This made Josie and Elizabeth laugh, as there never was known a more courteous person than Irene Macfarlane.
“What do you think the Job’s comforters will say when they find out about Colonel Hathaway’s affairs?” asked Elizabeth. “I haven’t told a soul, but my family will have to know sooner or later and then I bid to come stay for a few days down here at the Higgledy Piggledy until they stop talking it over and pumping me with questions.”
“Uncle says it is the most astounding thing that has ever occurred in the financial world of Dorfield,” said Irene. “He has not given up hope yet but is still searching for papers that might indicate in some way where on earth the money has gone. There is no doubt about it that Colonel Hathaway was a very rich man as his investments have always prospered but, now that he is gone, there is absolutely nothing to show where his money is. The brokers say he has been selling steadily during the last few months. He seems to have converted a great many of his securities into cash. Nobody knows why exactly except that he intimated to several men that he was going to fix his money so Danny could not get hold of it. Everybody realized the Colonel was not himself and took what he said about Danny with a grain of salt. Uncle is afraid he invested a lot of his money in some gold mine schemes that he talked about several weeks ago. It is supposed to have been a wild-cat mine with no chance of getting out what money was put in. I don’t see how Colonel Hathaway could have been bitten even though he was a little out of his head. Uncle says he was such an astute business man.”
“Can’t Mr. Conant find any money at all?” asked Josie.
“Nothing! Of course, the house is there and all of its furnishings. It is on a huge lot which may be valuable in time, but, just now, that part of Dorfield is not so fashionable as it used to be and Uncle Peter thinks it would be a pity to sell it, as there is a chance of its being in demand a little later for office buildings. Business is slowly creeping that way. He is going to hold on to his property until he can get his price.”
“In the meantime, what will Mary Louise live on?” asked Elizabeth.
“Live on the wits that God gave her!” cried Josie. “I am truly glad for this part of poor Job’s troubles. It will be everything to dear little Mary Louise that she must actually begin to think about where her next meal is coming from.”
“Josie! How can you say such a thing?” demanded Elizabeth, shocked wonderment in her voice and countenance.
“Easy!” laughed Josie. “Aren’t you a million times happier since you are taking care of yourself? Why shouldn’t it make Mary Louise happier, especially now that she has so much sorrow to overcome? I am as glad as glad can be, and, while I am going to put my wits to work as a friend first and as a detective second, I am hoping I will take a long time to find the lost treasure.”
“Well I never!” declared Irene in quite the tone Aunt Hannah might have used. “I am no worshiper of money, but I must say one can do so much with money that the having of it must be very pleasant. I shall never forget the wonderful things Colonel Hathaway and Mary Louise have done for me and it was because they had money that they could do them. The things gave them as intense joy as they did me, too, and that is where the pleasure of having money comes in for persons like the Colonel and Mary Louise. There is my victrola and all the magnificent records, representing the very best in music! Here’s my rolling chair, such a wonder of balance and ease that it moves at the slightest touch and seems almost a part of me! There’s my lovely long fur coat that makes it possible for me to go out in winter. Before I got it, I used simply to freeze because I couldn’t take enough exercise to get up a good winter circulation. I would stay in the house like some old hibernating bear and I dreaded winter, but now I love to see the first snow flakes. Mary Louise is so accustomed to doing lovely things for people that I don’t see how she is going to get used to not doing them.”