"Dear Renée! It will mean a home of her own for the child! I will get the box at once."
Pat was startled--a home of Renée's own! She had felt that they might coax the soldier-guardian to leave Renée with them forever and ever, but here was a new and much stronger claim! A real grandmother--even if it was a terrible old lady who had had a mystery!
Aunt Pen came back wearing her coat and hat. Pat jumped to her feet.
"Wait for me, Aunt Pen!"
"No, no, my dear! Too many of us may embarrass Mrs. Forrester! You must stay here."
"As if I hadn't found Renée in the first place," thought Pat resentfully as they went away.
Even the thought that the mystery of the "lost baby" had been solved--and solved in such an amazing way, brought no comfort--rather a sense of envy! All the others had had such exciting things happen to them! Sheila had had the lost formulas. And now Renée had the excitement of finding a grandmother! Nothing at all ever happened to her! To console herself she scornfully tore to bits the first four chapters of her story. She'd never try to be a famous author--she'd just grow up and do silly things like Celia always did--they were fun, anyway! And Aunt Pen and Renée, when they realized that she was never, never going to write any more stories, would feel very sorry!
That was Pat's state of mind when she sat down to eat her lonely dinner.
Then the doorbell rang. Pat heard a man's voice talking to Jasper. She heard Jasper step toward the library. She was immensely curious--for even a very unhappy person can be curious! Daddy was not at home--it was too early in the evening for callers--who could it be? She pushed her chair back and tip-toed toward the hall.
An hour later Aunt Pen and Renée, returning home, were met at the door by a wildly-excited Pat. Her blues had disappeared like magic--the expression of her face, every motion of her body indicated that she had a secret! She held her fingers to her lips to forbid a sound. Then seizing them both by the elbows she whispered into their amazed ears: