insults, her
-abused stomach and her empty pocketbook in a happy
-anticipation of the day in the woods at Hill-top with
-the boys and girls who were her "really worth-while
-friends."</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="for-his-country"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XVIII</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">FOR HIS COUNTRY</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Paddy! Pad-dy Quinn! You get </span><em class="italics">right straight</em><span>
-out of there!" The cry came from Sheila. Returning
-from school she had spied, as she turned into her
-walk, Paddy digging among her mother's precious
-tulips.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila threw her books inside the kitchen door,
-taking pains to notice that the room was empty, and
-then went back to punish the culprit. Paddy lay
-crouched on the ground watching her with bright
-eyes and wagging his stub of a tail in a way that
-was anything but repentant!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Perhaps the only thing that Mrs. Quinn loved
-more than Paddy, except of course her Sheila and
-her Denny and her Matt and her Dare, were the
-bulbs that grew each spring in the little border bed
-along the old fence. Her tulips always put their
-tiny green leaves up through the earth long before
-any other tulips; they were always bigger and
-brighter and seemed almost human, the way they
-nodded on their silvery green stalks and leaned
-toward one another as though repeating, like old
-gossips the stories the robins sang over their heads.
-Each fall Mrs. Quinn carefully covered them over
-and each spring, at the first feel of warmth in the
-sunshine, she watched daily for the tiny green tips,
-as a mother might watch for the return of a long
-absent son.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The children shared her interest, too--they could
-not be her children if they did not love the flowers
-and birds and sunshine that made their living joyous!
-The fairy stories she had taught them in their
-babyhood, as she had rocked them in her loving arms, had
-made the familiar things about them have a magic of
-their own; the old clock in the corner was not ugly
-because elves lived in it by day and pranced from
-its old case at night; a fairy princess had her
-fairy-palace in the nearby tree tops, a prince hid in the
-wood box, the nodding posies that always budded
-and grew wherever Mrs. Quinn lived, were the souls
-of sprites and at night danced about under the
-star-light; the dew that could be found on the blades of
-grass in the early morning were the jewels that they
-dropped in their haste to flee back to hiding from
-the approaching dawn!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Trouble had been a frequent visitor in this magic
-household but the only mark it ever left was an added
-line in the corner of Mrs. Quinn's smiling lips, made
-by long night struggles over the dilapidated book
-which contained the family accounts. Even when
-left a widow with four children to bring up, she did
-not lose one bit of the optimism that, years before,
-had made the whole world her Denny's and hers for
-the conquering! Her Denny had been taken from
-her before any one of the dreams they had dreamed
-had come true; still, for her, he lived on in her Sheila
-and the three small boys who had red hair and blue
-eyes like the father, and she still dreamed the old
-dreams for them. "There was no cloud so dark but
-that it had its bright lining somewhere" was the
-brave philosophy with which she directed her
-household, and the meals that were often frugal she made
-cheery with some loving nonsense. The sacrifices
-Sheila had to make as she grew older were nothing
-because she knew her mother made them, too, and
-there was comfort in the sense of sharing. The
-summer before Mrs. Quinn had taken the old brick
-house, fashionable in its day, comfortable now, even
-in its shabbiness, and had rented its rooms to lodgers.
-With careful economy this slender income would
-keep them comfortable until the day, to which Sheila
-always looked forward, when she herself could earn
-money and give to the boys the advantages of education
-that she would not ask for herself. To her her
-own little ambitions were as nothing compared to
-the big things that must be done for the boys so that
-they would grow into great men!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Paddy had become, immediately upon his
-adoption, a favored member of the family. He had
-privileges, too, and these increased as he willed
-because, from the mother down, not one of them
-could speak crossly to what little Dare called "the
-orphing dog." He slept in a box near the stove when
-he was not stretched across the foot of one of the
-boy's beds; he ate from a plate under the chair in the
-corner, a spot of his own choosing, from which he
-could watch the course of the family meal and ask
-for a second helping when he wished. He shared the
-rise and fall of the family fortunes--a bit of liver
-when the rest had chicken, a good bone on a holiday,
-a new collar when Matt found, on the walk before
-the house, a crisp five-dollar bill that had no owner.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Though, as a dog--especially an "orphing" dog
-Paddy measured in good manners up to the average,
-he had occasionally, during the winter, fallen
-into deep disgrace. Time and again he had been
-found digging vigorously in the back yard. Both
-Mrs. Quinn and Sheila had protested violently! The
-bulbs were there and, too, it was Sheila's precious
-war-garden--the best in the troop! Paddy had been
-punished--severely for the Quinns; in spite of this
-he was found again and again at his mischief.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, dear, he'll ruin everything," Sheila had
-cried, eying the havoc Paddy had worked. The more
-the snow melted from the ground the more determined
-Paddy seemed to dig his way straight through
-to China!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Mrs. Quinn had made the ultimatum! The
-children heard it with worried faces; Paddy listened,
-disturbed, from the stove behind which, after a
-chastisement, he had taken refuge.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"If we find him at it </span><em class="italics">once more</em><span> he'll go straight
-to the pound! I'm </span><em class="italics">not going</em><span> to have my bulbs
-ruined!" And Mrs. Quinn had turned resolutely
-away from the dismay and grief she saw in four
-young faces.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sheila knew that her mother had meant what she
-said. That was why, on this day, she had peeped
-into the kitchen before she went back to Paddy. If
-no one had seen him then he might have just one
-more chance!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You're a </span><em class="italics">bad, bad</em><span> dog!" she said, advancing
-threateningly upon the culprit.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Paddy barked protestingly. His whole
-manner seemed to say: "I'm through now. See what
-I've found!" And between his paws he held a small
-tin tube, badly discolored from long contact with
-the earth.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As Sheila leaned over he jumped upon her, then
-pawed the ground where the tube lay.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What have you got? Don't you dare bury that
-in the tulip bed!" But he barked so hard in protest
-that Sheila gingerly picked up his treasure.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Under her fingers it came apart and from it
-dropped three folded slips of paper.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"For goodness sake!" cried Sheila, almost
-frightened. She smoothed them out; except for a
-slightly mouldy smell they were in good condition
-and the writing upon them could be easily read.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They were the lost formulas!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Mother! Mother! Mother!</em><span>" With one bound
-Sheila was in the house confronting her mother who
-had come up from the cellar, panting with alarm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Paddy's found 'em! Paddy's found 'em!</em><span>" And
-she threw her arms about her mother's neck in a
-hug that swept the two of them straight into the big
-rocker!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sheila Quinn, are you </span><em class="italics">loony</em><span>? What </span><em class="italics">have</em><span> you
-got? And </span><em class="italics">do</em><span> stop that dog's barking!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, mumsey, it's the lost formulas--they were
-buried in the tulip bed! </span><em class="italics">That's</em><span> what Paddy's been
-digging for--all this time!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The two spread the papers out on the table and
-read them over and over.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Don't they sound </span><em class="italics">dreadful</em><span>! Just's if they'd
-explode all by themselves!" whispered Sheila,
-recalling what Mr. Everett had said about the formulas.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So giving Paddy a warm hug by way of tribute
-Sheila put the formulas back in the tin tube and
-started forth to find Mr. Everett, to tell him the
-whole story. All through the winter the loss of the
-formulas had worried Mr. Everett. His experts had
-been working over the experiments again and in
-time would, of course, have made new formulas;
-it was the fear, however, that some other government
-already possessed the secret that had troubled, not
-only the officials of the Everett Works, but the
-United States government as well. So that when
-Sheila, with Aunt Pen, Pat and Renée, burst into
-the office with the wonderful news, Mr. Everett felt
-as though a great load was rolling off his shoulders!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A curious gathering inspected the dirty tube and
-listened to the story; Mr. Everett and his staff, some
-secret service men, two chemists from the experimental
-laboratory, in their long white coats, some
-workmen who were passing the door and had been
-attracted by the exclamations--and the girls.
-Mr. Everett questioned Sheila closely. She recalled that
-Paddy had--all winter long--barked a great deal at
-night, so much so that after awhile the family grew
-accustomed to it and did not notice it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Marx buried it--intending to go later and dig
-it up! The man was smart enough to know that if
-they'd been found on his possession nothing could
-have saved him. It was a lucky thing they kept him
-locked up so long! Your dog has done good work,
-Miss Sheila!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Everett then, turning the tube over and over
-in his hands, said to one of the others in a low tone:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"After all--perhaps the best service we could
-do for our country and the world would be to bury it
-again--where it would lie forever and ever!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>That night, for the second time, Mr. Everett,
-with Pat, came to the Quinn kitchen. But this time
-he was accompanied by Aunt Pen and Renée, too.
-They made a very loud noise at the doorstep, as
-though dragging to the door some heavy object.
-Mr. Everett insisted that the three small Quinns
-must stay up and to make it certain drew little Dare
-to his knee.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We're going to have a regular ceremony,"
-declared Pat so solemnly that Mrs. Quinn nervously
-fell to lighting more gas jets and Sheila sent Matt
-off to the sink to wash the jam from his face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We must decorate Mr. Paddy Quinn for distinguished
-service," Pat finished. So the boys with
-shouts dragged Paddy from his basket--for Paddy
-believed in an early bed-hour--and set him in the
-centre of the merry circle. Thereupon Mr. Everett
-produced a handsome collar decorated with a red,
-white and blue bow and allowed Dare to fasten it
-about the shaggy neck. Everyone laughed at the
-comical picture Paddy made in his gay decoration!
-Then a knock came at the door and in trooped Peggy
-and Keineth, trying to look as though they had not
-known what had been happening!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Everett rose with much seriousness. "And
-now that everyone is here I want to present </span><em class="italics">another</em><span>
-badge of honor, that has been left in my
-keeping!" Sheila guessed what was coming! She threw one
-wildly happy look toward her mother and then stood
-quite still, blushing. Mr. Everett drew from his
-pocket the flat tissue-paper package, unwrapped it,
-and held up the badge of the Golden Eaglet.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It gives me profound pleasure to return this to
-Miss Sheila Quinn! May she always keep and give
-to others, too, her sense of a true scout's honor! It
-is one of the strongest weapons we can carry!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>His voice was so earnest and the eyes he fixed
-on Sheila so full of sincere respect and admiration
-that the laughter in the room suddenly died. As Pat
-said afterwards: "It was just as though Sheila was
-a knight and was starting out on some crusade!"
-And Mrs. Quinn, who knew something of the
-weapons one needed to fight the battles of life,
-choked down a catch in her throat and Aunt Pen
-whispered something under her breath with a look
-that was like a caress for Sheila!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then the girls opened the door and revealed a
-tub of ice cream on the threshold; while two of
-them were lifting it out of the ice Pat brought in
-and opened a big box full of dewy-wet pink roses.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Keineth went to the piano and played so that "the
-fairies danced," and then everyone sang--Dare,
-holding tightly to one of Mr. Everett's hands, almost
-splitting his throat in his effort to express his joy!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Such</em><span> an evening!" said Mrs. Quinn as she
-closed the door behind the last guest. "And who'd
-have ever thought of it at six o'clock and you, Matty,
-with your elbow out of your sleeve! Well, well, I
-guess </span><em class="italics">those</em><span> good folks don't mind a thing like that!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Mother--look!</em><span>" Sheila had gone to the roses
-and had leaned over them to whisper good-night
-into the fragrant petals. And there, hidden among
-the leaves, she had found a small envelope addressed
-to "Miss Sheila Quinn."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She opened it quickly. "Oh, </span><em class="italics">Mumsey</em><span>!" she
-cried. For before her amazed eyes she unfolded a
-check for two hundred dollars!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And with it was just one short line.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"As a small token of appreciation for Paddy's
-services I present this to his mistress, begging her to
-do with it whatever she wants most in the world."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mumsey--the music!" Sheila ran to the piano,
-which had been scarcely touched during the long
-winter. With ecstatic fingers she ran up and down
-the scale.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And Mrs. Quinn, watching her girl with happy,
-misty eyes, seeing in the young face a look of the
-father who had gone on, and the glow of the rosy
-dreams she had used to dream in her own girlhood,
-thought it the most beautiful music in the world!</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="a-letter-from-france"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XIX</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">A LETTER FROM FRANCE</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"A letter for you, Miss Renée!" and Jasper
-laid down at Renée's elbow a square, bluish envelope
-with a foreign postmark.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>From time to time Renée and Mr. Everett had
-received cards from Renée's guardian--but this was
-a fat envelope! Aunt Pen reached eagerly for it
-and turned it over and over in her fingers. Whereupon
-Pat nodded to Renée, as much as to say: "The
-plot thickens! The mystery clears!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What fun to have it come on a nasty, rainy day
-like this!" she declared aloud. "Let's take it to the
-Eyrie and read it very slowly so's to make it last a
-</span><em class="italics">long</em><span> time!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Renée may want to read her own letter by herself,
-Pat," laughed Aunt Pen, looking as happy as
-though the letter had come straight to her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, </span><em class="italics">no</em><span>, please! Let's do what Pat says! And
-</span><em class="italics">you</em><span> read it, aloud, Aunt Pen!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So the fat envelope was carried to the Eyrie and
-Aunt Pen sat down in the one sound chair while Pat
-and Renée stretched out on the floor at her feet. And
-as Aunt Pen began to read no one minded the rain
-beating in torrents against the Eyrie windows!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My dear little girl and all her good friends,
-the Everetts," the letter began. "Because I am
-confined by an inconsiderate doctor to a very small bed in
-a very big room in what, in the sixteenth century,
-used to be a monastery and is now one of the best
-of the American base hospitals--though I wish the
-window was bigger so it could let in a little more
-sunshine to warm these ancient walls--I have time at
-last to write to you a real letter. Since I returned
-from God's country I have been continually on the
-jump. I got back to the boys just in time to fire one
-last shot at the Jerrys, though it was a waste of good
-honest steel, for they were running faster than even
-a bullet could go. After the armistice they sent us
-almost directly up to the Rhine. Somehow, now that
-I've got the time to write, and a fairly good pen,
-I can't seem to find the words that will describe to
-you just how we men felt when we knew we were
-there--at the old Rhine--the way we'd talked and
-sung about back in the training camp. Things were
-not tedious--not for a moment--and we were as
-busy as ever and constantly on the alert that Jerry
-didn't slip anything over us. And then just when
-I was getting used to the eternal rain and mud and
-the Germanness of everything--and good honest,
-sheets, too, on a regular old grandmother's feather
-bed--I was ordered back with a detachment to Le Mans.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And now, Renée, I must tell you a little story.
-It is about a poor French soldier I found in one of the
-many small villages not far from Valenciennes. We
-were going back in lorries, one had broken down and
-that held us up for a couple of hours. Some of us
-were prowling around for souvenirs. (By the way
-I am sending a German helmet to you by mail. Turn
-it upside down, fill it with earth and plant flowers in
-it--that'll redeem it.) To go back to my story--I
-happened upon a very old man digging in a strip of
-a back yard that looked the way one of our streets
-home look when they're paving it and putting sewers
-through--it was back of what had been a cottage
-only the roof and two of the walls were gone. I
-asked him for a drink and he took me to the one
-room that was whole to give me some of the wine
-which--he told me proudly--he had hidden months
-before, and there I found his very old wife and a
-young French soldier. The Frenchman would not
-talk to me at all, just stared and shrank away as
-though he was frightened. I shall never forget how
-the poor fellow looked, a bag of bones, hollowed
-eyes that burned in his white face and an empty
-sleeve. The old man told me the boy's story, then,
-and with the knowledge of French I have picked
-up I was able to put it together. He had been
-released from a German prison, he had had to walk
-back with other French prisoners, but because he had
-had his arm amputated in the prison and had had a
-long run of fever and was half starved he had
-not been able to keep up with the others and
-had dropped behind. The old peasant had found him
-lying by the road, raving in delirium. There had
-been a nasty wound on his forehead, too, as though
-back in the prison camp some Jerry had struck
-him over the head. The old couple had taken him
-in and for weeks and weeks had nursed him as best
-they could, keeping him alive with their precious
-wine. His fever had gone, the wound had healed,
-his strength had begun to slowly return, but he could
-not remember one single thing of what had
-happened nor tell who he was--that blow had wiped
-everything out of his mind! He was like a little
-child. But the shock of seeing me started
-something working in his brain; he stared and stared,
-after a little he got up his courage to feel of my
-face and of my uniform--and then of his own
-uniform--or the rags and tatters of what had been
-a good French uniform, and I think at that moment
-blessed memory began to return!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"To make a long story short I just took him along
-on the lorry to Paris and put him in a hospital there
-under expert care and now he's as sane as he ever
-was and says he can remember the German doctor
-who struck him and wants to go back and find him!
-But I told him that a higher Justice was going to
-settle all those scores and that he was going back to
-America with me--when I go. That is why I am
-telling you the story; I know your kind little heart
-that is part French will find pity and affection for this
-poor fellow who has suffered so much that little
-girls like you might go on living happy safe lives in
-a good world, and you will be kind to him when I
-bring him home with me.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Home--Renée, it seems so funny for me to think
-of a home! I used to dream of having one but I
-have found out some dreams don't come true, and
-since then I've just wandered from one country to
-another building bridges and railroads and such
-things. But I feel tired now and I think when I
-go back I'll fix over an old house I own in a little
-town up in the Adirondack mountains, and we'll go
-there and we'll be happy, or at least I promise I'll
-see that you are happy. And we'll keep the French
-soldier I've adopted as long as he will stay, won't we?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"When I was in Paris I went down and spent a
-whole day with Susette and Gabriel. They are well,
-Gabriel's rheumatism is better, and he declares it
-is the slippers you sent him--he wears them all the
-time. They are happy getting their garden ready,
-and the florists in Paris are placing more orders for
-violets than before the war. Prosperity shines in
-every wrinkle in Susette's face. She pointed out to
-me where she has hung the Stars and Stripes
-alongside of the Tri-color and told me that I must tell
-you. Your picture was in a place of honor on the
-shelf under the Madonna and there was over it a tiny
-wreath of waxed snowdrops which Susette says she
-made herself. I looked at the picture and I said
-to myself: 'Bill Allan, that big girl with the very
-nice eyes is your ward, given into your care by the
-bravest lad you ever knew--see that you live up
-to the charge with the best that's in you!' That
-was the vow I made in front of your picture, Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Some day when we've saved enough money we'll
-go back and visit Susette. But she's happy, Renée--the
-way we're all happy over here--the fighting is over!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You and I can never thank the Everetts for all
-they have done for us. I bless the Fate that brought
-that very lively Miss Pat into the Red Cross office
-for I'll admit right at that moment I didn't know
-what to do with you! I think that in a few weeks I'll
-be sent back to America and then I will try to tell
-them how grateful we are..."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The letter concluded with a brief description of
-the hospital and its beautiful, cloistered grounds
-where, long before, monks had found rest from the
-world's strife. But not one of the three listened;
-Aunt Pen's thoughts, even while her lips went on
-framing the words of the letter, were back, repeating
-over and over--"I used to dream of having a home
-but I found out some dreams can't come true!"
-and, as she finished and folded the letter, her eyes,
-staring out over the wet housetops, saw vividly again
-the college campus and the old stone bench under a
-spreading elm where she and another had talked
-about that very house in the Adirondacks!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It </span><em class="italics">is</em><span> my Will!" she murmured almost aloud.
-But for once Pat was too concerned with her own
-worry to notice her Aunt Pen's absorption!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I think it's just </span><em class="italics">mean</em><span> in him to say he's coming
-over here and take Renée away to some old place--we
-</span><em class="italics">won't</em><span> let her go!" she exploded.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A little dread of this same thing was disturbing
-Renée! Though she had in the long trip across the
-sea learned to respect and trust her new guardian,
-and, because Emile had placed her under his care,
-would always feel a strong loyalty for him, she
-shrank a little from the thought of leaving these
-kind friends and going to a strange home. Aunt
-Pen, coming with an effort back from her own
-dreams, read what was passing in both Pat's and
-Renée's minds.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let's not worry, girlies! I know everything is
-going to turn out just the way that will make
-everyone happy--when Capt. Allan returns!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Now Pat suddenly grew suspicious!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You speak </span><em class="italics">just as though</em><span> you knew something
-we didn't know, Penelope Everett! What </span><em class="italics">is</em><span> it?
-</span><em class="italics">Did</em><span> you know Renée's guardian before? You've </span><em class="italics">got</em><span>
-to tell us every thing!" And Pat, a vision in her mind
-of romance and mystery unfolded at last, knelt
-before Aunt Pen and rested her elbows upon Aunt
-Pen's knees with an air that said: "I'm ready now
-to hear the whole story!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Aunt Pen's face, rosy red, did not suggest
-the secret sorrow that Pat had liked to imagine! She
-laughingly pushed Pat away.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What an old teaser you are! Yes, this </span><em class="italics">is</em><span> the
-same Will Allan I knew! He used to tell me,
-sometimes, of the old house in the mountains which an
-aunt had left him. Then he went to South America
-to build a bridge or something! There's nothing
-more to tell!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat was visibly disappointed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, anyway, will you promise to keep him
-from separating Ren and me?" she begged.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen slipped the letter back into its envelope.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'll promise to do my best to keep him
-from--separating you--very far! If he remembers me,"
-she added with sudden alarm! Such a thought had
-not occurred to her! Now it brought a tiny droop
-in the corner of her lips. "Anyway, Pat, much as
-we love Renée we must not forget that Capt. Allan
-has the first claim, though I am sure he will be
-anxious to do whatever will make her the most
-happy! He may let Renée decide."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, that would be </span><em class="italics">dreadful</em><span>!" cried Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But the thought satisfied Pat. She stood up with
-sudden resolution. "Well, then, </span><em class="italics">I'm</em><span> going to begin
-right now teasing Renée </span><em class="italics">every minute</em><span> to choose
-us! I'm glad the letter came! Everything was so
-dull and now it's exciting again! And that poor
-Frenchman--let's go over to Peggy's, Ren, and tell
-her all about him! As if we minded rain, anyway!"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-lost-baby"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XX</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">THE LOST BABY</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Ren, you look as though you'd stepped out of
-a picture book!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée did, indeed! With odds and ends from the
-scrap-bag and the store-room upstairs she and Pat
-had put together an Alsatian costume. Pat, perched
-cross-legged in the middle of the bed with a book
-on Historical Costumes stretched across her knees,
-proclaimed her satisfaction with their handiwork
-while Renée turned and turned before the long
-mirror, stopping to spread out the full short skirt or
-perk up the enormous bow that adorned her head.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Keineth Randolph was going to give a party.
-It was to be a costume party; there was to be dancing
-as well as games; all the boys and girls of the
-Randolph's acquaintance had been invited. They always
-loved to go to the Randolph's home; the house,
-though small, seemed to have been built for the sole
-purpose of giving young people room for a good
-time; John Randolph, himself, could be as young as
-the youngest and Keineth, always good-humored,
-was a hospitable little hostess. Add real musicians,
-tucked off on the landing of the stair, a table in the
-corner of the dining-room laden with goodies dear to
-young folks, witches and goblins, lords and ladies
-of past kingdoms, monks, fairies, clowns and elves
-to make merry--well, "it will be one grand party!"
-Pat had declared.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She herself had been torn in mind as to what she
-wanted to be. She pictured herself as Jeanne d'Arc,
-glorious in silver armor and lance in hand; she
-considered Mary, Queen of Scots; then her romantic
-fancy favored Cinderella! But learning from Peggy
-that Garrett was going as the brave Powhatan, the
-Indian Chief, she promptly decided to tease Garrett
-by appearing as Pocahontas! Aunt Pen was shopping
-at that very moment trying to find the gayest
-feather duster in the city with which to decorate her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pat, I'll wear my locket!" cried Renée,
-turning from the mirror.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She ran to her drawer as she spoke and drew
-from it the little case. Pat watched her approvingly
-as she fastened the bright red band about her throat.
-It added a piquant spot of color to the quaint
-costume and the curious old locket looked as though it
-might have been fashioned by some old artisan for a
-royal lady in the days when feudal lords reigned
-over France!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's </span><em class="italics">perfect</em><span>!" Pat gave a leap over the low
-footboard of her bed to examine more closely Renée's
-entire appearance.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You're going to be the best thing there," she
-declared conclusively. "I know everyone will be
-crazy over you! </span><em class="italics">Won't</em><span> it be fun? I can't wait until
-Thursday comes! Only then it'll be over so soon!" And
-Pat sighed deeply, as millions of others have
-sighed over the rapid flight of time!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Maggie tapped at the door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There's a queer old woman downstairs a-asking
-for you, Miss Renée!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"For me?" Renée turned, startled. Then a
-sudden thought enlightened her. "It must be
-Elsbeth!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She ran quickly down the stairs to the door followed
-by Pat. It was Elsbeth, the queer old servant
-who lived with Mrs. Forrester. At sight of Renée
-she turned a face white with distress.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, Miss Renny, Miss Renny, she's took again!
-Mis' Lee sent me to fetch you! You must come!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What do you mean, Elsbeth--Mrs. Forrester?
-I'll go with you at once!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I think that's </span><em class="italics">mean</em><span>, Renée! We were going to
-plan my costume--you </span><em class="italics">know</em><span> it!" protested Pat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, </span><em class="italics">Pat</em><span>!" Renée's voice pleaded from the
-depths of the hall closet where she was hunting
-for her warm coat. "Oh, Pat--you wouldn't want
-me not to go! The poor thing!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat was a little ashamed; however she did not
-want to show it--she cast an accusing look at old
-Elsbeth as though she was to blame.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, I don't believe I'd leave you for any
-of the Kewpies, but I'll get along somehow!" and
-assuming the air of a martyr she started slowly
-back up the stairs.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'll get back as quickly as I can, truly, Patsy,
-so wait for me!" Pat paused in her ascent. "You're
-never going in </span><em class="italics">that</em><span> costume, are you?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée had completely forgotten what she had on!
-However, she only laughed and buttoned the coat
-up closely about her throat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, it won't make any difference! I'm ready,
-Elsbeth--let's hurry!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She was took last night with one of her spells
-and cried and wouldn't take her powders! And
-to-day she's still like she was dead," the old servant
-explained to Renée as they almost ran through the
-streets. They made a curious pair--the young girl's
-scarlet skirts swinging out below the coat, the gilded
-cardboard with which she had covered her slippers
-flopping about her ankles and the ends of the big
-black bow peeping out from under the soft hat she
-had clapped upon her head; Elsbeth, hobbling in her
-effort to keep up with the younger feet, her loosened
-ends of stringy gray hair flying in every direction,
-and her hands rolled in the apron she tried vainly
-to conceal under the short, shabby jacket she wore.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The Lord sent Mis' Lee," she gasped, panting
-for breath, "and she sez--go fetch Miss Renny!
-An' I come!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She'll be better, I know, with Mrs. Lee there!
-Don't worry, Elsbeth," and Renée, heedless of the
-panting breath beside her, quickened her pace so that
-in a very few minutes she was tapping at the door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Lee opened it and drew Renée into the dingy
-parlor. She went to one of the windows and raised
-the shade to the very top, letting in a flood of warm
-sunshine. Then she whispered to Renée:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The doctor is with her now. It is the first time
-since I have known her that we could get her to see
-a doctor! Take off your coat, my dear! Oh----"
-she stared for a moment, puzzled, then laughed:
-"you were trying on your costume for Keineth's
-party! You are a picture, my dear!" She hesitated,
-as though something in Renée's face suddenly held
-her attention.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Just for a moment you made me think of
-someone, but I can't tell who! Perhaps it is that you
-so thoroughly look the part of a little Maid of
-Alsace! I thought, while we were waiting, I might
-tell you a little more of poor Mrs. Forrester's story.
-Then you will understand why she suffers as she
-does! She was not always alone as she is now--she
-once had a beautiful young daughter----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh," broke in Renée, excitedly, "was that the lost baby?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, though she was twenty years old! Now
-the mother always thinks of her as a baby."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Did she die?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No--to Mrs. Forrester then it was worse than
-death. The two of them seemed to have been quite
-alone in the world; the mother cared for nothing
-but the little girl. Every luxury that money could
-buy she heaped upon her with a lavish hand. One
-might think that the child would have been dreadfully
-spoiled but those who knew them say she was sweet
-and gentle, pretty as a flower. When she was a little
-older the mother took her away--she must have the
-best schooling that money could obtain. They
-traveled a great deal, too. And all the while, as the
-young girl grew toward womanhood, the proud
-mother was building plans for the wonderful future
-her child must have! I do not know of just what
-greatness she dreamed--whether it was of some
-Duchess Somebody or even a prince's title--I only
-know that she held money and high social position
-as the greatest gifts with which a Kindly Providence
-could endow her flower and lost sight of what makes
-real happiness in this world!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It sounds like a fairy tale, my dear! While the
-proud mother was dreaming her golden dreams, the
-young girl met and fell in love with a poor artist--a
-boy, for he was only twenty-two, whose family was
-quite unknown and who had nothing in the wide
-world but a profound belief in his own great talent.
-The young girl went proudly and joyously with him
-to the mother to tell of their happiness. The mother
-would only believe that the boy was an adventurer--a
-fortune seeker; she saw an end to the plans of her
-whole lifetime, an obscure future for the girl she had
-so carefully educated. She sent the young man away
-and forbade his communicating in any way with her
-daughter. For weeks the girl pleaded vainly, the
-mother would not listen; in a fury of disappointment
-she even locked her for days in her room, thinking
-to break the young will! But there is an old saying
-that true love will find a way--the day came when
-the young girl slipped away, joined her lover and
-a few hours later returned to tell the mother that
-they had been married. Then it was that anger and
-baffled pride drove out all love and justice from the
-mother's heart; heaping curses upon the frightened
-girl she drove her from her, bidding her never cross
-her path again! The girl and boy went away and
-from that day to this the unhappy woman has never
-laid eyes upon them. Her rage brought about a spell
-not unlike what she is having now; for days and
-days she lay in her bed refusing to let anyone near
-her. Then, finally, as the weeks grew into months,
-slowly into her heart crept the realization of what
-she had done. Remorse began eating at her soul.
-She tried vainly to find some trace of the daughter;
-with only Elsbeth she wandered for month after
-month over every country of the globe, seeking
-everywhere! She spent almost a fortune on her search.
-But there was never a sign. It was as if the world
-had swallowed them. And, finally, broken by her
-sorrow, unhappy and discouraged, without any
-friends and with only a little of her former wealth
-left, she came back to this city and to this old house.
-It looked then just the way it does now. She threw
-out anything in it that might make it even a little
-cheerful and then settled down to die! But life,
-cruelly enough, has hung on and on! I have learned
-her story from things she has told me; for some
-strange reason she has seemed to want to confide in
-me. And Elsbeth, too, has sometimes softened a
-little and talked about the old days! That is her
-sad story, my dear! I know, now, how tender you
-will always be with her and I have often thought
-that perhaps you may remind her--a little--of the--lost
-baby, because you are young and like a flower, too!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Two bright spots of color burned in Renée's
-cheeks. To herself she was saying: "</span><em class="italics">Wait</em><span> until I
-tell Pat!" The thrill of the secret of the lost baby
-held her more than any sympathy for the old lady;
-perhaps deep in her heart some sense of justice told
-her that the proud mother had had just the
-punishment she deserved.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Lee had turned toward the door. "The
-doctor is going! Wait here, Renée, until I call you.
-He may have some directions to give."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée looked about the room. What a horrible
-place! Even the gold of the sunlight dimmed to a
-cold lustre as it lay across the dusty surface of the
-shabby furniture! Everything was so unspeakably
-ugly and so still! She suddenly felt very lonely.
-A moment's wild impulse tempted her to run back
-to Pat as fast as her feet could fly! They had been
-having such fun fixing the costumes; the
-pink-curtained room had been so cheery, Peter Pan had been
-singing so lustily--why should she stay here?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Except for the low murmur of voices from the
-hall where Mrs. Lee was talking to the doctor, the
-only sound to break the awful stillness was the loud
-ticking of old Elsbeth's clock in the kitchen. It
-had a mournfully resentful tick as much as to say
-to its unhappy listeners: "No matter how wretched
-you feel, I go on--I go on--I go on!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The door going into the room where Mrs. Forrester
-lay was closed. As she thought of crossing
-its threshold little Renée shuddered. A fear she
-could not explain gripped her! After all, she was
-only a little girl; she had never seen anyone
-suffer--except Gabriel when he was tortured with his
-rheumatism; she had never seen anyone die--her own
-dear mother had seemed to just go to sleep! And
-what if Mrs. Forrester should die? If she wanted
-to go back home, surely Mrs. Lee would let her go!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And then, as she waited, bits of the story
-Mrs. Lee had told her flashed back across her thoughts
-and held her. Now her sympathy was not so much
-for the girl bride as for the poor, lonely mother,
-wandering broken-hearted, over the world!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The poor thing!" she said aloud, and then
-jumped at the sound of her own voice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A door closed behind the doctor; Mrs. Lee came
-into the room.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She is quiet now. The doctor says there is no
-danger. It is all her nerves. Only--women her
-age can't indulge in hysterics without serious results!
-What a picture you are in all this gloom, child! It's
-a strange coincidence that you should have had this
-dress on! Perhaps it will rouse her."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Somehow, now, Renée did not feel a bit like
-asking to go home. She was not even very much
-afraid. With Mrs. Lee she stepped softly down the
-dim hall toward the closed door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Anything, Renée, that will make her forget
-herself will help her," whispered Mrs. Lee. "Tell
-her about Keineth's party--anything!" They
-walked into the room. The doctor had raised one
-of the cracked shades so that the sun was slanting
-in. Mrs. Lee had put some extra pillows under the
-patient's head; she was half-sitting, a pathetically
-little figure in the great ugly bed. Her face was
-turned toward the wall. She lay perfectly still;
-Renée might have thought that, like her mother, she
-was sleeping, except that her thin fingers twitched at
-the edge of the bedspread.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I have brought Renée," Mrs. Lee said softly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There was no answer.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Perhaps you would like to have her stay with
-you for a little while!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh--go away--</span><em class="italics">all</em><span> of you!" came pettishly.
-"Can't you let an old woman die in peace? Will
-it ever come?" she moaned into her pillow.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée felt so indignant that anyone should be
-praying like this to die that she stepped to the side
-of the bed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But the doctor says you are </span><em class="italics">not</em><span> going to die,"
-she answered quickly, with a stubborn note in her
-sweet voice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The moment she had spoken she was very frightened
-but she could not have said anything that would
-have so quickly roused the old lady. It roused her
-because it angered her; she jerked her head around.
-However, what she might have retorted in answer
-was checked by her utter amazement at seeing the
-strange, quaint little figure by her bedside.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Who are you?" she demanded angrily. "Who
-let you in here?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The child stepped closer. "I'm Renée!" she
-answered gently.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You that little Renée? Come here!" Mrs. Forrester
-commanded stretching out a thin hand.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée stepped close to the head of the bed and
-leaned over. Mrs. Forrester touched her cheek and
-her hair.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"So it is! So it is!" and her voice softened.
-Then a gleam of sunlight from the unshaded window
-struck across the curious old locket. Suddenly the
-sick woman sat bolt upright in bed and clutched
-with both hands at the red band.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">That--that----</em><span>" she screamed. "Where did
-you get it?" She tore at the velvet band until it
-hurt Renée cruelly. Her voice rose to a shriek.
-"</span><em class="italics">It is hers! My baby!</em><span>"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As her fingers fumbled over the face of the locket
-a part of it suddenly opened and from a hiding place
-within dropped a tiny gold key! The old lady cried
-loudly and held it up.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">I knew it! I knew it!</em><span>" Then she sank back
-among the pillows, turned slowly to Renée and
-whispered hoarsely:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But who are you?"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="renee-s-box"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XXI</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">RENÉE'S BOX</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Who are you?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Of course they all thought Mrs. Forrester was
-having a spell! Renée was terribly frightened--the
-more so because now one of the thin hands was
-gripping her arm so that it hurt.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Elsbeth, more wild and disheveled than ever,
-pushed at Renée and leaned over the bed, a tumbler
-in one hand, some powders in the other.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mis' Forrester! </span><em class="italics">Please</em><span>, Mis' Forrester!" she
-pleaded, tears running down her wrinkled cheeks.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Mrs. Forrester struck angrily at the hand
-holding the powders and sent them in a tiny cloud of
-dust all over the covers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Go away, you old fool!" she cried, "can't you
-see I've found my baby? No one else anywhere in
-the world had a locket like that!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Lee suddenly remembered who it was that
-Renée had looked like! It was the faded picture
-Elsbeth had once shown her of the young daughter
-of Mrs. Forrester! She stepped forward now and
-answered for Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She is Renée LaDue, but I think--I believe--she
-</span><em class="italics">must</em><span> be your grandchild!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Forrester was sitting bolt upright and the
-pillows had fallen all about her. Two bright spots
-of red burned on her cheeks and her eyes, as they
-stared through and through Renée, were alight with
-life. She was a different creature from the one who
-had lain limply on the ugly bed, her face turned
-toward the wall! Only her voice still sounded weak
-and shrill.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Your mother--answer, child!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then, more than anything else in the world,
-Renée wanted to run away! But the hand on her
-arm held her tight. And, too, who was this old
-lady who had known that the key was in the locket
-when she and Emile had not known it?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My mother's name was Amy----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My baby!" Now the old lady sank back among
-the pillows; she commenced to sob--dry, heart-breaking
-sobs, "My baby! You are her little girl!
-I have found her!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And then a strange thing happened! For suddenly
-Renée lost all her fear and over her swept a joy
-that she had found someone--someone to really, truly
-belong to! So very shyly she reached out and took
-one of the thin hands in her own.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Lee gently told the old woman as much of
-Renée as she knew; how the mother had died five
-years before, how she had made the brother promise
-to some day bring the little girl back to America to
-live, how the brother had given his life for France,
-the country of his mother's adoption, and an American
-officer had fulfilled the promise. As she listened
-Mrs. Forrester kept her eyes fastened on Renée's
-face and Renée held tightly to the trembling hand.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When Mrs. Lee had finished Mrs. Forrester lay
-still for a long time. Then she said softly: "God
-has been good to a wicked old woman because my
-flower had gone to Heaven and pleaded for me! I
-am forgiven." And she closed her eyes as though
-at last a peace of soul had come upon her!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Is--is the key--a key to a box?" Renée asked.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Her grandmother roused suddenly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes--yes! A leather box--have you got it?
-My grandmother gave it to my darling--with the
-locket--when she was fifteen."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My mother gave it to Emile just before--she
-died! She never told him about the key but she
-made him promise to let no one break it open. And
-of course we never would!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Shall I go and get it?" asked Mrs. Lee. She
-felt that for a little while it might be better to leave
-the old lady and the child alone. Renée made a move
-as though to go, too, but Mrs. Lee motioned her back.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Aunt Pen will tell me where I can find it! You
-stay here, my dear," and she hurried away.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Elsbeth had been watching the unusual happenings
-with a suspicious, jealous eye. She loved her
-strange old mistress better than anything on earth;
-she resented these strangers usurping her place!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Missus had best lay down now and keep quiet,"
-she said, coming forward with an authoritative air.
-"If ye'll jes' take a powder----" But she got no
-further; Mrs. Forrester burst into a laugh! And
-Elsbeth was so startled that her knees knocked
-together, for, not for many years, had she heard her
-mistress laugh--and such a laugh!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Elsbeth, stupid, can't you see I'm a well woman?
-That I am happy again? None of your powders
-any more! Go about your business--ransack your
-pantry and find some food for my pretty one here!
-My flower--my baby!" And with a look that transformed
-her thin face she lifted her arms and closed
-them about little Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Tell me," she whispered, as though it must be
-a secret between them, "was she ever unhappy?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée answered very slowly because she was
-thinking very hard. She tried to make the mother
-know that her own dear mother had been always
-cheerful, always singing and telling beautiful stories
-and playing with her among the flowers--and was
-only unhappy when Emile brought out the father's
-tools.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That was because he had been blind, and I heard
-her tell Emile once that his heart had broken because
-he could not do his work! For a long time she
-guided his fingers for him! She herself used to take
-the things they made to Paris to sell, and, when she
-couldn't sell them, she and Susette used to hide them
-so he couldn't know--Susette told me all that! I
-think we were very, very poor, but my mother
-always seemed happy. She used to sew sometimes,
-until she was very tired. We never had anything but
-the flowers to play with and the games she used to
-make up. And she always talked of the time when
-she would bring us both to America! 'It was my
-country and it must be yours,' she used to tell us
-over and over!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Did she--did she--ever tell you--about me?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée hesitated. She knew that what she must
-say would hurt the old lady deeply. But before she
-could speak Mrs. Forrester answered herself.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Of course she would not! I had forbidden it!"
-and in her voice was the bitterness of remorse.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Renée told her of the cottage at St. Cloud
-where, since as far back as she could remember, they
-had lived with Susette and Gabriel. She told, too,
-of Emile and the days when he had gone to Paris to
-study with an old sculptor, and how bravely he had
-gone away to war with a company from St. Cloud!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Forrester pushed Renée's hair back and
-looked intently at her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I can see it now! You are like her--a little!
-But your eyes are like--your father's."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There were voices in the hall and in a moment
-Mrs. Lee and Aunt Pen walked into the room. Aunt
-Pen was greatly excited and came straight to Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I am so glad, my dear," she whispered.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But no one had eyes for anything but the queer
-old box which Mrs. Lee had placed upon the bed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"How old it looks," sighed Mrs. Forrester,
-caressing for a moment the worn leather. Her fingers
-trembled so that she could not hold the tiny key and
-it was Renée who fitted it into the lock and turned
-it. It turned slowly and the lid fell back, revealing
-packages of papers and letters, tied neatly together.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Although not knowing exactly what she had
-always imagined was in the box, Renée was vaguely
-disappointed! But Mrs. Forrester fell to eagerly
-sorting over the packages. Lying loose among them
-was a folded sheet, addressed to herself.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Her writing!" she cried, holding it close to
-her eyes. "Read it for me--I cannot."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Dearest of mothers," Renée read. The writing
-showed that the letter had been written under stress
-of deep emotion. "It was only because he needed
-me so much, for the doctors had told him his eyesight
-was slowly going, that I could hurt you by acting
-against your wishes. And sometime you may know
-that I have always loved you dearly and that I
-forgive you as I pray you will forgive me."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, my darling," and a flood of tears dropped
-on the sheet of paper. "It is as though she was
-speaking to me!" she whispered, kissing the lines.
-And indeed a great stillness held the room as though
-each of those in it felt, too, the spirit of Renée's
-young mother among them!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Forrester, her eyes still dim with tears,
-spread out the other papers and she and Mrs. Lee
-and Aunt Pen fell to examining them, while Renée
-watched, feeling as though it was all a dream.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They found an old journal whose contents
-explained how John LaDue, who before his
-marriage with Amy Forrester had been John Tellers,
-had gone with his young bride to Paris where they
-had taken the name of LaDue. Living as they did
-in simple obscurity, and because John Tellers had
-been born and brought up among the French-speaking
-people of New Orleans, it was very easy for them
-to pass as a young French sculptor and his wife.
-And the friends they made were other young artists,
-struggling along like themselves, who could know
-nothing about the proud, unhappy woman who was
-traveling all over the world, seeking her daughter!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The journal stopped abruptly at the record of
-Renée's birth. Renée remembered Susette telling her
-that it was when she had been a tiny baby that her
-father had become totally blind and they had moved
-to St. Cloud that he might have the benefit of the
-pure air and the sunshine.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen discovered a package of papers that
-proved to be United States government bonds. They
-had been given to Renée's mother on her twentieth
-birthday, six months before her marriage. They
-had not been touched. Penelope exclaimed:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A small fortune! And they are Renée's!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Many thoughts were shaping in poor Renée's
-sadly bewildered little head. She had now, what
-Peggy always called "folks"--a grandmother and
-Elsbeth; even though it was an ugly old house she'd
-have a real, real home all of her own! She would
-</span><em class="italics">not</em><span> have to go to the mountain place with her
-guardian and the strange French soldier! And yet that
-disturbed her a little. Emile had, in a way, given
-her into the guardian's keeping and not to a strange
-old woman! So, even though belonging to so many,
-Renée felt torn and unhappy. And she looked almost
-scornfully at the packet which Aunt Pen held up as
-though precious--how </span><em class="italics">could</em><span> just plain papers like
-that be a fortune!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Forrester, who looked less and less like a
-sick woman, commenced to slowly gather up the
-papers and place them back neatly in the leather box.
-When she shut down the lid she turned to Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I thank God that He has shown me His mercy!
-I have not deserved to find my darling. But I have
-been punished! No one knows how I have suffered!
-And maybe, even now, I am not fit to have you. I
-am an ugly old woman who has cast everything
-beautiful out of her life! Perhaps I have no right to
-keep you! You have good friends--go back to
-them, only keep in your heart a kind thought for an
-old woman----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, I'll </span><em class="italics">stay</em><span>--I'd rather!" and Renée was quite
-startled that she could decide so quickly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You mean it? Oh, my baby--my pretty
-flower!" Then a sudden resolution lighted the old
-woman's face. "It will be as though that motherhood
-I sacrificed by my wicked pride was given back
-to me! Oh, I </span><em class="italics">know</em><span> how wicked and wrong I was
-and how I wanted for my precious one only the
-things that my own pride clamored for! But you
-shall not stay now--my pretty flower would wither
-and fade in these ugly walls. I am well, again--and
-Elsbeth and I will clean out this place! It shall be
-made bright and pretty for my little one! You must
-go now, back with your good friends, then after a
-little----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Every one thought that was best. Elsbeth came
-in with a tray of sandwiches and some cocoa. Every
-one was hungry because the dinner hour was long
-past and, in the excitement, had been forgotten. And
-as they ate, Mrs. Forrester, like a new creature, began
-energetically to give Elsbeth orders as to what she
-must do on the morrow to begin the work of transforming
-the ugly old house into a beautiful home for
-her "pretty flower."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then, one by one, they said good-night to
-Mrs. Forrester, and Renée, leaning over, kissed her and
-whispered shyly:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Good-night, grandmother! Very soon I will
-come back--to stay."</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="surprises"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XXII</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">SURPRISES</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Dinner is served, Miss Pat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Why, Aunt Pen and Renée are not here," cried
-Pat, looking up from a book.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Miss Everett said that dinner should not wait!
-It is a quarter past seven."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But my father----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mr. Everett is dining out."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, I never!" Pat threw down her book
-crossly. Drawing herself to her full height, she
-stalked down the length of the room on into the
-dining-room, where, at the end of the long table,
-alight with the sparkle of silver, glass and china,
-one lonely place had been set.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She wanted very much to throw a plate at Jasper
-who was biting his lip to keep from laughing at her
-aggrieved air. Instead she tossed her head higher
-and, in her haughtiest manner, ordered:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Jasper, will you see at once what Melodia has
-made for dessert and, </span><em class="italics">whatever</em><span> it is, tell her that I
-want two extra big helpings!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">So there!</em><span>" she muttered to his retreating back
-and felt much better!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat had really had a very bad afternoon. She
-had not liked one bit having Renée rush away in the
-midst of all their fun fixing their costumes! She
-had helped Renée and Renée had left her to fix
-her own. She had felt decidedly aggrieved. Of
-course she was sorry for the sick old lady, but didn't
-Renée love her more than anyone else? Or didn't she?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When a little girl begins to ponder in such a
-fashion she can soon work herself into a sad state
-of blues. That was what Pat did! So that when
-Aunt Pen returned with a feather duster made of
-the biggest, brightest feathers that had ever grown
-to grace a young Indian princess, Pat didn't care
-whether or not she even went to Keineth's party!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then the climax of her unhappiness was reached
-after Mrs. Lee rushed in with the story of the locket
-and the key. Aunt Pen and Pat had listened with
-eyes wide with astonishment.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, it's </span><em class="italics">just</em><span> like a fairy story!" Pat had cried.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Dear Renée! It will mean a home of her own
-for the child! I will get the box at once."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat was startled--a home of Renée's own! She
-had felt that they might coax the soldier-guardian to
-leave Renée with them forever and ever, but here
-was a new and much stronger claim! A real
-grandmother--even if it was a terrible old lady who had
-had a mystery!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen came back wearing her coat and hat.
-Pat jumped to her feet.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Wait for me, Aunt Pen!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, no, my dear! Too many of us may embarrass
-Mrs. Forrester! You must stay here."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"As if </span><em class="italics">I</em><span> hadn't found Renée in the first place,"
-thought Pat resentfully as they went away.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Even the thought that the mystery of the "lost
-baby" had been solved--and solved in such an
-amazing way, brought no comfort--rather a sense of
-envy! All the others had had </span><em class="italics">such</em><span> exciting things
-happen to them! Sheila had had the lost formulas.
-And now Renée had the excitement of finding a
-grandmother! Nothing at all ever happened to her!
-To console herself she scornfully tore to bits the
-first four chapters of her story. She'd never try to
-be a famous author--she'd just grow up and do
-silly things like Celia always did--they were fun,
-anyway! And Aunt Pen and Renée, when they
-realized that she was never, never going to write any
-more stories, would feel </span><em class="italics">very</em><span> sorry!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>That was Pat's state of mind when she sat down
-to eat her lonely dinner.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then the doorbell rang. Pat heard a man's voice
-talking to Jasper. She heard Jasper step toward the
-library. She was immensely curious--for even a
-very unhappy person can be curious! Daddy was
-not at home--it was too early in the evening for
-callers--who could it be? She pushed her chair back
-and tip-toed toward the hall.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>An hour later Aunt Pen and Renée, returning
-home, were met at the door by a wildly-excited Pat.
-Her blues had disappeared like magic--the expression
-of her face, every motion of her body indicated
-that she had a secret! She held her fingers to her
-lips to forbid a sound. Then seizing them both by
-the elbows she whispered into their amazed ears:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, the </span><em class="italics">bestest, grandest</em><span> surprise you ever, </span><em class="italics">ever</em><span>
-knew!" And Pat danced up and down and giggled
-deep in her throat to make them know that
-grandmothers and lost babies were as nothing compared
-to the surprise she had for them within the house!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Pat Everett, are you </span><em class="italics">crazy</em><span>?" whispered Aunt
-Pen back. "Aren't you going to let us in?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Of course!" answered Pat with importance.
-"You may walk in and go at </span><em class="italics">once</em><span> into the library!
-But you must shut your eyes </span><em class="italics">tight</em><span> and promise not
-to peek until I count----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's your mother!" declared Penelope, eagerly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Nopey--it's a bigger surprise than that! No
-fair guessing, only you couldn't anyway! Now come
-in and shut your eyes!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So they had to do just what Pat told them to do!
-And Pat, happier than she had ever been in her life,
-dancing rather than stepping, led them into the
-library. She had no chance to count--a sudden,
-quick exclamation made them both open their eyes!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For some one had said: "Pen--Everett!" But
-Renée's sharp cry drowned out the sound. She saw,
-standing a little behind Capt. Allan, thin in his shabby
-French uniform, the empty sleeve pinned to his tunic,
-Emile--her beloved Emile!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In an instant she was in the tight clasp of his
-arm--they were both crying--poor little Renée's
-heart could stand no more! And as she clung to
-him her fingers were feeling across his face and
-through his hair and over the cloth of his uniform
-as though to tell her it was </span><em class="italics">not</em><span> a dream but </span><em class="italics">true</em><span>!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat was so happy for Renée that she found her
-own eyes wet and turned away to keep back the tears.
-And there was Aunt Pen, the color of a red poppy,
-slipping out of Capt. Allan's arm!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I might have known, Miss Pat, that you and I
-were old friends--because I used to think I had a
-sort of solid claim on this aunt of yours--only I
-didn't know she was your aunt!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With a triumphant look Pat tried to tell Aunt
-Pen that she had guessed it all a long time ago but
-Aunt Pen, as radiant as a school girl, was beaming
-upon Capt. Allan and Capt. Allan was shaking Pat's
-hands as though he had to do something violent.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Aunt Pen went to Renée and kissed Emile--for,
-in spite of the deep lines that his suffering had
-carved on his face--he looked like a boy!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is just as though God was working miracles,"
-she whispered to Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There was so much to tell that no one knew
-just where to begin! They all knew, now, that
-Capt. Allan's French soldier, whom he had found in the
-old peasant's cottage, was Emile. Then Emile, still
-holding Renée in the circle of his arm as though
-he could not bear to let her go for one little moment,
-told how he and the private who had been left by the
-scouting party, had had to separate in order to get
-back to their line.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I had a presentiment that I was going to be
-killed--I gave him my wallet with all my papers and
-the sketches I had made. That was why they thought
-it was I who had been killed!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>No one wanted to spoil the joy of the evening
-by asking Emile to tell of his experiences in the
-German prison. It was enough that he was there
-with Renée once more--in America! Everyone's
-eyes were very bright and every now and then everyone
-was very still, as though the happiness was too
-great to be spoken in mere words!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Mr. Everett came in and the surprise was a
-surprise all over again, and Pat, because it had been
-her surprise, was allowed to tell him all about it.
-He shook hands very warmly with Capt. Allan and
-Emile, and laid his arm tenderly over the boy's
-shoulder as though to express things he could not say!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They laughed at Capt. Allan because they caught
-him so often staring at Renée!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What </span><em class="italics">have</em><span> you done to her? It's hard to
-believe she's the same little girl I picked up at
-St. Cloud!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It's Penelope's work," answered Mr. Everett;
-"she's been doing some experimenting!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée, indeed, was a different child. She had
-grown taller, sturdier, her face had lost its delicacy
-of line and color; now she had, too, in her step and
-look the spirit and vigor that only healthy, happy
-living can give.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Suddenly Aunt Pen exclaimed: "Goodness me,
-Renée, we've forgotten to tell about----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">The Lost Baby!</em><span>" cried Pat</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So there were new surprises all around! It
-seemed more like a fairy story than ever--to find,
-in a few hours, a grandmother and a brother! Emile
-was deeply interested; he listened gravely. He knew
-perhaps more of his mother's sacrifices and hardships
-than Renée had known; for a moment, deep in his
-heart, he found it hard to feel kindly toward the
-proud woman who had made his mother unhappy.
-Then as Aunt Pen described her lonely life in the
-old house, the dreary days shut in with her grief and
-her remorse, just as Renée had, he felt a wave of
-tenderness.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She is going to begin right away making the
-old house bright and pretty and nice to live in!
-And think how happy she'll be to know Emile has
-come back!" cried Renée.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, it looks as though </span><em class="italics">I</em><span> was the one who had
-lost out all around," broke in Capt. Allan, although
-he did not look one bit unhappy as he said it. In fact,
-his eyes were fastened on Aunt Pen's face with a sort
-of eager questioning in them that kept the blushes
-coming and going on her cheeks. "I thought I had
-gotten together a nice little family! However, I shall
-go on with my plan of fixing up that old place in the
-mountains and maybe, sometime, I can induce my
-ward and her brother and her grandmother to make
-a poor, lonely ex-guardian a visit!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And me!" put in Pat, eagerly, for she was
-certain he was in earnest.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And me!" laughed Aunt Pen with a look that
-seemed to flash back an answer to Capt. Allan.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I think you girlies had better go to
-bed!" Mr. Everett had noticed that Renée's eyes were
-looking very tired. She had had a most exciting
-day. And on the morrow she must go again to the
-grandmother's with Emile.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat consented to go to bed only when Capt. Allan
-and Emile promised to spend the night with them!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She and Renée whispered together for a long
-time. Pat must hear just how Renée felt the moment
-she knew the cross old lady was her </span><em class="italics">very own</em><span> grandmother!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I don't believe she'll be cross when she's happy,"
-confided Renée. "She laughed and it sounded real
-jolly! And even Elsbeth looked different after that."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And wasn't it </span><em class="italics">wonderful</em><span> to have a brother come back?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I don't mind his losing his arm," Renée whispered,
-"for I love him so much I want to do things
-for him and now he'll have to let me!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Long after Renée had fallen asleep Pat lay wide
-awake. There was so much to think about she was
-sure she could not ever shut her eyes again. And
-she could hear the steady murmur of voices
-downstairs--she wished she knew what they were talking
-about! Then a queer little disturbing thought
-commenced to eat at her heart. Renée, alone in the
-world, had been very close to her. She had seemed
-to feel that, because she had found Renée, Renée
-belonged to her--was something even closer than a
-friend or a sister! And now Renée had suddenly
-acquired a family and a home! As the tiny thought
-grew bigger and bigger and into a real Fear she sat
-up very straight and leaning across to Renée's bed,
-shook her violently.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Ren! Ren!" and her voice rang tragically.
-"Promise me, on your scout's honor, that you'll
-</span><em class="italics">always</em><span> love me more'n--everybody--except Emile!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée thought she was dreaming but she promised
-sleepily.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Of course--I'll love you--more'n everybody--'cept
-Emile--on my scout's honor!" and just as, on
-that other night, months before, when Aunt Pen had
-tip-toed into their room to see that the little stranger
-was comfortable, they fell asleep, clasping hands.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-best-of-all"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XXIII</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">THE BEST OF ALL</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>To Pat it seemed as though everything exciting
-was happening at once! For the next morning's
-mail brought a letter from Mother saying that she
-and Celia would start north in a day or two.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat and Renée had wakened very early. The
-first thought in each mind was to know if it was all
-true--that Emile had come back--or was it a dream?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Outside of their window a friendly robin was
-trilling a gay song as though the joy of the spring-time
-was bursting his proud little throat. Through
-the window the sun shone with added brightness and
-warmth and delicious earthy smells greeted the girls.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, isn't it just </span><em class="italics">grand</em><span> to be alive? Let's dress
-fast and be the first ones down!" And Pat, because
-the sun and the birds and the spring freshness made
-her very happy, also burst into a gay snatch of song.
-Aunt Pen and Capt. Allan were late for breakfast.
-When the others had almost finished they came in
-from a brisk walk through the park, with red cheeks
-and amazing appetites.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen, dropping into the chair next to Pat,
-slipped a roll of paper into her hand and whispered:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There's something that belongs to you, Patsy!
-I'm ashamed that I didn't return it before. But now
-you can write the last verse!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat, immensely curious, peeped at the paper. It
-was the lost ballad! And what </span><em class="italics">did</em><span> Aunt Pen mean
-about the last verse? Both Aunt Pen and Capt. Allan
-were looking at her with eyes full of laughter.
-Pat felt her color creeping to her eyebrows and
-crushed the innocent verses in her hand. But Aunt
-Pen checked her rising indignation.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Patsy, dear, I found 'The Secret Sorrow' on
-the floor of the library one night after we had had a
-pow-wow. I recognized the heroine--by a guilty
-conscience, I guess--my hair is not exactly 'of raven
-hue' or my eyes 'pellucid blue'! But I loved it, my
-dear, and I tucked it away, for I couldn't bear to
-have you write the sad ending that was coming!
-</span><em class="italics">What</em><span> if you had made her thrust a steel dagger into
-her breast! Or have had her leap from one of those
-mighty crags over which the knight, her brother
-hunted!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Capt. Allan had been furiously scribbling some
-words on the back of an envelope. Now he looked
-up, very seriously.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Will you forgive Aunt Pen if I write the last
-verse for you?" he asked, and then, not waiting for
-an answer, read with dramatic emphasis:</span></p>
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"Back came the lover, wise and bold,</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>To snatch his lady, grown cross and old,</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>To a mountain cave he'll carry his prey,</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>And there they'll be happy for ever and aye!"</span></div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Everyone laughed at Pat's disgust.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">I</em><span> think that's very silly and Aunt Pen </span><em class="italics">isn't</em><span>
-cross and old a bit and----" she stopped suddenly.
-"Do you mean that's </span><em class="italics">true</em><span>?" she demanded.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was Aunt Pen now who grew very red. But
-she nodded and turned toward her brother.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">We</em><span> have a surprise! A long time ago Will
-and I were engaged--my last year in college! Then
-we let foolish things come between us and we have
-lost a good many years of happiness, but----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now we're going to make up for it!" put in
-Capt. Allan. "And I won't be lonely in that place
-in the mountains, after all!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, Aunt Pen, I'm so glad!" and Pat threw
-two strong young arms around Penelope's neck.
-Everyone talked at once. Renée, looking at Emile
-and then at the other happy faces about her, thought
-that all the joy in the world must have crowded there
-within the four walls of the sunny dining-room!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It'll be just as though we were really related,"
-she put in, shyly. "For I'll always feel that
-Capt. Allan </span><em class="italics">is</em><span> my guardian and Emile belongs to me and
-Pat belongs to Aunt Pen!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Don't leave </span><em class="italics">me</em><span> out, Mouse!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, no!" and Renée's contrition was tragic.
-"For you are the very best man in the world and
-belong to all of us!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat, who had been performing a sort of ceremonial
-dance among them all, stopped in dismay.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, Aunt Pen, </span><em class="italics">what</em><span> about school?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then you will be sorry to lose your teacher,
-Patsy? But it is almost the first of May and with a
-little home study you girls can get along. Anyway,
-mother will be here to decide what is best."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat's face was serious.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I am glad mother's coming home! And Celia,
-too! But I </span><em class="italics">have</em><span> loved our school, Aunt Pen! You've
-made me just like to study all sorts of things! When
-mother comes I'm going to tease her to let us go
-next fall to the Lincoln school with Peggy and
-Sheila and the other girls--and then go to college."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aunt Pen nodded toward Pat's father. Pat, of
-course, didn't know that she was trying to say:
-"There--</span><em class="italics">that's</em><span> a real girl talking--who wants to be
-of some service, some day, in this world!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Pat insisted that Capt. Allan tell them more
-about the old house in the Adirondacks.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Somehow, I can't imagine him keeping you up
-there very long, Penelope," laughed her brother.
-"He doesn't know you as well as I do!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Capt. Allan described to them the old rambling
-house built half way up the wooded slope of Cobble
-Mountain. From its many windows, he remembered,
-a wonderful view could be had of a sweep of valley,
-river and surrounding slopes.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Will has promised me that I may go on with
-all my experiments and fads just the same! There'll
-be lots of room there!" she retorted to her brother.
-"And some day I shall turn Cobble House into a
-school for girls."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Like </span><em class="italics">our</em><span> school, Aunt Pen?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, and I hope that all my girls there will
-work as faithfully as you have, Pat!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And I'll be the man-of-all-work around the
-place and chief executioner, when you need one!"
-declared Capt. Allan, mischievously.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Everett shook hands gravely with his sister.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"All I say is success to you--my dear, whatever
-you try to do!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There seemed to be so much to talk about that no
-one wanted to break up the little circle. However,
-the hands of the old clock over the fireplace were
-climbing rapidly toward noon and Renée was eager
-to take Emile to the grandmother's. Pat begged to
-go, too. As they started away, Renée holding tightly
-to Emile's hand, Aunt Pen, watching the boy, wiped
-a suspicion of a tear from her eye.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Capt. Allan saw it and answered the thought that
-was in her mind.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"He's a brave boy and has a strong will--he'll
-learn to do his work with his one arm! But before
-anything else he must stay in the open until he has
-built up his strength and wiped from his mind
-forever the horror of all he has gone through!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The old stone house did not look at all ugly and
-gloomy in the bright morning sunshine! And for
-Renée and Emile it took on a new interest--it was
-to be their home! There were signs of life, too,
-about the place. The windows had been opened
-and from the back of the house came sounds of
-vigorous beating. As they walked slowly up the
-brick path Renée suddenly darted in among the wild
-honeysuckle growing close on either side of the door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Emile--</span><em class="italics">see</em><span>! A daffodil!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There it was--lifting its bright head through
-the tangle of undergrowth as though it knew that
-sunshine and happiness had come to the neglected
-home! And there were more, too, and Renée, hunting
-eagerly, found hundreds of tiny blades of bright
-green grass and beyond a rose vine climbing toward
-the old stone wall.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, it </span><em class="italics">is</em><span> going to be nice!" she cried to Emile.
-"We can have a garden like Susette's."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Emile, with the soul of an artist, was already
-mentally transforming the entire house and garden.
-It would be very pleasant to do nothing for awhile
-but work out among the growing things with Renée!
-Mrs. Forrester, eager to see again her "little
-flower," had roused Elsbeth very early in the morning
-that she might be in readiness. She had insisted
-upon putting on her old black silk dress; she had
-folded a soft net fichu around her neck and had
-fastened it with a lavender ribbon.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now </span><em class="italics">don't</em><span> stand and stare at me like that
-silly," she had rebuked the old servant. "Can't you
-understand that I'm not sick any more? Watch
-me!" and holding her head very high she walked
-slowly across the room out into the hall.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So it was in the living room they found her.
-God had given back to her so much that she was not
-even startled when Renée very simply told of
-Emile's coming. She could not speak a word as she
-reached up her arms to embrace the boy, for he
-looked so much like his mother that it brought a
-choking sob to her throat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And if in Emile's heart there had lingered any
-hardness toward the grandmother it disappeared
-when he saw her! She looked so little and fragile,
-sitting in the big walnut chair, that it roused all the
-chivalry in the boy's soul. He kissed her tenderly
-on each wrinkled cheek.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Pat was introduced; Renée had to tell, too,
-of finding the daffodils. Elsbeth, her face twisted
-into a comical expression of bewilderment, listened
-in the doorway, and from all parts of the house there
-was a rumble of furniture and the tread of feet.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"In a very little time this place will all be changed,"
-Mrs. Forrester said, patting Renée's hand. "We will
-have flowers growing all around us--and we will be
-very happy, we three!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was a very busy day! Emile must be admitted
-to the secrets of the Eyrie; he was shown the account
-book of LaDue and Everett and some of Renée's
-work. Then he had to hear the story of Paddy and
-the lost formulas, of Sheila and Peggy and Garrett
-and Hill-top, of Troop Six and the scout work, and
-of Keineth and the coming party! Surely never in
-the world did a tongue wag faster that Pat's nor
-did eyes shine more brightly than Renée's as Emile
-was made acquainted with all that had brought so
-much happiness into her life during the past winter.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Downstairs Aunt Pen, Capt. Allan and Daddy
-were talking, too. Pat with her remarkable instinct
-for sensing "when plans were in the making"
-exclaimed, as she entered the room:</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Daddy Everett, you look </span><em class="italics">just</em><span> as though you had
-a secret!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Her Daddy assumed a very important air.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I have! I have a surprise! You've all had one
-but me! And I am sure you will think that </span><em class="italics">mine</em><span>
-is best of all! And I thought of it all myself!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, what </span><em class="italics">is</em><span> it? If much more happens I'll be
-walking on my </span><em class="italics">head</em><span>! What </span><em class="italics">can</em><span> it be!" Pat looked
-from one to another. "Aunt Pen, you're giggling
-so silly I believe it's something about your wedding!
-It is! </span><em class="italics">It is</em><span>! May Ren and I be bridesmaids, Aunt
-Pen, and wear gauzy dresses and big hats and carry
-bouquets?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You're warm, Pat!" teased her father.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Please</em><span>, Aunt Pen!" implored Pat in an agony
-of curiosity.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mother has suggested in a note to me that your
-Aunt Pen and I bring you and Renée to Atlantic City
-and meet them there----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But </span><em class="italics">I'm</em><span> determined to make Aunt Pen marry
-me right away, you see; I can't even wait for gauzy
-hats and big dresses--we've wasted so much
-happiness, already!" cut in Capt. Allan.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"So </span><em class="italics">I</em><span> said let's </span><em class="italics">all</em><span> go and meet Mother, and we
-can have the wedding down there where the breaking
-waves dash high----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, </span><em class="italics">Daddy, Daddy</em><span>, that's the </span><em class="italics">bestest, grandest</em><span>
-surprise of all! A </span><em class="italics">wedding</em><span> in Atlantic City! Only
-the waves can't dash very high--'cause there's no
-stern and rock-bound coast--only sand! But we'll
-trim the room with flowers----"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And you and Renée </span><em class="italics">shall</em><span> be my bridesmaids, no
-matter what dresses you wear!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And Emile shall be my best man!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And, oh, </span><em class="italics">won't</em><span> mother and Celia be surprised?
-You see </span><em class="italics">I</em><span> had guessed all about Capt. Allan because
-Aunt Pen acted so funny when we spoke of him,
-but Mother doesn't know a single thing! Was there
-ever such a nice, jolly wedding planned before?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Renée's face was a little clouded. It would be
-wonderful to go to the sea, but ought she and Emile
-to leave the little grandmother?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Bless you, she shall come, too! Ocean air will
-finish up the good work that her happiness has
-started! I can't have my plan spoiled--not even if
-we have to charter a whole train!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Pat wanted to begin packing immediately.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"When will we go, Daddy?" she cried.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Day after to-morrow," he answered with the
-promptness of decision that was characteristic.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'm glad that you give me </span><em class="italics">that</em><span> much time!
-I'll have to get 'something old and something new,
-something borrowed and something blue,'" laughed
-the bride-to-be.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And we can go to Keineth's party and tell them
-all about it!" Pat was silent for a moment. Then
-going to her Daddy she laid her cheek coaxingly
-against his arm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Daddy, as long as there are so many going--and
-weddings are jollier when there are a lot of
-people--can't we take Sheila, too? She's never been
-any further from the city than Hill-top and she's
-always so contented and happy and's never teasing
-for things the way I am! Just </span><em class="italics">think</em><span> how she'd look
-when she saw the ocean! I have so much more fun
-than she does, Daddy, I'd just as soon stay home
-if she could go in my place!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>And Pat, thinking how Sheila's face </span><em class="italics">would</em><span> look
-when she first beheld the great sweep of deep, blue
-sea, was very much in earnest.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Everett patted the pleading face. He did
-not smile for he had been deeply touched by Pat's
-generosity.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, daughter, Sheila shall go, too."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, Daddy, you </span><em class="italics">are</em><span> the best daddy in the
-world! Let's run straight over and tell her, Ren!
-</span><em class="italics">Think</em><span> how happy she'll be!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>From the library window Aunt Pen and Mr. Everett
-watched the two girls, arms interlocked,
-swing down the walk that led from the Everett house
-to the street. There was pride in Aunt Pen's face
-as she watched. Her girls had learned generosity
-and unselfishness as well as Latin and Algebra!
-And they had found, too, the joy of fellowship!
-They were hurrying now to share their happiness!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Everett was thinking the same thoughts as
-his sister, but looking slyly at her from the corner
-of his eye, he repeated teasingly:</span></p>
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>Silver bells and cockle shells----"</span></div>
-<div class="line"> </div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Aunt Pen laughingly interrupted: "And larkspur
-all in a row! But won't this world's garden be
-richer and more beautiful for healthy, happy girls like
-ours, Daddy Everett?"</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span>*      *      *      *      *      *      *      *</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold large">THE SUNNY BOY SERIES</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">By RAMY ALLISON WHITE</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Children! Meet Sunny Boy, a little fellow with big eyes
-and an inquiring disposition who finds the world at large
-a wonderful place to live in. There is always something
-doing when Sunny Boy is around.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In the first book of the series he visits his grandfather
-in the country and learns of many marvelous things on a
-farm, and in the other books listed below he has many
-exciting adventures which every child will enjoy reading
-about.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
-</div>
-<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>SUNNY BOY IN THE COUNTRY
-<br />SUNNY BOY AT THE SEASHORE
-<br />SUNNY BOY IN THE BIG CITY
-<br />SUNNY BOY IN SCHOOL AND OUT
-<br />SUNNY BOY AND HIS SCHOOLMATES
-<br />SONNY BOY AND HIS GAMES
-<br />SUNNY BOY IN THE FAR WEST
-<br />SUNNY BOY ON THE OCEAN
-<br />SUNNY BOY WITH THE CIRCUS
-<br />SUNNY BOY AND HIS BIG DOG
-<br />SUNNY BOY IN THE SNOW
-<br />SUNNY BOY AT WILLOW FARM
-<br />SUNNY BOY AND HIS CAVE
-<br />SUNNY BOY AT RAINBOW LAKE</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold medium">GROSSET &amp; DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 6em">
-</div>
-<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
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