"What an old teaser you are! Yes, this is the same Will Allan I knew! He used to tell me, sometimes, of the old house in the mountains which an aunt had left him. Then he went to South America to build a bridge or something! There's nothing more to tell!"
Pat was visibly disappointed.
"Well, anyway, will you promise to keep him from separating Ren and me?" she begged.
Aunt Pen slipped the letter back into its envelope.
"I'll promise to do my best to keep him from--separating you--very far! If he remembers me," she added with sudden alarm! Such a thought had not occurred to her! Now it brought a tiny droop in the corner of her lips. "Anyway, Pat, much as we love Renée we must not forget that Capt. Allan has the first claim, though I am sure he will be anxious to do whatever will make her the most happy! He may let Renée decide."
"Oh, that would be dreadful!" cried Renée.
But the thought satisfied Pat. She stood up with sudden resolution. "Well, then, I'm going to begin right now teasing Renée every minute to choose us! I'm glad the letter came! Everything was so dull and now it's exciting again! And that poor Frenchman--let's go over to Peggy's, Ren, and tell her all about him! As if we minded rain, anyway!"
CHAPTER XX
THE LOST BABY
"Ren, you look as though you'd stepped out of a picture book!"