Part 39 (1/2)

”No such luck, he has started a suit against Alice to recover those certificates.”

”How did you hear?”

”His lawyer came to me to get Alice's address. And what do you think?

d.i.c.k Harding told me this morning that Ga.s.sett tried to get him to take the case. Foxy, wasn't it? d.i.c.k declined promptly.”

”Alice would do well to get d.i.c.k for her lawyer.”

”I imagine Uncle Joseph will attend to that.”

”Still, I think I'll drop her a hint.”

But Alice had evidently not forgotten d.i.c.k Harding or Dr. Morton's remark about his being a good lawyer. Before the doctor's letter could reach her, a formal missive from Uncle Joseph requested d.i.c.k Harding to defend Alice's side and to get an older lawyer to help him.

d.i.c.k went promptly to work. Dr. Morton sent down the box of letters and papers Alice had left in his charge and d.i.c.k went over them carefully, but did not find what he was hoping for.

”It is a queer mix-up,” he wrote Alice. ”I cannot understand why there isn't a sc.r.a.p of writing anywhere from Mr. Ga.s.sett to your father. There surely must have been some correspondence between them on business matters. Many things in your father's letters to your mother show this--but the letters are missing. It hardly seems likely your father would have destroyed them all. Do you suppose that he could have left them at the store and that they have fallen into Ga.s.sett's hands, too?

Or could your mother have accidentally destroyed them? I remember though you said she was most careful to keep old letters. I have a queer feeling about all this--that the missing letters and papers still exist and will turn up yet. But feelings don't go in law courts. Is there an attic to the old house or any secret closet where they could possibly have been concealed?”

Alice talked the matter over with Uncle Joseph and he started rummaging among his papers to see if he could find anything in her father's old letters that would help. There were few references to business matters in these and no reference to Mr. Ga.s.sett except a mere mention of the fact that he had gone into partners.h.i.+p with him.

”It's no use, Alice. I am afraid we'll have to let Ga.s.sett have the stuff though I hate like sixty to give up,” he said after his fruitless search.

”Well, I'm not ready to own beat yet--I have one last hope,” Alice replied bravely.

That night she sat down and wrote a letter to Mrs. Morton.

CHAPTER XVII

COUSIN MAY'S PARTY

Chicken Little found Pete Parrot a great joy and a great nuisance. Dr.

Morton was right about his reproaching her if she neglected him. When Pete began to call ”Chicken Little,” Mrs. Morton would exclaim, ”Why, Jane, haven't you fed Pete today?”

Pete had a wonderful appet.i.te. He ate when he was hungry and he ate when he was lonesome and he ate when he was bored. Further Pete was deceitful. He would call Chicken Little persistently when he had food enough in sight to feed a small regiment of parrots. He seemed to prefer her to anyone else from the start. When he heard the front door open, he promptly croaked, ”Chicken Little.” When they let him loose he would follow her about the house, a trick that cost him dear later.

And Jane was devoted to Pete. She loved to talk to him. Pete would c.o.c.k his head on one side and listen attentively, breaking out occasionally with ”Bust my b.u.t.tons” or ”Go off and die.” Sometimes he would listen solemnly for several minutes and then laugh his harsh croaking laugh.

One afternoon near the close of school Jane, coming in, heard her mother's voice calling from the sitting room and Pete echoing the call from upstairs.

”What is it, Mother?”

”I have some pleasant news for you, little daughter, Katy's cousin, May Halford, is to have a party next Sat.u.r.day and here is a nice little note inviting you and your doll. I think May must have written it herself. It is very prettily done--I wish my little girl could write as neat a one.”

”But she's two years older than I am, Mother.”

”Yes, but you are not too young to learn to write neatly. I noticed your copy book had three great blots in it this month.”