“Then I suppose that he will give it to me,” Adele replied merrily, as she went to the gate to meet Mr. Drakely. Then, turning around, with eyes shining, she triumphantly waved a white envelope. “Here it is,” she called to the eager group on the lawn, “but it is addressed to Mumsie, and she is down-town shopping and so we shall have to wait until she returns.”
“Oh-h-h!” came in doleful chorus.
“How can we wait?” Betty Burd moaned.
“It won’t be long, methinks,” Adele exclaimed, “for unless I am mistaken, I hear Mother’s step just beyond the lilacs.”
In another moment that gracious lady appeared and the girls swooped down upon her.
“Well! well!” Mrs. Doring exclaimed gaily. “Why am I so popular?”
“Oh, Mumsie,” Adele declared lovingly, “you know that you are always popular, but just now we want you to open this letter from Madame Deriby and tell us if we may go to the Linden Hall boarding-school.”
They led Mrs. Doring to a rustic bench and then crowded about her while she read aloud:
“My dear Mrs. Doring:
“Your letter of recent date was received and I am pleased to inform you that I have ample accommodations for the five young ladies.”