"Oh! He is your brother, isn't he?" said Dawn, suddenly perceiving the fact. "Of course!"
"Didn't you know even that? What could the woman have been thinking about? What object could your mother possibly have had in not telling you everything?"
"Charles!" Betty's voice was insistent now.
"Yes, Betty. Just ready," answered Charles impatiently.
"She is not my mother, you know, and she never liked me," said Dawn, in a low voice, as if she were ashamed of it all.
"Never mind, dear; let's forget it now, and be happy."
He stooped and drew her face against his for just an instant, and then they went out to the impatient Betty.
Downstairs it was all gaiety and brightness. Once Charles said with a soft light in his eyes, "I'm sorry Mother couldn't be down to-night. How is she feeling now?" and Dawn looked at him in awe and love, and thought how beautiful it was to have a mother that one longed to have about.
"Your mother will be all right in the morning, I think," answered his father, with just a tinge of sadness in his voice; and a quietness settled over them all for a moment. Dawn thought it was because they loved her so much and were sorry she was sick.
"We didn't ask any of the neighbors in to-night, because we thought you would be so tired, and it would be better to wait till you were rested, so we could have a real party and do things up nicely, not in such a hurry. They don't even know yet that Charles is married, you know."