“Oh, come, let’s go tell Miss Eloise,” said Adele with an eagerness which seemed to suggest that perhaps the house would disappear over night. And the two sought Miss Eloise without delay.
“I’ve told Jessie your secret,” said Adele bursting in upon her teacher, “and she knows exactly the house for you and Mr. Davis. Her father can tell you all about it.”
Miss Eloise looked up from her embroidery, a little flush mounting to her cheek. “What do you think of my secret, Jessie?” she asked drawing the little girl to her side.
“I think it is a very nice one for Mr. Davis,” she answered.
Miss Eloise laughed, and Miss Betty said, “I must tell him that.”
“Why don’t you think it is nice for me?” Miss Eloise asked Jessie.
“Maybe I shall think it is nice if you live in ‘The Beeches,’” she said.
“Then we surely must see about it. Is the name of the place ‘The Beeches,’ and is it near here?”
“It is just beyond our place,” Jessie told her, “but the house hasn’t been lived in for a long time. The man who owns it has gone abroad and wants to sell it. My father can tell you all about it, for we have the keys at our house.”
“Then we must certainly see about it,” said Miss Eloise, turning to Miss Betty. “That would just suit, Betty, and I should rather be on this side the railroad, for then we should be between Appledore and Fulton so we could control both. Thank you, Jessie, for coming to tell me. Of course we shall not open our school till next fall, but if the house is out of repair it will take some time to put it in order, and one should be in plenty of time for such things. Must you go now?”