“Perhaps it would be wiser to wait a little while,” Brent agreed.
They reached Gale’s home and entered the warm living room.
“Why don’t you take your overcoat off?” Gale asked. “You are going to stay a while, aren’t you?” she continued humorously.
Brent shook his head. “No. I’m flying back to Washington this afternoon.”
“Brent!” she wailed. “You didn’t tell me.”
“I wanted it to be the happiest sort of Christmas,” he replied. “Some day you will be going with me.”
“Some day,” she agreed.
When Brent had gone Gale curled up in the corner of the divan and watched the flames of the fire in the fireplace. She let her dreams run rampant. Some day she would be flying to Washington with Brent. She remembered what a thrill it had been flying to Canada with him last year. She remembered, too, the night of the Senior Prom when she and Brent had strolled in the garden.
But even over-riding all her rosy dreams was the astounding news she had heard about Phyllis that afternoon. It was like a fantastic fairy story. To think that Phyllis was the daughter of a famous surgeon, really a wealthy girl who had been hidden away in this small town all these years by a strange, selfish woman who claimed affection for the girl. Think what it must have meant to Phyllis’ father—to return to his home to find the woman, whom he had entrusted with the care of his little girl, had disappeared taking his daughter with her. It must have been heart-breaking! But think what a reunion there would be when they met now—after all these years! How would Phyllis receive the news?
Gale pictured all sorts of ways to bring Phyllis and her father together yet the one which actually was to happen was even more dramatic.