The girls thought and thought over what was to be done. Any minute Miss Weston’s bill might arrive, and any minute, as Anne remarked, “the fat might be in the fire.” The only thing possible to do was, after all, to consult with Kitty. Anne spoke to Grace on the subject.
“Gracie, there’s no way out of it.”
“Out of what?” asked Grace. “Has it come?”
“No, it hasn’t come this morning, and I have got mother to promise that she won’t open it until we are present, and do you know what I mean to do?”
“What—what is that, Anne?”
“I’m going to send a telegram to-day to Miss Weston, to ask her not to enclose the bill for a few days.”
“I never thought of that,” said Grace. “Still, I can’t make out what good it will do.”
“It will do this,” said Anne, “it will give us time.”
“But it must come in the end, and if she delays too long daddy will begin to champ. You know one of his fads is to have every debt he owes in the world finished off and paid up before the last day of the year.”
“I know that, and, of course, it will only give us two or three days; but, still, Christmas hasn’t come yet, and there’s time sufficient, anyhow. The next thing I am going to do is this: I’m going over to Preston Manor to-day. I’m going to ask dad to lend us the motor-car; I’m going to drive over. Jessie and Molly have both invited us, and, although it is a little soon, I am going, under the circumstances, to take advantage of it.”