Grace Harlowes Senior Year at High School | Page 7

it was in reality not more than five minutes before the
attendant returned with the news that they might see the patient in 47.
Grace had purposely voiced their request in so low a tone that Mabel
had not heard her mention the patient's name, and she accompanied the
four girls without the faintest idea of what their call might mean to her.
"Now for it," breathed Grace, as they paused at the door of 47.
"Come in," said a sweet voice, in answer to the attendant's knock, and
the five girls were ushered into Mrs. Allison's presence.
"How are my young friends, to-day!" she cried gayly, rising from the
easy chair in which she was sitting and coming forward with
out-stretched hands.
"Very well, indeed," replied Grace, Anne and Nora in a breath as they
shook hands.

"Mrs. Allison," said Grace hurriedly, "these are my friends, Miss
Jessica Bright and Miss Mabel Allison."
The woman who was in the act of acknowledging the introduction to
Jessica started violently when Grace pronounced Mabel's name,
dropped Jessica's hand and began to tremble as she caught sight of
Mabel, who stood behind Jessica, an expression of amazement in her
brown eyes, that the patient's name should be the same as her own.
"Who--who--" gasped the woman, pointing at Mabel, then overcome
sank into her chair, covering her face with her hands.
Grace sprang to her side in an instant, kneeling beside her chair.
"Mrs. Allison," she cried impulsively. "Forgive me. I should not have
startled you so. I did not really know, although I felt sure that--"
But Mrs. Allison had uncovered her face and was looking eagerly at
Mabel, who stood the picture of mystification.
"Who is that young girl who bears the name of my baby, and where did
she come from?" asked the patient hoarsely.
"Speak to her," whispered Jessica, pushing Mabel forward.
"I am Mabel Isabel Allison--" began Mabel, but before she could
proceed further the woman had risen, and clasping the girl in her arms,
began smoothing her hair and kissing her, laughing and crying
hysterically. "You are my baby girl that I lost long ago, my own little
Mabel. I know it. I know it."
"Mrs. Allison," said Grace firmly, placing her arm around the sobbing
woman, who seemed to have entirely lost control of her emotions, "try
and be calm. There is so much to tell. Will you listen to me? And you
must sit down, you were not strong enough for this. We should have
waited."
Mrs. Allison partially released Mabel from her embrace, though she

still held her hand, and allowed Grace to gently push her back toward
her chair.
"I don't quite understand you, my dear," she said brokenly. "But I am
sure that I have found my own dear little child."
"And I am sure of it, too," replied Grace. "In fact, we have suspected it
since the day we first saw you at the station. We noticed the marked
resemblance between you and Mabel, and when you told us your name
was Allison we all felt that you might be Mabel's mother. Do you feel
strong enough to hear our story and to tell us yours?"
"Tell me quickly," exclaimed Mrs. Allison eagerly, recovering in a
measure from her violent agitation. "I must know the truth. It seems
incredible that I should find my lost baby girl alive and in good hands. I
am surely dreaming. It cannot be true. Yet she has the same sweet,
serious expression in her brown eyes that she had in babyhood. Even
her middle name, Isabel, that her father insisted upon giving her
because it is mine!"
Anne, dreading another outbreak, gently interposed. "Try and be calm,
Mrs. Allison, while we tell you about Mabel."
Then Anne began with the winning of the freshman prize by Mabel at
the close of her freshman year, and the interest she had aroused in the
girl chums, and followed with the story of her adoption by the Phi
Sigma Tau.
Mrs. Allison listened in rapt attention until Anne had finished. "God is
good," she murmured. "A higher power surely willed that Mabel should
find true and worthy friends."
Then she began questioning Mabel about her life in the orphanage. Did
Mabel have any recollection of the day she was brought there? Had
Mary Stevens, the attendant, ever described the clothing that she had
worn when found?
"I have the baby pins I wore with me. Jessica asked me to wear them

to-day," replied Mabel, who looked like a person just awakened from a
deep sleep. She had not yet reached a full comprehension of what it all
meant.
"Let me see them," cried Mrs. Allison.
Mabel mechanically detached one of the little gold pins from her collar
and handed it