Half an hour later the girls arrived at the neat parsonage. They found the minister working in his garden, and he listened gravely to the story of the miser and his bag of gold.
As Gertrude had anticipated, her father said, “Since the money cannot be returned to its rightful owners, it surely ought to be used in doing good. If I were you, I would deposit it in the bank and draw upon it as a need arises.”
Thanking Mr. Willis for his advice, seven happy girls went to the bank of which Doris Drexel’s father was president.
Luckily Mr. Drexel was still there, and he had the bag emptied and the money counted. “One thousand dollars,” he reported with a smile, “and I believe, little lassies, that Mr. Willis has made a wise suggestion.”
When the girls left the place a while later, Bertha carried a little book which stated that she was the treasurer of the Sunnyside Club, which had funds to the amount of one thousand dollars in the First National Bank in the town of Sunnyside.
Next, the seven girls visited Miss Grackle, to tell her the story. “We wish this money to be used by the Quigleys,” Adele said, “but since we do not want them to feel that they are receiving charity, we wish that you, Miss Grackle, would give them a certain amount of it each month for taking care of your garden and grounds.”
“That will be a splendid plan,” Miss Grackle said brightly. “And now, before you go, would you girls like to see the cottage in which the Quigleys are to live? I have aired it out and made it fresh and tidy.”
“We’d love to see it!” Adele exclaimed, and so Miss Grackle led the way to the little cottage beside the maple grove.
The three rooms were sunny and bright, and the big, old-fashioned stove in the kitchen had been freshly blackened. The wood-box was filled, for, as Miss Grackle explained, she wanted it to look home-like as soon as they saw it. In the living-room there were two easy-chairs with bright patch-work cushions, and in the bedroom beyond all was spotlessly clean and inviting.
“I can hardly wait until to-morrow,” Betty Burd exclaimed.