The doctor determined that she was wasting away because she wasn't eating and was so sad that she might never recover if she wasn't sent home the very next day. Of course, Clara was upset because she loved her little friend, but her father promised her that she could go visit her in the spring if she minded the doctor's orders and did her school work.
Clara insisted that Heidi's trunk be packed in her room. Guess what was packed in the trunk. Her very special picture book that Clara's grandmother had given her, and twelve soft white rolls for the blind grandmother who lived at the village at the bottom of the mountain. Heidi ran back to her room and gathered up her little belongings like her red shawl and her little straw hat.
The butler was given strict instructions on caring for Heidi because he not only had to watch and care for her on the train, but they had to stay overnight at a hotel half way there. He had to make sure that Heidi didn't sleep walk again. Sebastion, the butler, managed for a man to take Heidi and her trunk to the village. He handed Heidi the basket of rolls a letter for her grandfather and a huge roll of money for him. The butler was going to miss Heidi. He had become very fond of her in the months that she had lived in the big house.
Heidi caused quite the stir when people in the village saw her. They thought for sure that she would never return. And Heidi thought for sure that the blind grandmother was dead it had been so long since she had seen her. She went running into the little cabin and surprised the grandmother with the soft white rolls. The grandmother thanked God for the return of the little girl who she had come to love so very much. The grandmother cried many happy tears.
Heidi left her fancy dress and hat with Peter's mother. She remembered what Grandfather had said when her aunt had left with her. She told the blind grandmother that she would return the next day, but that she must go see her grandfather now.
The climb up the mountain was beautiful. She saw her fir trees and the beautiful rosy clouds. The grass looked like gold and she started to cry she was so happy. Then she saw her grandfather sitting on the bench outside his cabin. She called his name over and over as she ran to him. Being grandfather he asked if Clara's father had sent her away. She said, "No. I think the doctor said I needed to come back to you. Here is a letter from Clara's father and a roll of money. He told Heidi that the money belonged to her and after he read the letter he put it in his pocket.
The first thing Heidi did was to climb the ladder to see her bed it was gone! Grandfather told her that he wasn't sure that she would be back, but her would get her another one. But first she must drink some milk! It was the very best that she had ever tasted. She told him that she was sure that it was the best milk in the entire world.
Grandma Lu grinned and thought. "There really is nowhere as good as being home with the people that you love. I'm sure her little goatherder, Peter will be glad to see her. If I remember right, Heidi has some things to share with him. Grandma Lu put the book down, said goodnight to her husband, and laid down happily on her nice soft mattress. As she got her soft pillows and blanket gathered around her she wondered what a bed of straw felt like as she drifted off to sleep.
