"Is he?" ejaculated Adele excitedly. "What does he say? Do be quiet, Bee? Sit down and read me the letter, or let me read it."
"I'll read it to you," answered Bee, kissing the missive rapturously. "I'll read it in a minute. Oh, oh, oh! I'm so happy I could fly."
She grew quiet presently, however, and seating herself again, began to read:
"Cairo, Egypt,
May 16th, 19—."My dear Little Daughter:—
"When you receive this letter your father will be nearer to you than he has been for many a day. Child, I am coming home. Yes; after all these years I am returning to you. How long I shall remain is problematical, as I have not yet completed my investigation of the Lepidoptera of tropical countries. However, that is a matter that may be left to the future.
"Another two years would have terminated my task, but such a longing has come to me to behold my little daughter who must now be almost a woman that I have dropped everything, and am coming to her as swiftly as steam can carry me.
"No doubt you have often wondered that I should have left you, and the subject has been too painful to me to discuss; but now, you are old enough to understand my reasons. When your mother died she left a void in my life that nothing but the most engrossing occupation could make me forget. Change of scene was an absolute necessity for me; and so, when Union University wished to send an entomologist to study the habits of Moths and Butterflies of other countries, I was glad indeed when it was proposed that I should be the one to go. You were but five years old, and needed a woman's care more than mine, so I left you with your uncle's family. I still think it was the best thing I could have done.
"I thought that it would be an easy matter to stay away for twelve, or even more years, but lately there have come to me sweet visions of a daughter's companionship, and Nature will no longer be denied. It is partly your letters which have wrought this change. They have been so bright, so clever, so amusing, that you must have a mind of unusual intelligence. I said 'partly your letters'; for the receipt of your photograph completed what the letters had begun.
"I can not resist the winsomeness of your picture, so I am coming back to get acquainted with you, and perhaps we shall discover a mutual companionship and affection.
"Are you like your mother, I wonder, or do you take after me? I can not tell by your picture, but I think—No; I shall not tell you what I think until I see you.
"So, little girl, get your aunt and uncle to go over to our house to open it up, and to make it habitable for living. If nothing happens I shall be with you on the evening of the Fifteenth of June. I am writing Henry, also, by this mail.
"Hoping to see you soon, I am
"Your most loving father,
"William Raymond."
"He is coming," ended Bee with a little sob. "My own, own father."
"I am glad," spoke Adele, but her voice was weak as she said it. Into her face had come a look of dismay as Bee read what her father had said of the "winsomeness of the picture." An impulse came to her to confess to her cousin what she had done, but she was fearful of what Bee might say. She had not thought that it would have this effect. And so she sat quieter than her wont while Bee gave vent to her delight.
"You don't know how I've felt at times, Adele," said Bee. "I've almost envied you your father. When Uncle Henry has kissed you, and petted and indulged you it hasn't seemed fair that I couldn't have my father. But I never told you before, and I didn't tell any one. I knew father wouldn't stay away unless he thought it was right, and I see now just why he did it. I'll tell him that I don't blame him a bit. And we'll just love each other all the more for being apart so long."
And so, with tears and laughter mingling together, Bee rejoiced. A meadow lark flew, across the road, alighted on a twig and sang to them. An oriole peeped at them saucily from his perch on a near-by tree, then whistled playfully, "Sweet, do you hear? Sweet, sweet, do you hear?" And Bee threw back her head caught his note, and answered joyfully, "I hear. I hear. Sweet, sweet."
"How much Uncle William thinks of you, Bee," observed Adele presently. "And he seems to be so pleased with your mind. Scientific people think so much of intellect, don't they?"
"I wonder if they do?" mused Bee. "I don't believe that they are much different from other people. And after all it is not my mind that is bringing him home, but my picture. Oh, I wish that I had sent it long ago."