“Some years later the mother herself was called away,” he resumed, “and then it was that the child was sent to relatives in this country. Her allowance had been received through our house, we having been appointed by the marquis’ estate, and we in turn had been paying the allowance to an aunt by marriage—Mrs. Charles Huber.”
Miette shrugged her small shoulders in true French fashion. Evidently she had no pleasant thoughts about Mrs. Charles Huber!
“We had no reason to suspect any misuse of this orphan’s money,” continued Mr. Pierce, “until a letter sent from Glenwood school to a girl named Marie Bloise, employed by the firm of Gorden-Granfield, came into the possession of the superintendent of the firm, Mr. Frederic Freeman, who happened to be a personal friend of my own.”
“But I sent no letter!” interrupted Miette in surprise.
“No,” answered the lawyer, “the letter was signed Dorothy Dale!”
All eyes were turned on Dorothy.
“I sent it—” she stammered, “to Gorden-Granfield’s because Miette was so anxious to write to Marie, and had lost the letter.”
“And how did you get it?” asked Miette, more surprised than ever.
“Mrs. Pangborn gave it to me, and said I might add a line, and send it to the girl if I wished, but I was not to tell Miette until all the trouble was straightened out. It has not been all settled yet,” finished Dorothy.
“But we are about to finish it,” said the lawyer, smiling. “This letter was turned over to Mr. Freeman because it is against the rules of the house for employes to receive mail through the office.”