“You’d soon get tired of that; I’d be like a music box that plays only one tune. No, it’s better Mr. Jeremy should keep it for the present.” In this way she put off Caro, and felt that she had done it rather cleverly.
To her great joy Reed’s letter came one day when she went herself to the post-office. She could hardly wait to open it, and hurried back, not to the doctor’s, but to her old home, where, “If I have to cry nobody will see me,” she said to herself.
Up to her own little room she went, sat down, and held the letter a moment or two before opening it, but, when she finally did, out fell a check which she hurriedly scanned. Down went the letter on the floor. “Oh! Oh! Oh!” she exclaimed. “It is too good to be true. It may be only filthy lucre, but, oh, how glad I am to get it! Say what you will, Mr. Todd, there are moments in life when there is nothing like a check to satisfy one’s cravings.” She held out the check before her and gazed at it fondly. “I could kiss you, but I will only press you to my heart,” which she proceeded to do. “Now, let’s see what that nice boy has to say.”
She picked up the letter, which read:
“Dear Cronette:
“You must think me a beast for not answering your note sooner, but the fact of the matter is that I am laid up with a mean attack of grippe, and, lest my temperature should be too seriously affected by a note from you, Uncle Pete didn’t hand it over till this morning.
“Of course I want the dear fiddle, want it like the mischief, but I feel like a thief to take it from you. However, if it helps you out of a hole to cash the within meagre check, I send it along; and if the time comes when you want to buy it back, the fiddle, I mean, you must feel free to do it. By that time it may be a little shop-worn, so you should beat me down in the price. Remember that I am not paying what it is worth, but perhaps you will consider that my deep appreciation is worth something.
“I wish I could come for it myself, but, ‘Nay, nay, Pauline,’ says the doctor. If you have a chance to send it by some reliable messenger please do so, for it is too precious to be sent by any ordinary means. If no such trustworthy person appears on the horizon, just wait till I can come for it or can send some one.
“It was bad luck not to have a chance of seeing you again, but I shall do it yet. Somehow I feel it in my bones, honey chile, dat we is gwine be de bes’ ob fren’s.
“Yo’ expectation fren’ an’ pal,