The Challengers by Grace Livingston Hill Read Free Book Online Page B

it was your father's wish that he shouldn't be told how bad things were at the beginning, and of course they're worse now. You know, of course, that when he is through this year he will have his diploma and be able to get a good position, and without his diploma it would be hard work to find anything."
    "Yes," said Melissa, remembering her experience with the library position and wilting into depression.
    There was silence in the room again while the mother absently picked up the second letter, tore open the envelope, and began to read. The two girls sat in troubled thoughts. At last the silence was so long that they were seized with sudden new apprehension, and looking up, both at once studied her face intent upon its letter. At last Phyllis could bear the suspense no longer.
    "What is it, Mother? Some new trouble? A bill?"
    "No, not a bill," sighed the mother, folding the letter up and putting it thoughtfully into her pocket.
    "But, what is it? Has something more terrible happened?"
    "Oh, no, nothing happened at all. I guess it is nothing. Probably only some trifle. It's just a letter from some lawyers. I think perhaps somebody Father knows. I don't seem to remember the name, but it must be. Perhaps they have some word about our stocks, or it may be only some lawyer who has heard somehow that we had a deposit in the closed bank and wants us to let their firm handle our claim. It might be something like that."
    "But, what is it? What do they want you to do?"
    "Oh, they only want me to come into their office and see them sometime soon."
    "But you won't go, will you, Mother? Isn't that what they call shyster lawyers, or something like that? I think I've heard Father speak of lawyers who are hanging around trying to get clients. Not real lawyers, only kind of frauds, aren't they? Wouldn't Father tell you to keep away?"
    "Oh, I don't know. I'll think about it. I'm not sure what I ought to do."
    "But don't they say what they want to see you about?"
    "Why, yes, they mention property, but I don't know what property they mean. I don't suppose it is anything of any importance. I really haven't time to bother with it this morning. I must look after getting some money together for us to live on. If Mr. Cass, that old friend of your father's, was at home, I believe I would go to him and tell him all about our circumstances and ask his advice, only I know Father would hate so to have us tell anybody about it. Father is awfully proud and reticent, you know. Still, when it comes to a place where we haven't enough to eat, I think he'd want us to do anything. Oh, I wish I dared ask him, but the doctor positively said he must not be bothered in any way. Of course, that Mr. Cass has money himself, a lot of it, and was always very generous. He would probably lend us something, a hundred or so, at least until the bank would open and we could pay him back again. But Mr. Cass is in Europe this winter, so that's out of the question." She sighed deeply again and put her thin blue-veined hand up to her face.
    "Mother," said Phyllis at last, looking down at her lap where she was pinching little folds of her apron into accordion pleats in an embarrassed way, "if you really believe in God, why couldn't you ask Him, the way Rosalie suggested?"
    "Well, I could, of course. In fact, I did," said the mother, also embarrassedly.
    "Well, go and ask Him again," said Phyllis. "Do it now! Lissa and I will go around this room and the kitchenette and make an inventory of all the things we think we might sell, and you go into the bedroom and ask God to do something about it."
    "What a silly idea!" flamed out Melissa indignantly. "Don't make Mother ridiculous! I didn't know you were so superstitious. You certainly need a year at college!" And Melissa tossed her head in a superior way she had when her experience at college was mentioned.
    "It's not superstition! It's good sense!" responded Phyllis good-naturedly. "If there is a God and He wants us to pray, I think we