`` To think that I have found you at last , child . How puzzled you look . Did your mother never speak of me ? How is she ? Where is she ? '' `` Mother died last year , '' said Ruth . `` Poor Agnes ! And I never knew ! Do n't cry , little girl . I want you to tell me all about it . She was much younger than I was , and when our mother died my stepfather went away and took her with him . I remained with my father 's people and eventually lost all trace of my sister . I was a poor boy then , but things have looked up with me and I have often tried to find her . '' By this time Carol had returned with her father and mother , and there was a scene -- laughing , crying , explaining -- and I do n't really know which of the two girls was the more excited , Carol or Ruth . As for Mr. Swift , he was overjoyed to find his niece and wanted to carry her off with him then and there , but Mrs. Golden insisted on her finishing her visit . When the question of returning to Oaklawn came up , Mr. Swift would not hear of it at first , but finally yielded to Carol 's entreaties and Ruth 's own desire . `` I shall graduate next year , Uncle , and then I can come back to you for good . '' That evening when Ruth was alone in her room , trying to collect her thoughts and realize that the home and love that she had so craved were really to be hers at last , Golden Carol was with her mother in the room below , talking it all over . `` Just think , Mother , if I had not asked Ruth to come here , this would not have happened . And I did n't want to , I wanted to ask Maud so much , and I was dreadfully disappointed when I could n't -- for I really could n't .
I could not help remembering the look XXXXX Ruth 's eyes when she said that she had no home to go to , and so I asked her instead of Maud .
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