Dorothy's Tour

Just then Dorothy smiled up at him and said, “Nothing. I was just a little foolish. Go on and tell us all your wonderful news. I would rather hear good news than tell sad, any day.”

“I have just come from your lawyer’s, Mr. Van Zandt’s, where I heard a most wonderful story. I gave him the letter and package. He read the former, and said he would give the matter attention. I had to wait for over a half hour. He was conferring with a colleague,” continued Jim.

“Oh, do hurry and get to the real story part,” said the ever impatient Alfaretta.

“Be still, Alfy. How can Jim tell us while you are talking?” commanded Dorothy.

“To go on where I left off,” continued Jim, “Mr. Van Zandt said that his colleague told him a story which he would tell me and which I was to repeat to you.

“It seems that many years ago a family named Winchester had a large estate and plenty of money in England. They had children, and one, the eldest, ran away, came to America and married. He had a little daughter who grew up to be very beautiful. Her name was Dorothy Winchester.”

At this point in the story, Aunt Betty heaved a great sigh, and grew quite pale.

“The beautiful young girl ran off with a handsome young man whose name was Calvert. And, Mrs. Calvert, the lawyer thought that to be your brother-in-law. The young couple suffered early deaths, leaving a child, a girl named after the mother, Dorothy Winchester Calvert. That, dear, is you,” and Jim paused to see the effect of his words.

Dorothy had risen, and coming to him, placed her hands in his and said, “Is this all true or just a joke?” looking eagerly in his eyes for the answer.

“Yes,” answered Jim, with an attempt at gaiety, “yes, all true.”

“Then do I understand that all Dorothy has to do is to prove she is Dorothy Winchester Calvert and she will come into this inheritance?” said Aunt Betty.

“Yes. Mr. Van Zandt said for me to tell you that he would like to see you and Dorothy as early as possible in the morning, and for you to bring with you any proofs, such as letters, pictures, etc., which you have handy in your possession,” instructed Jim.

The word pictures immediately recalled to Dorothy her late misfortune, and she turned to Aunt Betty, saying, “Dear Aunt Betty, there is all my proof gone – the pictures in that locket. They would have been just what was needed, and now the locket is gone.”

“Why has the locket gone?” questioned Jim.

“That is the sad news we had to tell you when you came in with the good news,” said Mrs. Calvert. “Dorothy has either mislaid or someone has stolen her locket, the one I gave her with the pictures of her father and mother in it.”

“There,” interrupted Alfy. “There is someone knocking. Maybe it is the manager returning with the locket. It’s an hour since he said that he would have it back to Dorothy in that time.”

The manager entered and came over to Mrs. Calvert’s chair, and said, “I am very sorry, madam, but I have not been able to recover mademoiselle’s trinket. It is nowhere to be found. I have had three maids searched, three of them, who readily admitted going into the suite upstairs. The maids were very angry, and threatened to leave my employ. Nothing could be found. We have found no trace of it at all. All we can do, madam, is to hope. I will get a detective and have him try to locate the thief. Is it of great value?”

“Just now we have had news that makes the locket of precious value. An estate, a large inheritance, hangs upon its recovery, as therein lies the only proof we have, or, I should say, did have,” answered Mrs. Calvert.

“We will do all we can,” continued the manager, “and make every effort to restore the locket as quickly as possible.” He then departed, and prepared to have the lost article traced without any delay.

“I have my list of clothes and things that are missing and will have to be replaced all made out,” said Alfy to Mrs. Calvert.

“Very good,” answered Aunt Betty. “Come into your room and I will look over your things and verify the list and see if you need anything else beside what you have written down.” Alfy and Aunt Betty went off to see about the outlay necessary to replace the loss Alfy sustained from the fire.

No sooner had they gone than Jim came over to Dorothy, looked into her eyes and said, “Girl, will this – this estate, make any difference – if the large fortune comes to you? I was so glad to hear the news, and be the one to tell you of it while I was there with Mr. Van Zandt, but somehow on my way back to the hotel I became sorry, sorry because it will mean that you will be a great English heiress, and I – I – ”

“You, Jim? You will always be my great big Jim,” said Dorothy, with a sweet, sincere smile. “But isn’t it too bad that the locket just disappeared when we needed it? And, fortune or no fortune, it’s the only picture I had of my own mother.”

“Girl,” said Jim, softly, taking the small purple velvet box out of his vest pocket, “I brought you this. It’s only a little remembrance of what has gone between us. Just a little token of my eternal regard for you. I wish it could have been more.” And he placed the little jewel box in Dorothy’s hands. He watched her carefully, noting the pleasure in her face when she opened the box and saw the dainty pendant encased in the white satin. Carefully she drew it out.

“Oh, what a beauty!” exclaimed the girl. “Jim, dear, you are so good and thoughtful. It’s just as good and dainty as it can be, and far too good for me.”

“Let me clasp it around your neck for you,” he replied. “I am glad you like it.”

But when he had his arms around the girl’s neck, clasping the slender chain in place, Jim could not resist the temptation of drawing her close to him. She did not resist, so he held her closer for a moment in a fond embrace, and then raising her head, their lips met in a loving kiss.

“My little girl,” murmured Jim. “My dear little girl.” Then releasing her he said, “I chose this pendant because I knew you would not accept a ring.” Dorothy shook her head, but made no audible response.

“Not until you have had plenty of time to know your own mind, but that you should have by the time you have returned from your trip. Then, Dorothy girl, you will give me my answer?”

“Perhaps, Jim,” whispered Dorothy. “Perhaps then I will.”

“Can’t we keep the reason, the real reason, secret. We can have this one secret from everyone else, can’t we? Tell them all it is a little parting gift from me. Then when you come back, girl, you can tell them, if you decide to – if you can love me enough. Until then it’s our secret,” said Jim.

“I must go show it to Aunt Betty and Alfy. It’s such a beautiful pendant I want everyone to see it,” said Dorothy. “And I must get my things collected, for you see I have a lot to do. I wonder if I can prove anything without the locket.”

“Maybe they will accept Aunt Betty’s word for things. But the hard part of it all is that you go away to-morrow for such a long trip,” said Jim. “And, Dorothy, how I shall miss you! I won’t know what to do without you.”

“Yes, you will,” responded Dorothy. “You will have to work and work very hard at your new position.”

“Yes, indeed I will,” laughed Jim, “very hard indeed. If I want to get married soon, I shall have to economize and save all I can.”

“Foolish boy,” said Dorothy. “Good-bye; I am going to leave you here all, all alone,” and she ran over to Jim, put her hands in his and looked up at him, saying, “You are a dear, good boy, and I shall prize my pendant highly, and wear it always, and when I do think of you.”

“That’s all I could ask,” answered Jim. “And, girl, please do take care of yourself and be careful all through this trip. I regret so much that I can’t be along with you.”

“Dorothy! Dorothy!” called Aunt Betty, from the girl’s room.

“Yes, Aunt Betty, I am coming,” answered Dorothy. As she left the room she threw a kiss with her dainty finger tips to Jim.

That afternoon was spent in ordering things they all needed, and as time saving and convenient much was done by telephone. Then in trying on various things as they came all wrapped up in attractive bundles from the stores.

Aunt Betty bought Alfy a complete new outfit, as her things were entirely ruined, and she was more than delighted with each new article. There was a plain gray suit, and one just like it for Dorothy. Alfy insisted that they would be mistaken for twins in them. And Aunt Betty ordered as a surprise to the girl a plain grey felt outing hat, which was to come in the morning.

Dorothy had a few new shirt waists and a couple of pairs of slippers; also two new gowns, one pale yellow chiffon trimmed with a little gold lace; the other a very pale shell pink crepe de chine and shadow lace. These were for her to use on the stage, and at any private affairs that might come up.

Alfy was very much pleased with a pale blue evening dress, as she had never had one before in all her life. This pretty little party dress was very simple, being made of pale blue chiffon over a shell pink satin slip, and the only trimming it had was one large rose of pink shade, catching the skirt in a dainty fold, and a few dainty pink rose buds edging the neck and sleeves.

When she tried it on she ran carefully to Dorothy and exclaimed, “Dorothy, dear, just see my new dress! Isn’t it wonderful? Do you like it? Do you think it is becoming? And look at these!” and she held up a new pair of pink satin slippers, and gloves to match.

Dorothy laughed gayly, saying, “Dear, dear Alfy, they are beautiful things, and I have never seen you look quite so fine before.”

“I must show Jim,” she answered. And off she went to the next room, where Jim sat thinking and dreaming. “What do you think of me?” she asked him.

Jim looked up, saw Alfy, and said, “You look like a very fine young lady who has just stepped out of a picture.” And he made a mental note of the fact that the girl had no ornament about her neck, and made a resolution to get up early and go out the next morning and buy Alfy a string of coral beads that he thought were just needed to finish her costume. These he would give Alfy for her parting gift.

The next morning Jim carried out his purpose and bought the string of corals, pale pink, graduated beads, a string just long enough to go around the girl’s neck. And for Mrs. Calvert he bought a set of collar and belt pins to match in heavy dull gold.

These two gifts he labeled and sent up to them. He was busy that morning moving his possessions to Mrs. Quarren’s so that he would be all ready to occupy his room there that evening. He was to meet Dorothy and the rest of her party at the Pennsylvania station at noon time.

Mrs. Calvert, Dorothy and Alfaretta, as early as possible, went down to the lawyer’s office.