"Oh, you know more about it than they do," she replied, "and besides, some way I wouldn't feel as if I were bothering you."
"Not a bit of bother, Amarilly, and I hope you will always feel that way."
The ticket-seller was prompt, thorough, and shrewd in the matter. He had a friend in the real estate business, who appraised the property for him, and he proved most diplomatic in his dealing with the surprised landlord, who fortunately chanced to be in dire need of some ready cash. In an incredibly short space of time the bargain was closed.
The Jenkins family including the Boarder and Iry left the house one noon, each bearing a red bank-book. To the onlookers in the neighborhood, this Armada was all-impressive.
"Looks like a run on the bank," said the Boarder facetiously, as they all trooped up the steps to the big stone building.
The payment was made, and the deeds drawn in the names of all the family, but to the list was also added the name of the Boarder.
CHAPTER XXI
"I don't see," observed Colette, on learning of the existence and development of the syndicate, "why the Boarder is in on it. I thought he was going to have a Lily Rose garden all his own."
"We thought so, too," replied Amarilly. "He's been saving up to get married, and he's got a raise now, so the day is set for some time in June; but he told us the night we were first planning to buy the house that he wanted to be one of the syndicate. You see Lily Rose works—I mean she overworks—in a factory, and so the Boarder—you know he is awful gentle-like to her—says that she mustn't keep house or do anything but real light work after this. He has an interest in the house now, and he is going to build on a sort of an annex with a sitting-room and a bedroom and furnish it up fine, and when they are married, they are going to live there and take their meals with us. And they want Mr. St. John to marry them, and they want you to come. And Mr. Derry is coming. He asked to be invited."
For once Colette did not laugh at the chronicles of the Jenkins family.
A very tender look came into her flashing eyes.