Part 14 (1/2)

”Such flattery,” laughed Ben. ”Well, if I am going to call on ladies I must go up and make myself look respectable.”

”He'll do it,” said Celia, as soon as her cousin had left the room. ”He has as good as promised.”

Whatever was said that evening was not reported, but it is enough to say that Ben had promised to see what he could do, and would let them know later when he had gone over the subject more thoroughly, so with this the girls had to be satisfied.

There was no more to be heard of either puzzle or play during the week while school was occupying them all, but on Friday Mrs. MacDonald's offer was presented to the club and unanimously accepted with thanks.

There was no delay in Edna's demand for the evening paper on that Friday, but to her great disappointment her father found that he had left it in the car, and there was no way to get another copy till the next day. Edna was almost in tears, for she had so counted on letting Nettie know the very first thing in the morning.

”I am so sorry,” said her father. ”I forgot entirely that the Friday issue was the one in which you are always so interested. I will bring you out a copy to-morrow, daughter. I will try not to forget it, but I give you leave to call me up on the long distance, or rather the out-of-town line and get you to remind me. If you will call, say, at about ten o'clock, I will send one of the boys out for it from the office.”

This was certainly more than Edna had any right to expect, and she thanked him as heartily as she could, though deep down in her heart the disappointment still lingered and she felt that it would be harder still for Nettie to wait another day.

However, she went early to the little house as she had promised, and saw Nettie at the window on the watch for her. She looked so pleased when she saw her friend that Edna was all the more grieved at having to tell her she must wait till evening. ”Oh, I am so glad you have come,” cried Nettie as she met her at the door. ”I have been watching for you for ages.” And she drew her inside.

CHAPTER X

A DOWNFALL OF PRIDE

”Oh, Edna, Edna!” Nettie jumped up and down and fairly hugged her friend in her joy.

”Why, why,” Edna began, but Nettie interrupted her with ”I have it! I have it!”

”Have what?” Edna was still mystified.

”The prize! The prize! I won it. The money came in the mail this morning.”

Edna had not counted on this possibility and it was as much of a surprise to her as it had been to Nettie. ”Oh! Oh! Oh!” she cried, and she, too, began to dance up and down hugging Nettie as fervently as Nettie had hugged her. ”Have you told your mother?”

”Oh, yes, I couldn't possibly keep it.”

”Do show me what they said.” So Nettie took her in and showed her the precious letter with the enclosed order for a dollar, which made it seem a very real thing.

”Ben will be so pleased,” said Edna with satisfaction. ”It is really owing to him that it got there soon enough.”

”And to you for helping me and for telling me in the first place. I think I ought to divide with you.”

”Why, Nettie Black, you won't do any such thing. Don't you know that it was all on your account that we did it in the first place?”

”Ye-es, but after your doing so much it doesn't seem fair for you to have none of it.”

”I'll have some of the refreshments, won't I?”

Nettie laughed. ”I hope so.”

”Have you decided what you will have?”

”Not exactly. I thought I would wait till you came to talk it over with mother. You said something about gingerbread and my mother can make the nicest you ever saw.”