The Awakening of Helena Richie - Page 229/229

She did not look about her. With unsteady hands she pulled her veil

down; then she said faintly, "Good-by--" She hardly returned the

friendly pressure of Dr. Lavendar's hand. She was so blinded by tears

that she had stumbled into the stage before she saw the child,

buttoned up to his ears in his first greatcoat, and bubbling over with

excitement. Even when she did see him, she did not at first

understand. She looked at him, and then at Dr. Lavendar, and then back

at David, to whom it was all a delightful game which, the night

before, Dr. Lavendar and he had got up between them. It served its

purpose, for the child had no suspicion of anything unusual in the

occasion.

"I'm the package!" said David joyously.

The stage went sagging and rumbling down the road. For a long minute

Dr. Lavendar stood in the rain, looking after it. Then it turned the

corner and was out of sight. He drew a long breath. David had gone!

A minute later he and Danny went back to the empty house.