But, no, he couldn't consider that; his wife was an invalid, and one
child was all that she could manage.
Well, I was in a dreadful quandary. It seemed such a chance for the
child, and yet it did seem so cruel to separate her from those two
adoring little brothers. I knew that if the Bretlands adopted her
legally, they would do their best to break all ties with the past, and
the child was still so tiny she would forget her brothers as quickly as
she had her father.
Then I thought about you, Judy, and of how bitter you have always been
because, when that family wanted to adopt you, the asylum wouldn't let
you go. You have always said that you might have had a home, too, like
other children, but that Mrs. Lippett stole it away from you. Was I
perhaps stealing little Allegra's home from her? With the two boys it
would be different; they could be educated and turned out to shift for
themselves. But to a girl a home like this would mean everything. Ever
since baby Allegra came to us, she has seemed to me just such another
child as baby Judy must have been. She has ability and spirit. We must
somehow furnish her with opportunity. She, too, deserves her share
of the world's beauty and good--as much as nature has fitted her to
appreciate. And could any asylum ever give her that? I stood and thought
and thought while Mr. Bretland impatiently paced the floor.
"You have those boys down and let me talk to them," Mr. Bretland
insisted. "If they have a spark of generosity, they'll be glad to let
her go."
I sent for them, but my heart was a solid lump of lead. They were still
missing their father; it seemed merciless to snatch away that darling
baby sister, too.
They came hand in hand, sturdy, fine little chaps, and stood solemnly at
attention, with big, wondering eyes fixed on the strange gentleman.
"Come here, boys. I want to talk to you." He took each by a hand. "In
the house I live in we haven't any little baby, so my wife and I
decided to come here, where there are so many babies without fathers and
mothers, and take one home to be ours. She will have a beautiful house
to live in, and lots of toys to play with, and she will be happy all her
life--much happier than she could ever be here. I know that you will be
very glad to hear that I have chosen your little sister."
"And won't we ever see her any more?" asked Clifford.