Part 14 (1/2)

Granny had had a wonderful time herself. She was sure that no Gilfooly had ever had a better time.

”Oh, Granny!” Tessie threw her arms around Granny's neck, and hid her face in the soft lace of Granny's gown.

Granny was startled and a bit frightened. ”What is it? What is it?” She looked at Mr. Bill and at Bert. ”What has happened to my lamb?”

”It's--it's the Tear of G.o.d!” sobbed Tessie. ”I've--I've lost i-it!”

”Lost it! Stand up, Tessie Gilfooly, and remember queens don't cry before folks. Lost! Nothing of the sort! Ka-kee-ta!” And when Ka-kee-ta had stepped forward with a salute of his ax, she said imperiously, ”The Tear of G.o.d!”

Ka-kee-ta held out his left hand and opened it, and there on his yellow brown palm was the Tear of G.o.d.

”Well, I'll be darned!” exclaimed Mr. Bill.

”My word!” muttered Bert Douglas.

”Oh!” squealed Tessie, absolutely forgetting Granny's hint that queens must keep their emotions to themselves. ”Where did Ka-kee-ta get it?”

Her face was as pink now as it had been white a moment before.

”I took it off your neck, my dear, when you were dancing,” explained Granny proudly. ”The folks here were all strangers to me,” she told the astonished officers of the Junior League, ”and though I knew of course they would be all right or they wouldn't be here, I thought it was just as well not to take any chances. So when Tessie was dancing I slipped the Tear of G.o.d from her neck and gave it to Ka-kee-ta to hold. With his ax in his other hand, I knew he could take care of it. It wasn't lost at all, you see, dearie,” she smiled at Tessie. ”I took it after you came back to the ballroom with Mr. Douglas.”

”Oh!” exclaimed Tessie, feeling rather flat and small because she had made such a fuss over a robbery that was not a robbery at all.

XII

Mr. Kingley decided to give a banquet to the employees of the Evergreen in honor of their former a.s.sociate, who had been made Queen of the Suns.h.i.+ne Islands by Fate--and her Uncle Pete. Mrs. Kingley looked unutterable words when she heard his plan.

”Bill can run down and ask Miss Gilfooly if it will be all right for Thursday evening,” went on Mr. Kingley, much pleased with his idea.

”Bill!” Mrs. Kingley's voice was full of disgust and indignation, about fifty per cent, of each, perhaps. ”Do you want Bill to marry Miss Gilfooly?” she asked caustically.

”Marry!” It was Mr. Kingley's turn to stare, and he did it with bulging, questioning eyes. ”I don't know as that would be such a bad thing,” he muttered after a moment's intensive thought. ”I believe it would be a mighty good plan!” he decided emphatically, when he had given it a second moment's thought.

”William Kingley! Your only son--our only son!” Mrs. Kingley angrily claimed a share of Mr. Bill. ”And a clerk!” It was quite clear that Mrs.

Kingley believed that her only son and the clerks dwelt on vastly different planes, and equally clear that she did not want them on the same plane.

”The Queen of the Suns.h.i.+ne Islands,” corrected Mr. Kingley. ”A queen is not the same as a clerk, my dear. I believe that such a marriage would be a good thing for the Evergreen. You have no idea,” he went on hurriedly as she gave a little snap of scorn, ”how the story of Queen Teresa has helped sales. We were feeling the pinch of the business depression, which has been so general, when we found this little queen in our bas.e.m.e.nt. I made the most of the incident, and the papers carried the story all over the country. We have had requests for samples from Chicago and New York and even Denver, Colorado, already. If Bill should marry Miss Gilfooly,” he went on thoughtfully, ”I actually believe we would have to increase our mail order department. I am sure that it would be an excellent thing for the store.”

Mrs. Kingley was so angry at the thought of her only son marrying Miss Gilfooly that she could scarcely speak. Her anger painted her face an unbecoming scarlet, and her eyes flashed furiously. ”You think of nothing but the store!” she managed to stammer at last. The words were not at all what she had meant to say. She had meant to wither him with her scorn--and she could only stammer.

Mr. Kingley regarded her with surprise. Of course he thought of the store. ”It feeds, clothes and shelters you,” he reminded her. ”And mighty good food, clothes and shelter,” he decided as he looked around the s.p.a.cious room, so attractively furnished, and at her smart dinner gown, and remembered the excellent dinner he had just eaten. ”Mighty good food, clothes and shelter!” he repeated firmly.

”William Kingley!” She towered above him. ”You--you--” She stopped and glared at him for a full second. ”There is such a thing as a telephone,”

she finally controlled herself to say majestically. ”You could talk to your ex-clerk yourself, instead of sending your only son into danger!”

And she sailed from the room to find Ethel and ask her if she ever knew any one as unreasonable and one-idead as her father.

”What's Dad done now?” asked Ethel, who knew of several things her father might have done. ”Oh that!” she exclaimed carelessly, when she was told that her father thought it would be a good thing for the Evergreen should her brother and Queen Teresa marry. ”I expect he is right. It would be a good thing for the store.”

”Ethel! Ethel Kingley!” sputtered Mrs. Kingley. Her voice had seventy-five per cent of disgust in it now. ”How can you! Bill and a clerk! an ex-clerk!”