re the image of my mother, as
I remember her, and as an old daguerreotype I have pictures her. And
this is her watch--see, I scratched my own initials on the case one
day. There is no doubt in the world. Oh, Bertha, are you half as glad
as I am?"

"Glad!"

Bertha's eyes were shining like stars. She tried to smile, but burst
into tears instead and her head went down on her brother's shoulder.
By this time everybody in the room was staring at the extraordinary
tableau, and Ernest, coming through the hall, gave a whistle of
astonishment that brought the two in the corner back to a sense of
their surroundings.

"I haven't suddenly gone crazy, Ernest, old fellow," smiled Max.
"Ladies and gentlemen all, this little school-ma'am was introduced to
you as Miss Price, but that was a mistake. Let me introduce her again
as Miss Bertha Seeley, my long-lost and newly-found sister."

Well they had an amazing time then, of course. They laughed and
questioned and explained until the dinner was in imminent danger of
getting stone-cold on the dining-room table. Luckily, Alma and Frances
remembered it just in the nick of time, and they all got out, somehow,
and into their places. It was a splendid dinner, but I believe that
Maxwell and Bertha Seeley didn't know what they were eating, any more
than if it had been sawdust. However, the rest of the guests made up
for that, and did full justice to the girls' cookery.

In the afternoon they all went to church, and at least two hearts were
truly and devoutly thankful that day.

When the dusk came, Ernest and Maxwell had to catch the last train for
town, and the other guests went home, with the exception of Bertha,
who was to stay all night. Just as soon as her resignation could be
effected, she was to join her brother.

"Meanwhile, I'll see about getting a house to put you in," said Max.
"No more boarding out for me, Ernest. You may consider me as a family
man henceforth."

Frances and Alma talked it all over before they went to sleep that
night.

"Just think," said Frances, "if we hadn't asked her here today she
might never have found her brother! It's all Mother's doing, bless
her! Things do happen like a storybook sometimes, don't they, Al? And
didn't I tell you they looked alike?"

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories,
1904, by Lucy Maud Montgomery

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MONTGOMERY SHORT STORIES ***

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