There was no use in going they did not know where, and they had not met a single policeman whom they could question. As they stood upon a corner consulting as to what they had best do, a group of girls coming up and dividing passed on either side of them, one bold-looking chit in a red plush hat and soiled gown singing out something about “When Reuben comes to town,” and giving Lammy a push at the same time.
As he turned to avoid her, he heard his name called, and breaking from her mates, a slender little figure with big black eyes dropped her satchel and flung her arms around his neck, heedless of the merriment and jeers of her companions. Bird was found at last!
“Bird was found at last.”
There was no longer any use in trying to keep up the barrier of pride, or of pretending she was happy, and Bird led her friends home to the new flat, wherein O’More had established his family on his return.
That afternoon there was a long powwow in which Mrs. O’More made herself very disagreeable, as she had come to rely upon Bird and did not wish to have Billy back upon her hands, but John O’More stood firm by his promise, saying, even if he’d never made it, Bird should have her choice after the way she’d stood by Billy in time of need. “She stuck by her blood kin, and she’s a lady through and through, and we’re different, and it’s neither’s fault that we’re a reproach to each other,” was O’More’s summing up. “If you can keep her, you can take her, but God help little Billy! The doctor says good care a couple o’ years more, an’ he’ll have a chance for his leg. I can pay for care, but it’s not to be bought around here.”
Mrs. Lane saw the tears in the rough man’s eyes, and her big mother-heart throbbed, and to some purpose, as usual.
“Our doctor’s wife would take him to board, I guess,” she said, after thinking a minute. “She took a little boy from Northboro last summer, and did real well by him, her children bein’ grown now and out of hand. Dr. Jedd, he’d give him care besides. I’ll take him along with us if you think he’ll grieve, and you can write or come up and settle it.”
It was only then that Bird’s happiness was complete, and little Billy hugged and hugged her, and cried in his piping voice, “Now we’re going to fly away out of the cage to your country for sure this time,” and Bird answered joyfully and truthfully, “Yes.”