“I—­I don’t know,” was the only reply, and Ann turned away—­this time toward Lynda!

“And suppose he never knows?” Lynda spoke with her lips pressed to Ann’s soft hair—­the child was in her arms.

“Then you and Con will have something to begin heaven with.”  Betty’s eyes were wet.  “We all have something we don’t talk about much on earth—­we do not dare.  Brace and I have our—­baby!”

Two days later Lynda took Ann home.  They went shopping first and the child was dazzlingly excited.  She forgot her restraint and shyness in the fascinating delirium of telling what she wanted with a pretty sure belief that she would get it.  No wonder that she was taken out of herself and broke upon Truedale’s astonished gaze as quite a different child from the one Lynda had described.

The brilliant little thing came into the hall with Lynda, her arms filled with packages too precious to be consigned to other hands; her eyes were dancing and her voice thrilling with happiness.

“And now I’ll call you muvver-Lyn ’cause you’re mighty kind and this is your house!  It’s a right fine house.”

Truedale had well timed his return home.  He was ready to greet the two in the library.  The prattling voice charmed him with its delightful mellowness and he went forward gladly to meet Lynda and the new little child.  Ann was ahead; Lynda fell back and, with fast-throbbing heart waited by the doorway.

Ann had had a week and more of Brace Kendall to wipe away the impression Burke Lawson had imprinted upon her mind.  But she was shy of men and weighed them carefully before showing favours.  She stood still when she saw Truedale; she dropped, unheeded, a package; she stared at him, while he waited with extended hands.  Then slowly—­as if drawn against her will—­Ann advanced and laid her hands in his.

“So this is the little girl who has come to help us make Christmas?”

“Yes.”  Still that fixed look.  It seemed to Lynda the most unnatural thing she had ever seen.  And oh! how alike the two were, now that they were together!

“You are little Ann and you are going to play with”—­Truedale looked toward Lynda and drew her to him by the love in his eyes—­“You are going to play with us, and you will call us mother and father, won’t you, little Ann?” He meant to do his part in full.  He would withhold nothing, now that Lynda had decided to take this step.

“Yes.”

“And do you suppose you could kiss me—­to begin with?”

Quaintly the child lifted herself on her toes—­Truedale was half kneeling before her—­and gave him a lingering kiss.

“We’re going to be great friends, eh, little Ann?” Truedale was pleased, Lynda saw that.  The little girl was making a deep impression.

“Yes.”  Then—­deliberately:  “Shall I have to teach you to be a father?”

“What does she mean?” Truedale looked at Lynda who explained Betty’s charming foolery.