Towser blinked a sleepy acquiescence. In spite of his years, he still followed blindly where Patience led, though the consequences were frequently disastrous.
It was the next afternoon that Pauline, reading in the garden, heard an eager little voice calling excitedly, "Paul, where are you! It's come! It's come! I brought it up from the office myself!"
Pauline sprang up. "Here I am, Patience! Hurry!"
"Well, I like that!" Patience said, coming across the lawn. "Hurry! Haven't I run every inch of the way home!" She waved the letter above her head—"'Miss Pauline A. Shaw!' It's type-written! O Paul, aren't you going to read it out here!"
For Pauline, catching the letter from her, had run into the house, crying—"Mother! O Mother Shaw!"
CHAPTER III
UNCLE PAUL'S ANSWER
"Mother! O mother, where are you!" Pauline cried, and on Mrs. Shaw's answering from her own room, she ran on up-stairs. "O Mother Shaw! It's come at last!" she announced breathlessly.
"So I thought—when I heard Patience calling just now. Pauline, dear, try not to be too disappointed if—"
"You open it, mother—please! Now it's really come, I'm—afraid to."
Pauline held out her letter.