ld have the reward of the
shining ball at the top. But Nancy, thinking of it now, felt the
tugging impatience that she had used to feel toward the pile of colored
blocks.

A few weeks had so changed her own life--she must take up the little
pieces and begin to build again.

At the gate of Happy House she paused, and turning, looked down the
road. In the last few days she had caught herself often looking down
that road and yet she would not admit to herself--she was too proud to
admit it that she was always wishing that she would see Peter Hyde
coming. It was very lonesome at Happy House without him.

Suddenly, in a swirl of dust, a motor turned the corner at the smithy
and approached toward her at a tremendous speed, its outline barely
distinguishable because of the cloud that enveloped it. No one came up
that road unless they were coming to Happy House.

Then someone, swathed in linen and green, floating veiling, spied Nancy
and waved wildly from the tonneau.

Scarcely believing her eyes, Nancy took a step forward. With a swerve
and a roar the car came to a stop and from the front seat, throwing off
goggles and cap, sprang Eugene Leavitt.

"Daddy!" cried Nancy, throwing herself into his arms.

"I thought it was Anne, but I couldn't----"

she began, finally withdrawing from his tight clasp to greet the
others. "I just--couldn't believe it."

Anne was standing now beside her, and behind Anne, unwinding yards and
yards of dust-covered veiling, laughed Claire.

"Oh, it's too good, good, good to be true," Nancy cried, trying to
embrace them both at the same time. "To have you all come--at once.
I'm so happy, I just want to cry."

"And, Nancy, at last you're going to meet my brother Barry,"
interrupted Claire, her eyes sparkling. "You wouldn't come to
Merrycliffe, so you see I had to bring him here."

Nancy was so happy that she could even turn to greet the despised
"lion" with a radiant smile. Claire's brother, who, forgotten by the
others in their joyous reunion, had been busying himself with the
engine of his car, now turned and removed from a dust-stained face the
goggles that had almost completely hidden it.

"Pe-ter. You----" and Nancy, her face crimson, put her two hands
behind her back.

CHAPTER XXIX

BARRY

Nancy presented such a picture of bewilderment and unbelief that the
others all laughed--except Peter; his face was very grave.

"You see I thought the only way I could get