Jean received a letter that seemed to crush her to the very earth. She would take no part in anything, but simply went through her routine work like one in a dream.
It was on this same day, very close to the closing exercises for the holiday term, that Tavia and Dorothy (the latter more despondent than ever about her father’s business), also received news that changed their despondency into gladness.
It was Dorothy’s letter from home. As she finished reading it she exclaimed:
“Tavia! whatever do you think? Mr. Armstrong—our Mr. Armstrong—is father’s lawyer!”
“Our Mr. Armstrong,” repeated Tavia, “you mean your Mr. Armstrong,” Tavia finished teasingly.
“Well, father says this case has taken a new turn. That Mr. Armstrong has discovered some flaws somewhere in the case of the other side. I could not understand just what they are, but, at any rate, it makes things look much brighter for father.”
“Good! May his brightness increase with the days,” replied Tavia. “Of course I knew it would come all right——”
“But it is not all right yet. It is only brightening up. But a ray of hope is a great thing, when one is really blue,” admitted Dorothy.
“Then Zada must have had several rays, for I never saw such a changed girl. She actually went skating with us yesterday. That child was creepy last Fall,” said Tavia.
Dorothy smiled when she thought of the reason for Zada’s improvement, but much as Tavia wanted to know the story of the lost picture, Dorothy could not dream of telling her of Zada’s confession.