Trude drew a long breath. She had not known how worried she was. She wanted to laugh aloud now from sheer relief. Because she had to do something she took up the sketch with a murmured: "May I?" "Laura writes it's a little sketch she made in class. 'This will show you I am improving. It's from life. It will give you an idea of the delightful types we find around here, types that you will not find anywhere else. These are two little vagabonds whom you see almost anytime on the beach or around the wharves--as wild and free and beautiful as the seagulls--'" Mrs. White looked up from the letter to take the sketch and exclaimed aloud at Trude's face. It had gone deathly white. "My _dear_, what is it?" For a moment Trude could not answer. She was staring at the sketch as though she could not take her eyes from it. "Read that again! These are types--you find these girls any time on the wharves--wild--vagabonds! Oh, Aunt Edith that's--_that's_--_Sidney_!" "Why, it _can't_ be, Trude. You said--" Trude shook her head. "I can't help what I said. It's Sidney. I--know. The likeness is true--there can't be anyone else who looks like Sidney! But she's barefooted--and--and so--_slovenly_--and--_her hair_! She's cut her beautiful hair!" Mrs. White took the sketch forcibly from Trude. She frowned over it. One of the girls certainly did look like Sidney as she remembered the child from their one meeting. "How do you explain it, Trude?" Trude sighed heavily. "I can't explain it. There's something wrong somewhere. And it's my fault, Aunt Edith. I--I consented--we all consented to let Sidney go off down there just so that we could go ahead with our own plans. But we thought--we felt _certain_ that these cousins were very nice--I--I mean had a lovely home and were rich so that Sidney might get something out of her visit that she couldn't get at home. It sounds shameful to _say_ it." "I understand, my dear. But what made you think so?" "The--the letter this Cousin Achsa wrote. It _was_ a very nice letter!" "Well, _I_ have always thought you could judge anyone's character and background by a letter. There must be something wrong. This girl--" pointing to the sketch, "is positively shocking! At least she would be around here." "I remember now something Sidney said--when she was begging us to let her go away. 'I want to be different! I want to go somewhere where I won't be Joseph Romley's daughter. I want adventure and to do exciting things--' Those were her very words! I didn't take them seriously then, but, oh, Aunt Edith, perhaps she meant them more than we guessed!" Poor Trude rose quickly to her feet. "Aunt Edith, I simply _must_ go to Provincetown at once. May I ask Pepper to find out about trains? You'll--you'll understand, won't you? I can't be happy one minute until I see the child. I feel that it's all my fault."