Part 51 (1/2)
”Of course. I've been shopping this afternoon. I've got to have--oh, lots of things.”
”Of course you have. And, Maggie,”--Miss Flora's face grew eager,--”please, PLEASE, won't you let me help you a little--about those clothes? And get some nice ones--some real nice ones, for once.
You KNOW how I'd love to! Please, Maggie, there's a good girl!”
”Thank you, no, dear,” refused Miss Maggie, shaking her head with a smile. ”But I appreciate your kindness just the same--indeed, I do!”
”If you wouldn't be so horrid proud,” pouted Miss Flora.
But Miss Maggie stopped her with a gesture.
”No, no,--listen! I--I have something to tell you. I was going to tell you soon, anyway, and I'll tell it now. I HAVE money, dear,--lots of it now.”
”You HAVE money!”
”Yes. Father's Cousin George died two months ago.”
”The rich one, in Alaska?”
”Yes; and to father's daughter he left--fifty thousand dollars.”
”MAG-gie!”
”And I never even SAW him! But he loved father, you know, years ago, and father loved him.”
”But had you ever heard from him--late years?”
”Not much. Father was very angry because he went to Alaska in the first place, you know, and they haven't ever written very often.”
”Fifty thousand! And you've got it now?”
”Not yet--all of it. They sent me a thousand--just for pin money, they said. The lawyer's written several times, and he's been here once. I believe it's all to come next month.”
”Oh, I'm so glad, Maggie,” breathed Flora. ”I'm so glad! I don't know of anybody I'd rather see take a little comfort in life than you!”
At the door, fifteen minutes later, Miss Flora said again how glad she was; but she added wistfully:--
”I'm sure I don't know, though, what I'm going to do all summer without you. Just think how lonesome we'll be--you gone to Chicago, Hattie and Jim and all their family moved to Plainville, and even Mr. Smith gone, too! And I think we're going to miss Mr. Smith a whole lot, too. He was a real nice man. Don't you think so, Maggie?”
”Indeed, I do think he was a very nice man!” declared Miss Maggie.
”Now, Flora, I shall want you to go shopping with me lots. Can you?”
And Miss Flora, eagerly entering into Miss Maggie's discussion of frills and flounces, failed to notice that Miss Maggie had dropped the subject of Mr. Smith somewhat hastily.
Hillerton had much to talk about during those summer days. Mr. Smith's going had created a mild discussion--the ”ancestor feller” was well known and well liked in the town. But even his departure did not arouse the interest that was bestowed upon the removal of the James Blaisdells to Plainville; and this, in turn, did not cause so great an excitement as did the news that Miss Maggie Duff had inherited fifty thousand dollars and had gone to Chicago to spend it. And the fact that nearly all who heard this promptly declared that they hoped she WOULD spend a good share of it--in Chicago, or elsewhere--on herself, showed pretty well just where Miss Maggie Duff stood in the hearts of Hillerton.
It was early in September that Miss Flora had the letter from Miss Maggie. Not but that she had received letters from Miss Maggie before, but that the contents of this one made it at once, to all the Blaisdells, ”the letter.”
Miss Flora began to read it, gave a little cry, and sprang to her feet.
Standing, her breath suspended, she finished it. Five minutes later, gloves half on and hat askew, she was hurrying across the common to her brother Frank's home.