“Well, tell her—tell her—oh, no; don’t tell her anything. You may just mention that I called, and, if she is free, I can be in the wood this afternoon.”
“Very well; I’ll remember,” said Marcia with a grave smile.
Flossie was forced to take her departure, and Penelope, with a sigh of relief, turned to Marcia.
“I’d be so awfully obliged to you,” she said. “I know it’s a cool sort of thing to ask, but I want to write a letter—it’s to Jim, my brother. He is staying with people of the name of Holroyd. They’re very nice people; they’re your sort, you know. He has gone off rather suddenly, and there’s something he was going to do for me, and I want to remind him. Do you greatly object to my writing him a little note here?”
“Of course not, dear,” said Marcia, in her kindest tone. “Come along into this room. I’ll give you pen, ink, and paper.”
She supplied Pen with the necessary materials, and the little girl wrote her note.
“My Darling Jim:
“Don’t forget father and the big fat purse on Saturday morning. Your loving and distracted Pen.
“P.S.—You went off in such a hurry I suppose you forgot, you old darling. But please, please remember your most wildly distracted sister Pen.”
This note was put into an envelope, and was addressed to Mr Jim Carter, care of the Holroyds, The Chase, Dewsbury. Pen took out her little purse, which alas! held little or no coins, produced a sticky stamp, put it on the letter, and prepared to leave the house.