“You’ll only be gone three months, won’t you?”
Jean shook her head.
“It depends on how I’m getting on. Cousin Beth says I can find out in that time whether I am just a plain barnyard chicken, or a real wild swan. Did you ever hear of how the islanders around Nantucket catch the young wild geese, and clip their wings? They keep them then as decoys, until there comes a day when the wings are full grown again, and the geese escape. Wouldn’t it be awful to imagine one were a captive wild goose, and then try to fly and discover you were just a nice little home bred White Leghorn pullet.”
“Oh, Jean,” called Kit. “Cousin Roxy’s going, now.”
Ralph rose, and extended his hand.
“I hope your wings carry you far, Jean,” he said earnestly. “We’re leaving for Saskatoon Monday morning and I’ll hardly get over again as Honey and I are doing all the packing and crating, but you’ll see me again next spring, won’t you?”
Jean laid her hand in his, frankly.
“Why, I didn’t know you were going so soon,” she said. “Of course, I’ll see you if you come back east.”
“I’ll come,” Ralph promised, and he stood where she left him, under the blossoming apple trees, watching the princess royal of Greenacres join her family circle.
THE END