Aunt Kate said:
"Tom always was soft-hearted," and her big son became silent.
She might as well have called him "soft-headed"; but Nan began
better to appreciate Tom's worth from that time on.
Rafe remained in her eyes still the reckless, heroic figure he
had seemed when running over the logs the day of the timber
drive. But she began to confide in Tom after this evening of her
return from the tamarack swamp.
However, this is somewhat in advance of the story. The pleasant
evening passed as usual until bedtime came for Nan. She retired
to her east chamber, for the windows of which Tom had made
screens to keep out the night-flying insects. No matter how
tired she was at night there was one thing Nan Sherwood seldom
forgot.
Possibly it was silly in a girl who was almost through her
freshman year at high school, but Nan brought out Beautiful
Beulah and rocked her, and hugged her, and crooned over her
before she went to bed. She was such a comfort!
So Nan, on this evening, went first of all to the closet and
reached down to draw out the box in which she had kept the doll
hidden ever since coming to Pine Camp.
It was not there!
At first Nan Sherwood could not believe this possible. She
dropped on her knees and scrambled over the floor of her closet,
reaching under the hanging skirts and frocks, her fear rising,
second by second.
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