so much for telling me,
Billie. You may have changed the course of destiny, because I can tell you
now I'm going home."

After dinner that night Kit was out on the veranda alone for a while with
only Sandy at her feet. There was a light in the study bay window. Miss
Daphne had gone over to a meeting of the Women's War Chest committee at
the Bellamys'. Kit was wondering whether it would be best to write first
to her mother or to Jean. Jean would be leaving a few days after Christmas
for New York anyway. How she longed to know just exactly what the
family's plans were for the winter. But the worst of it was, one of the
Robbins' failings or virtues as a family was for each member to spare the
other members all the worry and bother possible, by carefully concealing
any little personal troubles. To Kit this was all wrong. What on earth,
she used to argue, was the use of being a family if you didn't all lean on
each other and derive mutual strength and support?

Finally, she decided to write to Cousin Roxy herself. There was always
something satisfactory in making her the court of appeal, on any point of
doubt; even though her decision might not be a favorable one, you always
felt sure you were getting it straight without any affectionate bias.

Accordingly, a confidential appeal went speeding east, and back came the
reply, by return mail, as Kit had known it would.

"DEAR CHILD:--

"I had been thinking about you when your letter came, so I
suppose our mental wireless calls must have crossed.

"There's no doubt at all but what your mother needs you badly
right here, especially with Jean leaving right after Christmas.
What Billie told you was about the truth. Out of the wreck of
matter and crush of worlds that happened at Shady Cove, when
your father's business and health failed, they did manage to
save enough to give them a little income. Then, as you know, it
was mostly your mother's money that was paid down on Greenacres
in a lump, so that stopped her share coming in.

"The fire didn't help matters along one bit, but the Judge took
a first mortgage on the property, and the money went into the
repairs.

"I don't see why you aren't old enough to know these things,
'cause land knows the time is coming soon enough when you will
have to put your shoulder to the wheel, like Jean, and help. It
seems too bad that some folks I could mention can't see t