Mrs. Adams took both the girls into her motherly arms, and
her few whispered words were very tender, while Polly threw her
arms around Katharine, as she said,--
"Alan has told me what you said, Kit, about your call's coming,
and I think it was grand; but it isn't one bit more so than we
expected, only it makes us proud to be your friends."
At length it was bedtime, and for the last time the girls went up
to their pleasant room in the old Hapgood house. The whole place
was in confusion, and trunks stood in the middle of the floor,
with piles of clothing, books, and pictures heaped about them,
just as they had been left in the morning. At sight of them,
Jessie threw herself down on the bed.
"Oh, Kit!" she cried; "what are we going to do?" "Please don't cry
so, Jessie," said Katharine wearily. "We must try not to be
babyish about it."
"Babyish!" And Jessie turned on her petulantly. "I do believe you
don't care, Katharine. Oh, poor papa!" Then, as she saw the pain
in her sister's face, she added, "Forgive me, Kit! I know you do
care; but how can you keep so quiet? It's all so dreadful, and we
shall be poor and alone, and nobody will care for us."
"Hush, Jessie!"
Her sister spoke almost sharply, for she felt her own courage fast
giving way.
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