“Yes, please!” panted Eileen. “I just don’t want to meet any of them. It’s time enough for them to know what has happened after I am gone.”
“All right then,” said Uncle James. “Pile in and we’ll go.”
So Eileen started on the road to the unlimited wealth her soul had always craved.
CHAPTER XXIV
Linda’s First Party
At the bank Linda and John Gilman waited an hour past the time set for Eileen’s appearance. Then Linda asserted herself.
“I have had a feeling for some time,” she said quietly, “that Eileen would not appear to-day, and if she doesn’t see fit to come, there is no particular reason why she should. There is nothing to do but go over the revenue from the estate. The books will show what Eileen has drawn monthly for her expense budget. That can be set aside and the remainder divided equally between us. It’s very simple. Here is a letter I wrote to the publishers of Father’s books asking about royalties. I haven’t even opened it. I will turn it in with the remainder of the business.”
They were in the office with the president of the bank. He rang for the clerk he wanted and the books he required, and an hour’s rapid figuring settled the entire matter, with the exception of the private account, amounting to several thousands, standing in Eileen’s name. None of them knew any source of separate income she might have. At a suggestion from Linda, the paying teller was called in and asked if he could account for any of the funds that had gone into the private account.
“Not definitely,” he said, “but the amounts always corresponded exactly with the royalties from the books. I strongly suspect that they constitute this private account of Miss Eileen’s.”
But he did not say that she had tried to draw it the day previous.