Part 16 (2/2)

She wanted to talk it over with her father but Dr. Morton had been called away some distance into the country to see a patient and had not returned. She relieved her mind to Katy and Gertie on the way to school that morning and they were satisfyingly indignant over Alice's troubles, but had no suggestions to offer.

”Her uncle's an old skinflint--that's what he is. He's awful rich and owns a big stove factory all by himself. Father orders stoves from there. He and Mamma say it's a shame he doesn't do something for Alice when she's his only brother's child.”

The matter troubled Jane all day and she was still thinking about it when she started home from school. She was half way home before she remembered about going to the postoffice.

There was a letter from Frank and she was just starting homeward again with it clasped tight in her hand, when someone hailed her.

”h.e.l.lo, Chicken Little Jane, are you postman today?”

It was d.i.c.k Harding.

”Going straight home? I'm going your way then. Here, let me carry your books.”

They pa.s.sed a greenhouse en route and d.i.c.k asked Jane if she thought her mother would mind her going in with him a moment.

Chicken Little adored going through the greenhouse. She often stopped outside on her way to school to look at the flowers, but children were not encouraged inside. She wondered what Mr. Harding was going to do with the heliotrope and verbena he was selecting so lavishly. He was having the flowers made into two bouquets, one big and one little. Her curiosity was soon satisfied.

”Will you do something for me, Chicken Little?” he asked, after the stems had been securely wrapped in tinfoil and the bouquets adorned with their circlets of lace paper. ”Will you give this to Miss Fletcher with d.i.c.k Harding's compliments?” handing her the big one. ”And will you please beg Miss Jane Morton to accept this with my best love?” d.i.c.k grinned as he presented the tiny cl.u.s.ter with an elaborate bow.

Chicken Little was in raptures but the commission to Alice recalled the latter's troubles. Childlike she unburdened herself to d.i.c.k Harding.

She found him a most sympathetic listener.

”Come over here and sit down and tell me all about Alice. I heard something the other day about Ga.s.sett and the stock certificates, but I didn't know Miss Fletcher was the heroine.”

Chicken Little's account was a trifle disconnected and liberally interspersed with ”Alice says” and ”Father says,” but d.i.c.k Harding being a lawyer had no difficulty in arriving at the facts. He was vastly interested and asked many questions.

”This uncle's name is Joseph Fletcher and he owns a factory in Cincinnati? That must be the Fletcher Iron Works.”

d.i.c.k Harding pondered awhile, whistling softly to himself.

”You say Alice is too proud to write to her uncle because he didn't treat her mother right?”

”Yes, but she wants to go to school awfully--so she can be like other folks.” This phrase of Alice's had made a deep impression upon Jane.

”Poor little girl--she's certainly had a rough row to hoe--and all alone in the world, too.” d.i.c.k was talking to himself rather than to Chicken Little.

He turned to her again presently after another period of meditation.

”Alice certainly deserves better things of the Fates, Jane, and I've been wondering if you and I couldn't find a way to help her out. How would it do for you to write a letter to this Uncle Joseph and tell him about Alice just as you have told me. I expect it would be pretty hard work for a ten year old, but I could help you. What do you say?”

Chicken Little was overawed at the prospect of writing to a strange man, but she was very eager to help Alice.

”Could I write it with a pencil? Mother doesn't like me to use ink 'cause I most always spill it.”

”A pencil is just the thing--it will be easier to erase if you get something wrong. But, Chicken Little, I guess this would better be a little secret just between you and me for the present. I'll tell your mother all about it myself some of these days. Do you think you could write the letter and have it ready by tomorrow afternoon? I'll see you after school and take it and mail it--if it's all right.”

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