I will pray tonight that God will bring Missy back to you . '' When Mrs. Falconer returned to the kitchen to close the house for the night , her husband being already sound asleep ; she heard a low , timid knock at the door . Wondering who it could be so late , she opened it . The light fell on a shrinking , shabby figure on the step , and on a pale , pinched face in which only a mother could have recognized the features of her child . Mrs. Falconer gave a cry . `` Missy ! Missy ! Missy ! '' She caught the poor wanderer to her heart and drew her in . `` Oh , Missy , Missy , have you come back at last ? Thank God ! Oh , thank God ! '' `` I had to come back . I was starving for a glimpse of your face and of the old home , Mother , '' sobbed Missy . `` But I did n't mean you should know -- I never meant to show myself to you . I 've been sick , and just as soon as I got better I came here . I meant to creep home after dark and look at the dear old house , and perhaps get a glimpse of you and Father through the window if you were still here . I did n't know if you were . And then I meant to go right away on the night train . I was under the window and I heard you telling my story to someone .
Oh , Mother , when I knew that you had forgiven me , that you loved me still and had always kept my room for me , I made up my mind that I 'd show myself XXXXX you . ''
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