Up in her cot Alice lay wide awake. Beside her Peggy and Keineth, exhausted by their anxiety, were breathing heavily. Below Alice could hear voices that she knew were her father's and mother's. She wished awfully that her mother would come to her! With a child's instinct she had read on her mother's face the suffering she had caused. Suddenly she felt terribly alone--perhaps none of them would love her now or want her back. She had been so very, very naughty. She clutched the blanket with frightened fingers.
The voices ceased below and in a moment Alice saw her mother's face bending over her. With a little cry she threw her arms about the dear neck.
"Oh, Mammy, Mammy," she cried, in a passion of sobs, "say you love me--say you want me back! I don't ever, ever, ever want to go away alone! I thought it would be fun--I didn't think I was so naughty. Hold me close, Mammy----" exhausted, she hid her face.
"Oh, my dear--my baby," the mother breathed in comfort and forgiveness, and the loving arms did not relax their hold until the child was fast asleep.
"I think, Billy," said Mr. Lee, the next morning, "the family will present to you with their compliments the finest sending set we can find!"
"And aren't they useful?" Billy cried in just triumph.
CHAPTER VIII
A PAGE FROM HISTORY
For several days a peaceful quiet reigned at Overlook. Little Alice dogged her mother's footsteps, as though she could not bear one moment's separation; Barbara spent the greater part of her time at the golf club, coming home each day glowing with enthusiasm over the game and fired with a hope of winning the women's championship title. Billy had no thought for anything but the new sending set which his father had ordered for him and which Joe Gary was helping him to install. Keineth, under Peggy's tutorage, was faithfully practicing at tennis, spending much time volleying balls back and forth across the net and trying to understand the technic of the game. Then each afternoon came a delicious dip into the lake, when Mrs. Lee would patiently instruct Keineth in swimming. They were gloriously happy days--seeming very care-free after the hours of agonizing concern over Alice; days that brought new color into the young faces and an added glow into the bright eyes.