They
walked along in silence. Then Judith said, stammering a little with
emotion, "M-M-Mother, I want to b-b-b-be a trained n-n-nurse when I
grow up."
CHAPTER XIII
AN INSTRUMENT IN TUNE
As they drew near to their boarding-house late that afternoon, very
hot, very crumpled, very solemn, and very much out of tune with one
another, they were astonished to see a little eager-faced boy dash out
of the house and run wildly to meet them, shouting as he came.
"Why, Lawrence _Marshall_!" cried his mother, picking him up in strong
arms; "how ever in the world did you get here!"
"Father brungded me," cried the child, clasping her tightly around the
neck. "We got so lonesome for Mother we couldn't wait."
And then Sylvia had stamped on her mind a picture which was to come
back later--her father's face and eyes as he ran down the steps to
meet his wife. For he looked at his daughters only afterwards, as they
were all walking along together, much excited, everybody talking at
once, and hanging on everybody's arm."... Yes, Buddy's right! We
found we missed you so, we decided life wasn't worth it. You don't
know, Barbara, what it's like without you--you don't _know_!"
Her father's voice sounded to Sylvia so loud, so gay, so vital, so
inexpressibly welcome.... She leaped up at his face like a young
dog, for another kiss. "Oh, I'm _awfully_ glad you came!" she cried,
wondering a little herself at the immensity of her relief.
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