Priscilla and Prince were out watching. “They’re coming!” she squealed, skipping back into the house. “Trudy, Elliott, 266 everybody, they’re coming!” And she was out again, darting in long swallow-like swoops down the hill. From every direction came Camerons, running; from house, barn, garden, young heads moved swiftly toward the little car chug-chugging up the hill.
They swarmed over it, not giving it time to stop, jumping on the running-board, riding on the hood, almost embracing the car itself in the joy of their welcome. Elliott hung back. The others had the first right. After their turns—
Without a word Aunt Jessica took the girl into her arms and held her tight. In that strong, tender clasp all the stinging ache went out of Elliott’s hurt. She wasn’t frightened any longer or bewildered or bitter; she didn’t know why she wasn’t, but she wasn’t. She felt just as if, somehow or other, things were going to be right.
She had this feeling so strongly that she 267 forgot all about dreading to meet Laura—for she had dreaded to meet Laura, she was so sorry for her—and kissed her quite naturally. Laura kissed Elliott in return and said, “Wait till I get you up-stairs,” as though she meant business, and smiled just as usual. Her face was a trifle pale, but her eyes were bright, and the clear, steady glow in them reminded Elliott for the first time of the light in Aunt Jessica’s eyes. She hadn’t remembered ever seeing Laura’s eyes look just like that. How much did Laura know, Elliott wondered? She wouldn’t look so, would she, if she had heard about Pete? But, strangely enough, Elliott didn’t fear her finding out or feel nervous lest she might have to tell her.
And after all, as soon as they got up-stairs, it came out that Laura did know about Pete, for she said: “I’m glad, oh, so glad, that wherever Pete is now, he got across and had a chance really to do something 268 in this fight. If you had seen what I have seen this last week, Elliott—”
The shining look in Laura’s face fascinated Elliott.
All at once she felt her own words come as simply and easily as Laura’s. “But will that be enough, Laura—always?”
“No,” said Laura, “not always. But I shall always be proud and glad, even if I do have to miss him all my life. And, of course, I can’t help feeling that we may hear good news yet. Now—oh, you blessed, blessed girl!”
And the two clung together in a long close embrace that said many things to both of them, but not a word aloud.
How good it seemed to have Mother Jess and Laura in the house! Every one went about with a hopeful face, though, after all, not an inch had the veil of silence lifted that hung between the Cameron farm and the world overseas. Every one, Elliott suspected, shared the feeling she 269 had known, the certainty that all would be well now Mother Jess was home. It wasn’t anything in particular that Mother Jess said or did that contributed to this impression. Just to see her face in a room, to touch her hand now and then, to hear her voice, merely to know she was in the house, seemed enough to give it.