Anne.

"And you did not tell him where Anne is?" asked Miss Drayton.

"Certainly not," replied Mr. Patterson. "His manner was disrespectful.
If he had asked properly, I should have answered him. Of course I had no
objection to telling him."

"Ah," murmured Miss Drayton. "I hope he didn't think you meant to keep
him ignorant of Anne's whereabouts."

"Of course not," said Mr. Patterson, indignantly.

"Children get queer little notions in their queer little heads
sometimes," said Miss Drayton. "I confess, brother, I think you've done
wrong. And I've done wrong. We could have given this orphan child a home
and care--and we did not."

Her brother-in-law replied that orphan asylums were established to
relieve such cases.

Miss Drayton did not argue the question. She said softly: "We failed in
the trust that Emily left us--our duty to her little adopted daughter."

Mr. Patterson was silent. He opened and read Mr. Mayo's letter. Then he
folded it carefully and handed it back. "I will go to-morrow and get
this child from the asylum," he said.

"Suppose you let me go--with Pat," suggested Miss Drayton. "And,
brother, talk to him. Explain matters."

But he shook his head. "There is nothing for me to explain. You and I
misunderstood things. I am sorry we did not know all this at first. Then
we would have acted differently. But it is not for Pat to judge my
course. I refuse to defend myself to a young cub."

CHAPTER XX

"What are you smiling at, Pat?" Miss Drayton asked her nephew sitting
beside her in the parlor car. They had passed through the tunnel and
crossed the beautiful Potomac Park and the shining river. Washington
Monument, like a finger pointing skyward, was fading in the distance.

"What amuses you, Pat?" repeated his aunt.

"Can't help grinning like a possum," answered Pat, with a chuckle.
"Every mile is taking us nearer Anne. How she'll jump and squeal
'oo-ee'--when she sees us! And--look here, Aunt Sarah--" he glanced
cautiously around to be sure that he was not observed, then opened his
travelling-bag and displayed a doll's dress--blue silk with frills and
lace ruffles. "I bought it in an F Street shop yesterday--for
Honey-Sweet, you know," he explained. "Gee! It'll tickle Anne for me to
give that doll a present. She'll--" he whistled a bar of ragtime.

Miss Drayton laughed heartily. The gift set aside so completely the
lapse of time that she could fancy she saw Anne running to meet them,