Tears were brimming Virginia’s eyes. “Dearie,” she said, “lie here and rest for an hour, but when you hear the Chinese gong, come out to dinner. A pleasant surprise will be awaiting you. At least I hope that you will like it.”
“Thank you,” Margaret said without lifting her head from her pillow. She felt too dead inside to care about surprises. Nothing mattered if she had to remain on this desolate desert. The only surprise that could interest her would be the news that she might return to Vine Haven and to Babs.
However, the words of the housekeeper had soothed her more than she realized. Her sobbing soon ceased and she actually fell into a light slumber from which she awakened refreshed.
Rising, she washed away the tear stains and brushing her short gold-brown curls, she fastened them back with a wide barette.
Then she went out into the big, pleasant, homey living-room, but no one was there. Suddenly recalling the promised surprise, she was wondering what it would be, when a door, leading out upon a wide veranda, opened and a young girl entered followed by a tall, good-looking lad.
They approached the astonished ward and, Virginia, holding out both hands, said impulsively, “Margaret, can you ever forgive us for play actin’, as Uncle Tex called it. Your guardian isn’t an old man. He is my brother, Malcolm. I just don’t know how to go about explaining it,” she looked rather helplessly at the lad.
“I’ll do it, Sis,” he said. “Margaret, the truth is that you wrote such—such—” even Malcolm was at a loss how to tell the tale.
“Such horrid, disagreeable letters,” his ward put in, a dimple appearing as she smiled, “that you were sure you wouldn’t want to keep me. I don’t blame you a bit!” she declared vehemently. Then she surprised them both by impulsively kissing Virginia and saying:
“I just know that I’m going to be happy with you. It will be like having a sister, a really and truly one, won’t it?”
“Hum-m!” said Malcolm with mock seriousness, “You aren’t so pleased to have a really, truly brother it would seem.”