[CHAPTER NINE]
ITS TRIUMPH
When her young guests had gone, and the little grey house was quiet for the night, Mrs. Grey stood before the charred embers on the hearth, thoughtfully regarding the blackened scales, with their under edges still glowing, which lay all along the sides of the bits of logs remaining.
Kiku-san stirred, stretched his paws, lifted his head and remarked: "M-m-m-mmm?" in a cooing voice, at once welcoming and inquiring. Mrs. Grey looked up to see Wythie in her violet kimono. She held out her arms without speaking, for she knew what Oswyth had come to say.
Wythie sprang into the loving arms and nestled her head on her mother's shoulder.
"Basil wants—" she began.
"You, when the time comes, darling," whispered Mrs. Grey. "I suppose we have known that for a long time."
"Yes, but he said so," Wythie whispered back.