Once Alan would have been keenly and instantly conscious of this slight chill ; now he was not even aware of it . When he ventured to go back to Four Winds he found the Captain on the point of starting off for a cruise in his yacht . He was urbane and friendly , utterly ignoring the incident of Alan 's last visit and regretting that business compelled him to go down the lake . Alan saw him off with small regret and turned joyfully to Lynde , who was walking under the pines with her dogs . She looked pale and tired and her eyes were still troubled , but she smiled proudly and made no reference to what had happened . `` I 'm going to put these flowers on Mother 's grave , '' she said , lifting her slender hands filled with late white roses . `` Mother loved flowers and I always keep them near her when I can . You may come with me if you like . '' Alan had known Lynde 's mother was buried under the pines but he had never visited the spot before . The grave was at the westernmost end of the pine wood , where it gave out on the lake , a beautiful spot , given over to silence and shadow . `` Mother wished to be buried here , '' Lynde said , kneeling to arrange her flowers . `` 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 XXXXX she could die .
buried come gave ignoring keep lost made thought turned wished