Then in snatches and exclamations, the prospect of Gloria’s change of school, change of home life and change, perhaps, of acquaintance was talked of. But somehow Gloria could not respond to her friend’s sympathetic eagerness.
Tom went for Higgins’ cows while the way to the Doane’s cottage was traversed, but before they had reached the lane where Gloria should have parted with her companion, she suddenly jerked out a queer “S’long!” and raced off leaving Tom with his mouth open wider than his eyes.
This was a new Gloria.
CHAPTER VI
AT TURTLE COVE
Busy days followed. There was so much to do before Gloria should leave home and before her father should go on his extended trip, that it took the combined energies of Jane and Gloria, to say nothing of help offered by Millie, to get things into order for the important events.
But all preparations were halted when her dad came home, for he at once planned a picnic and ordered his daughter to gather her friends for the festivity.
As a father Edward Doane was disappointing to strangers. He was in no way old, did not have a visible gray hair, he was not fat, nor funny, did not wear glasses, and as a widower he failed utterly to mope and lament. Instead, he was an attractive young man who had more than once been taken for Gloria’s big brother. But in spite of their close companionship, Gloria was the most devoted daughter and the best little business partner one would hope to find in all Barbend. Their companionship was doubly dear, as the loss of her mother left Gloria so much to the care of her young father, and perhaps it was the similarity of dispositions that gave each so complete an understanding of the other.
When he was at home Gloria could do nothing but enjoy his company, and now even the temporary breaking up of her home did not debar her from this coveted pleasure.
Millie and Tom helped distribute the picnic invitations, Mr. Doane insisted that every one who could be piled into the Finnan-Laddie be asked, and when Saturday afternoon came it brought with it exquisite sunshine from a sapphire sky that belongs distinctly to the early autumn.