"
"And then," added Marian, "things happen in families. Sometimes
more babies than they expect come to newly married people and
they require more room."
"My goodness, yes!" broke in Linda. "Just look at Sylvia
Townsend--twins to begin with."
"Linda!" breathed Eileen, aghast.
"So glad you like my name, dear," murmured Linda sweetly.
"And then," continued Marian, "changes come to other people as
they have to me. I can't say that I had any fault to find with
either the comforts or the conveniences of Hawthorne House until
Daddy and Mother were swept from it at one cruel sweep; and after
that it was nothing to me but a haunted house, and I don't feel
that I can be blamed for wanting to leave it. I will be glad to
know that there are people living in it who won't see a big
strong figure meditatively smoking before the fireplace and a
gray dove of a woman sitting on the arm of his chair. I will be
glad, if Fate is kind to me and people like my houses, to come
back to the valley when I can afford to and build myself a home
that has no past--a place, in fact, where I can furnish my own
ghost, and if I meet myself on the stairs then I won't be shocked
by me.
"I don't think there is a soul in the valley who blames you for
selling your home and going, Marian," said Linda soberly. "I
think it would be foolish if you did not."
The return to the living room brought no change. Eileen pouted
while Linda and Marian thoroughly enjoyed themselves and gave the
guests a most entertaining evening.
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