the great sad eyes were throwing out a light, although the light
did come from dark and uncertain depths.

Wren opened her book.

"This is my promise book," she began. "I have to tell you a long
story about it. Then I will ask each of you to make me a promise
- it is a very strange promise," she intoned most seriously. "But
I know some day it will be kept. Some day all these promises will
unite in one grand, great demand. Then Fate will have to answer."




CHAPTER V

A LITTLE BROWN WREN


The girls were awestricken.

Daisy, Maud, Hazel and Ray seemed to shrink closer together on the
old mahogany sofa. Cora and the Robinson girls with Cecilia were
grouped closely about the sick child.

"It's all about grandfather," she began. "I had the dearest,
darlingest grandfather, and since he went away I am so lonely.
Only for mother," she added, with something like an apology. "Of
course, I am never really lonely with mother."