[RobotFlow-Devel] Od-bye, darling Avery!" she said. Avery held her close. She wa

[Soderblom <was...@lu...>]

You can." And Jeanie had smiled her wistful, dreamy smile, and
submitted. Avery sometimes wondered if she knew of the great Change that
was drawing so rapidly near. If so, it had no terrors for her; and she
thanked God that the Vicar was not at hand to terrify the child. The
journey from Rodding to Stanbury Cliffs was not an easy one by rail, and
parish matters were fortunately claiming his attention very fully just
then. As he himself had remarked more than once, he was not the man to
permit mere personal matters to interfere with Duty, and many a weak
soul depended upon his ministrations. So Jeanie was left entirely to
Avery's motherly care while the golden days slipped by. With July came
heat, intense, oppressive, airless; and Jeanie flagged again. A
copper-coloured mist rose every morning over the sea, blotting out the
sky-line, veiling the passing ships. Strange voices called through the
fog, sirens hooted to one another persistently. "They are like people
who have lost each other," Jeanie said once, and the simile haunted
Avery's imagination. And then one sunny day a pleasure-steamer passed
quite near the shore with a band on board. They were playing _The Little
Grey Home in the West_, and very oddly Jeanie's eyes filled with sudden
tears. Avery did not take any notice for a few moments, but as the
strains died-away over the glassy water, she leaned towards the child.
"My darling, what is it?" she whispered tenderly. Jeanie's hand found
its way into hers. "Oh, don't you ever want Piers?" she murmured
wistfully. "I do!" It was the first time she had spoken his name to
Avery since they had left him alone nearly a year before, and almost as
soon as she had uttered it she made swift apology. "Please forgive me,
dear Avery! It just slipped out." "My dear!" Avery said, and kissed her.
There fell