“Ah, but you see I am naturally fond of such doings as you have on hand at present,” laughed Dorothy. “Now, can’t you decide to close out earlier than you have been intending to—say in two or three weeks, if not sooner? I know perfectly well that aunt and uncle would be delighted to have you come to them so much sooner than you have intended, to say nothing of the boys and the girl Dorothy.”
“Then perhaps you may be glad to hear of something that occurred this morning while you two were shopping. A woman called in to say that, hearing I was going to give up the house this spring, she would like to look at it with a view to taking it. So I took her over it from attic to cellar. She seemed to think it would exactly suit her, and if it would not inconvenience me to move out sooner than I had intended—say in a week or two—she would be very glad to take it off my hands, buying the fixtures, most of the furniture, and the goods also—as she means to keep the same kind of stock—and settling for the rent I should have to pay the landlord if I had stayed on as long as I had intended.”
“Oh, delightful!” cried Dorothy. “I hope you closed with the offer at once?”
“No, not exactly,” replied Ethel, smiling at Dorothy’s earnestness, “but I told her I would give her my answer to-morrow or next day. I wanted time you see to consult my uncles, and to make sure I should not inconvenience anybody by accepting the invitation from Uncle George and Aunt Sarah so much earlier than they and we had expected.”
“I can assure you you needn’t hesitate one minute about that,” returned Dorothy. “Suppose you come up and talk with Aunt Sarah and the uncles this evening and have it settled. Then you can see some pretty things we were showing Blanche this morning.”
“Oh, yes, Ethel; some lovely gifts to us from Uncle Albert and the two aunts.”
“Oh, hush!” cried Dorothy, “don’t tell what they are, but let her be surprised as you were this morning.”
“Why, you cruel thing! the idea of keeping her waiting so long!” exclaimed Blanche in simulated wrath.
“Oh, I can wait,” laughed Ethel; “mysteries and expectations are really delightful things sometimes. Now I think of it, as we do not often have much custom in the evenings, Harry and you and I, Blanche, might go to Uncle George’s after tea and talk the matter over with him and Uncle Albert; see the pretty things too, and thank them and the aunts for their gifts.”
The others thought well of the plan and it was duly carried out