“No danger of that,” she replied, “I went with Tom to the grove and the well. It is covered with boards now, so no one can look in it.”
At the mention of the well Rex’s face clouded and his voice was not quite natural as he said, “I was foolish enough to look in it, you know.”
“Yes, I know,” Rena answered, “and Irene played you a joke, just as Tom did me, and Sam did Lottie. There’s a great temptation to do it, I think.”
She was speaking for Irene, trying to excuse her, but Rex’s face was still clouded, and he winked hard as for a moment the eye danced around the room and finally alighted on Rena’s hair. With a quick movement he brushed it off, letting his hand linger a moment on the brown head with a loving pressure.
“It’s gone, and Richard is himself again,” he said, with a smile, while Rena, guessing what he meant, replied: “Yes, and very soon you will see the original—the beautiful eyes themselves—for Irene is coming.”
Instantly Rex’s face was white as the pillow behind him. Then the pallor passed as he asked, “Is she coming to stay?”
“Oh, no,” Rena replied. “She can’t do that. She is coming for her trunks and to see us and you. She is very anxious about you.”
“She is very kind,” Rex said faintly, then added, quickly, “Will her coming keep you from me?”
“No,” Rena answered. “We shall both be here a great deal. You will be glad to see her?”
For a moment Rex did not reply, then he said: “Ye-es, but the doctor says I must not see people yet.”