`` Father would have taken her anywhere but she said she wanted to be near us and near the lake she had loved so well . Father buried her himself . He would n't have anyone else do anything for her . I am so glad she is here . It would have been terrible to have seen her taken far away -- my sweet little mother . '' `` A mother is the best thing in the world -- I realized that when I lost mine , '' said Alan gently . `` How long is it since your mother died ? '' `` Three years . Oh , I thought I should die too when she did . She was very ill -- she was never strong , you know -- but I never thought she could die . There was a year then -- part of the time I did n't believe in God at all and the rest I hated Him . I was very wicked but I was so unhappy . Father had so many dreadful moods and -- there was something else . I used to wish to die . '' She bowed her head on her hands and gazed moodily on the ground . Alan , leaning against a pine tree , looked down at her . The sunlight fell through the swaying boughs on her glory of burnished hair and lighted up the curve of cheek and chin against the dark background of wood brown . All the defiance and wildness had gone from her for the time and she seemed like a helpless , weary child . He wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her . `` You must resemble your mother , '' he said absently , as if thinking aloud .
`` You do n't look at all XXXXX your father . ''
at for in like near of on since that through