s.

"I wish," she said, "that I could take a piece of their philosophy back
to Happy House!" She leaned out to wave her hand once more. "Hasn't
it been fun? I'm glad now that it stormed."

As they splashed along toward Freedom, Nancy fell into a sudden quiet.
Her mind was held by an overwhelming desire to tell Peter, in this last
hour she might have alone with him, the whole truth--that she, like the
two sisters they had left, was not a real Leavitt, of that day back in
college, of Anne's pleading and her yielding. Twice she opened her
lips to speak, then shut them quickly. There was something in Peter's
strong profile that made her afraid. Once he turned quickly and saw
her eyes upon him with a frightened, troubled expression in their
depths.

"What is it, Nancy?" he asked tenderly.

She couldn't tell him--she could not bear to see his face when he knew
the truth! She tried to speak lightly.

"I was thinking how much I'd grown to like--things--around here and how
I hate to--go away. Peter, will you keep Nonie and Davy doing happy
things--like other children. And, Peter--do you hate people that--act
lies?"

Peter laughed--Nancy was so deliciously child-like. Then he suddenly
colored to the very roots of his hair.

"Generally--I haven't much use for people that can't stick pretty well
to the truth. But when there may be some reason--someone may start
doing it for someone else----" he stopped abruptly. Nancy stared ahead
with startled eyes. Did he know? But, no, how could he! It had only
been an accident that he had so nearly hit upon the truth.

She could not tell him--she need not tell him; in a few days she would
say good-by and go away and never see him again! Theirs had been a
pleasant friendship, for awhile she would miss it, but she'd be just
plain Nancy Leavitt again, playing with Claire at Merrycliffe or with
Daddy somewhere in the mountains or at the seashore, working,
too--beginning life. After a while these weeks at Happy House would
seem a curious memory--a dream!

Suddenly she shivered.

"Freedom--at last!" exclaimed Peter, increasing his speed. Ahead they
saw the gleam of roofs through the trees. "And it looks as though
they'd caught the storm worse than we did!"

CHAPTER XXIII

WHAT THE CHIMNEY HELD

The storm, sweeping down the valley, had reached the heighth of its
fury over Freedom.

As the flashes of lightning grew sharper and more frequent, B'lindy
bade Mis