“Go on,” said Polly. “I have that.”
“That’s the entire riddle,” Mrs. Williamson answered. “There is no more.”
The members of the Riddle Club stared. The other prize riddles had been complicated ones, some rhymed, all contained more words. This sounded so simple that it must be a mistake.
“But that’s such an easy riddle!” said Ward, unguardedly. “Most any one can guess that.”
“Go ahead, Ward,” Mrs. Williamson encouraged him. “Guess it and win the five dollars for the club.”
“Pianos bear the noblest characters,” recited Ward, with confidence, “because—because—because—well, of course, I’d have to think about it,” he ended lamely. “But I don’t believe it’s hard.”
Mrs. Williamson laughed.
“I don’t know the answer myself,” she told them, “but I do know Mr. Williamson. And something tells me he hasn’t chosen a very easy riddle for you to guess. However, you may succeed in surprising him.”
Then Mrs. Larue said she had something to tell.
“I’ve been admiring your lovely clubroom ever since I came in,” she said pleasantly, “and I can’t see that you need a single thing more than you have. But before I came away this afternoon, Mr. Larue gave me a silver dollar to spend as his contribution for the club. He thought I would put another dollar with it and buy something nice for your clubroom.”