Part 29 (1/2)

Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and Letty came out to Sunnycrest on the following Monday, as they had been invited to do, and every one spent a happy week. Letty was radiant to meet again some one who had seen and known her mother, and urged Mrs. Baker, Jr., to tell Mrs. Hartwell-Jones everything she could remember about the sweet, sad-faced gentlewoman who had trained her little daughter so carefully and lovingly.

There were long, long talks among the grown-ups, and both grandmother and the mother of the twins were confident that Mrs. Hartwell-Jones had done wisely in making Letty her own little girl.

Letty had asked permission to renew only one tie of her past life.

”You have told Mrs. Drake already,” she said to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones, ”and I should like all my other friends to know, if I could reach them.

There was dear Miss Reese. She was so good to me and my mother one winter, and then I never heard from her again, nor her cousin, Clara Markham. Indeed, I've even forgotten what Miss Reese's married name is.

I have always thought of her as Miss Reese.

”Then there was Mrs. Goldberg at Willow Grove. She was awfully good-hearted although she was so fat and homely and dressed so badly.

But she and Mr. Goldberg went out to California just before-before my mother died. Mr. Goldberg wanted Ben to go out to California with him, but Ben couldn't leave mother and me. Perhaps if he had gone--” Letty stopped and her eyes filled with tears. ”Perhaps that horrible accident wouldn't have happened!”

”Hush, dear Letty-dear little girl,” whispered Mrs. Hartwell-Jones tenderly. ”An accident is always likely to happen in such a life-so filled with risks and dangers. And think how very much more terrible it would have been if it had happened far off-away from you.”

Letty was soon comforted and dried her eyes with a little sigh.

”But there is one person I can tell my happiness to,” she said after rather a long silence, ”if I may? It is Emma Haines, the little girl I told you about that lived next door when we had rooms in South Front Street. I should so like her to know! May I write to her? She lives in New Jersey now, she and her mother and Tottie. Such a cunning baby Tottie was.”

”By all means write to her at once,” consented Mrs. Hartwell-Jones cordially. ”And when we get settled at home in town, you may invite her over to see you, if you like.”

Letty would have liked to take Mrs. Hartwell-Jones's ”at once”

literally. Indeed, she had already jumped up from her stool and crossed to the writing-desk, when Christopher appeared at the open door and beckoned to her eagerly. The little conversation had taken place in Mrs.

Hartwell-Jones's room at Sunnycrest, and Christopher's interruption was not a surprise, as the twins gave Letty very little time to herself.

After Letty had run off to join the children, Mrs. Hartwell-Jones sat lost in thought, considering seriously an idea that had come to her that morning, suggested by the letter she had received from her lawyer.

Presently she went to consult Grandmother Baker, as she generally did upon nearly all matters nowadays. She found her in her own room, going over the week's mending.

”Mrs. Baker, I am thinking of taking a short journey,” she began. ”But you are busy, I see. I am afraid I shall disturb you.”

Grandmother hastened to a.s.sure her that she was not interrupting.

”Indeed, it will help me very much to be talked to,” she replied. ”It will help me to keep my mind off the terrific size of the holes in Kit's stockings. Just look at this!” And she held up a long brown stocking with a great gaping tear in the knee. ”You say you think of taking a short journey,” she exclaimed in surprise. ”You don't think of leaving us before the end of your visit, I hope?” she added anxiously.

”Only for two days, if you will excuse us. I think of taking Letty with me. But I would like your opinion; whether you think it would please and interest Letty, or only distress her with sad memories.”

Mrs. Baker looked up curiously.

”I am thinking of going down to Philadelphia for a day,” explained Mrs.

Hartwell-Jones. ”There are certain records that my lawyer wishes to look up, concerning Letty's baptism and the exact date of her father's death.

I should like, too, to call on the minister, if we can find him, in whose parish Mrs. Grey lived at that time.

”And I thought possibly it might interest Letty to revisit some of the places where she used to live. Or do you think it might rouse sad memories in the child's heart and make her unhappy? Do you think it would be a hard experience?”

”It might sadden the dear child a bit for the moment,” answered grandmother; ”but the sadness cannot last long, remembering what the future holds for her, and I think it would be very good for her, Mrs.

Hartwell-Jones, to go over the old scenes and impress them upon her mind, since her life from now on is to be so very different.”

”I am glad you agree with me, Mrs. Baker. Then, since that is settled, will it interfere with your plans in any way to have us go tomorrow?”

Mrs. Baker smiled.