Right at this point the Kenway sisters and their boy friends, as well as Mr. Howbridge, became very much excited. It was the first intimation they had had of the result of the inquiry into the Pendleton’s troubles. Sammy Pinkney had nothing further to say about “Shot” Pendleton’s father and his affairs, although his letter to Tess and Dot was both exhaustive and exciting. The next day’s mail, however, brought a considerable communication from Mr. Howbridge’s clerk in whose charge the lawyer had left the Pendleton case.
Ruth in particular had taken so deep an interest in the family that the news of the solving of the mystery about the stolen silks was a matter that held her attention, if it did not that of her sisters.
“I am so delighted to know that the shadow is lifted from that poor man’s reputation,” she said to Mr. Howbridge. “And all the while the man who appeared to befriend him was the guilty one!”
“You possess intuition developed to the nth degree, Ruth,” said Mr. Howbridge, smiling. “I remember that you said that Israel Stumpf seemed to be two-faced. And he was. Scandal in the Kolbeck family, my clerk writes. Kolbeck would not save Stumpf even to please his wife. The young man is out on bail, but he certainly will be punished for stealing.”
“And have they taken Mr. Pendleton back?”
“So I am told here. At a little better salary and in a place of increased responsibility. Kolbeck is a decent man. He means to do what he sees is right, I fancy.”
When Tess and Dot understood more fully the final outcome of the trouble that had for so long disturbed the Pendleton children—Margy and Carrie as well as their brother—they both wanted to write home to the little Pendletons about it.
“We’re so glad that nice Mr. Pendleton isn’t going to be called a thief any more,” Tess remarked to Ruth, “that we want to let ’em know how we feel. Besides, I guess Mrs. Pendleton is happy now, too.”
“And he’s a very interesting man, I think,” added Dot. “I never knew another man who fell out of a tree. Did you, Tess?”
“No,” drawled Tess. “I guess I never did. And it is so nice that he is proved to be honest. How happy Margy and Carrie will be.”