Honey-Sweet Part 27

"You can wear out all you want to now,--shoes and everything. And give Cousin Dorcas some, too," said Pat.

While they were chattering away, a measured step was heard in the hall.

"There's father," said Pat. "Oh, dad, we've found Anne," he called.

"Here she is."

Mr. Patterson hurried into the room. Anne rose timidly to shake hands, and was caught in a hearty embrace. "Welcome, little one! Welcome home,"

said Mr. Patterson.

"Hooray! hooray for the star-spangled banner!" Pat shouted so loud that the cook and both the maid-servants came running to see what was the matter. Whereupon Mr. Patterson told them that they were to have the Christmas turkey that day and the best dinner they could prepare on such short notice, to celebrate Miss Anne's coming home.

"We want your cousin to join us," said Miss Drayton. "Has she a telephone?"

"We use Miss Margery's," replied Anne. "Please, do you mind--would you ask Miss Margery, too?"

"Of course, dear. We shall be happy to have her. Before dinner let's write some little letters--really we ought--to let your other friends know that we've found you."

"Bully Mrs. Collins," said Pat.

"And poor Miss Farlow," added Miss Drayton.

"Don't forget our friend 'Lop," suggested Mr. Patterson.

"And--it's far away and long ago--" said Anne, "but I want Mademoiselle Duroc to know and to tell the girls, if any of the old ones are there, that you know about the jewels and it's all right."

CHAPTER XXIX

"Time you youngsters were doing your Christmas shopping," said Mr.

Patterson the next morning, laying a generous banknote by Pat's plate and two crisp notes by Anne's. "She has to have a double portion," he explained, "because she's a girl--and little--and has to make up lost time."

"Yep, dad," said Pat, nodding agreement to each of these reasons and adding another, "and she has such gangs of people to send things to.

You'll have to go to the ten-cent shop, Nancy Anne, or borrow from my bank. Wherever you've been, you've picked up friends, like--like a little woolly lambie gathers burs."

They all laughed at Pat's speech; they were in the joyous frame of mind when laughter comes easily.

"I want to join you in Christmas remembrances to the people who have been so good to you," said Miss Drayton.

"I'll send Jake Collins a ball and Peter a pocket-knife," said Pat, "or would Jake rather have a knife, too?"

"Mrs. Collins shall have a silk dress," said Miss Drayton.

"Oo-ee! That will be glorious," exclaimed Anne. "Let it be the rustly kind. And red. She loves red."

"Mr. Collins shall have an umbrella with a gorgeous silver handle," said Mr. Patterson. "That will be silk. Must it be rustly and red, too?"

Anne laughed. "Lizzie would just love a pink parasol," she said. "And I know what Aunt Charity would like--a pair of big, gold-rimmed spectacles. I heard her say she'd rather have them than anything else in the world."

"Is her eyesight very bad?" asked Miss Drayton.

"Why--I don't know. I reckon not." Anne looked puzzled. "Oh! she just wants them for dress-up. She has a pair of steel-rimmed ones now. She pulls them down on her nose so she can see over them, you know."

Mr. Patterson threw back his head and laughed till he was red in the face. "She shall have them," he said, as soon as he could speak. "She shall have the very biggest pair of gold-rimmed spectacles with plain gla.s.s lens that Claflin's shop affords. May I live to see her wear them!

And we'll send her a good warm shawl besides and Uncle Richard shall have--shall have a blue overcoat with bra.s.s b.u.t.tons."

"Goody, goody, goody!" cried Anne, clapping her hands. "Oh, please, I just must kiss you."

"Good pay--and in advance," said Mr. Patterson. "But I charge two kisses," which he proceeded to take.

"What would Miss Farlow like?" inquired Miss Drayton.

"I know," said Anne. "Gloves. You just ought to see her shoe-polishing her rusty finger-tips. And she looks like she likes herself so much better when she has a new pair."

"She shall have a boxful," Miss Drayton declared; "and the girls--would they be allowed to wear red hair-ribbons and embroidered collars?"

"Oh, please, Miss Drayton--Aunt Sarah, I mean," said Anne, "don't let's send them a single useful thing. Just a box full of games and story-books and a box of candy for each one, with a ribbon round it and little silver tongs inside."

"Good! That's the thing," agreed Mr. Patterson, consulting his watch and jumping up from the table. "Here! can't you all join me in the Boston House to-day at twelve-thirty to select a gift for 'Lop? I want the noisiest mechanical toy there is."

"Poor Mrs. Marshall!" laughed Miss Drayton.

We may not follow the merry party on that shopping trip. But let me a.s.sure you that boxes were sent to all the Virginia friends and that there were generous gifts for Cousin Dorcas and Miss Margery. They were certainly well selected, for each person said that his or her gift was just exactly what was most desired.

The maid who opened the door that afternoon to the weary, happy, home-coming party of Christmas shoppers said, "Please, Miss Drayton, there's a lady and two little boys in the back parlor to see Miss Anne.

They've been waiting an hour. The biggest boy's dreadful impatient and he stamped and screamed awful because I couldn't go and bring her home."

"Why, it must be 'Lop," exclaimed Anne.

Dunlop it was, with his mother and Arthur.

"He would come," said Mrs. Marshall. "He clamored to start as soon as we read the letter this morning. I feared he'd worry himself sick. He's so nervous and high-strung," she explained to Miss Drayton.

"Papa promised me a little automobile if I'd stay at home," said Dunlop, hanging to Anne's hand. "I told him I'd rather see Anne."

"Oh!" Anne kissed him.

"'Spect I'll get the automobile anyway," reflected Dunlop. "And, Anne, I know now 'bout Santa Claus," with a cautious glance at Arthur who was cuddled in her arms.

Mrs. Marshall produced a packet which Miss Farlow had asked her to deliver,--Anne's gold beads and coral pins, and the rings, locket, and purse given by her uncle. Miss Drayton looked thoughtfully at the jewels.

"These were your mother's, you know, Anne," she said. "You must keep and prize them always, dear. And I have a story to tell you some day, little Anne--some far-off, 'most-grown-up day."

The next morning was Christmas. When Anne awakened, she found around her wrist a red ribbon on which was a card bearing these words:

"Follow, follow where I wind, Christmas tokens you will find."