Judith stroked the soft hair and let the burst of grief exhaust itself.
“You—you’ve been so kind to me,” whispered Sue, raising her tear-stained face to look appealingly into the gentle countenance above her, “that I—I—I’m drea’fully ’shamed of myself! Don’t you s’pose you—could—adopt me again?”
“I think so,” said the Little Mother gravely.
The clouds cleared then and Sue was presently smiling again. As soon as they reached home she marched directly over to the Randolph mansion and found Doris. When she returned she said shyly, in the presence of the entire family:
“I’ve ’pologized to Doris an’ told her she isn’t a hypocrite; and I’m sorry—drea’fully sorry—I disobeyed Cousin Judith and acted so naughty.”
“Good for you, Puss!” cried Phil, who had just come in. “Why, this consoles me for the loss of the race!”
Sue beamed with pleasure and Judith gathered the girl in her arms and kissed her.
“I call you all to witness,” she said, “that this is the child of my adoption. We won’t need to sign papers this time, because you will all know that Sue and I belong to each other hereafter and can never be divorced. Is it not so, my dear?”
“Yes, indeed, Little Mother!” replied Sue, smiling happily.