CHAPTER IXTHE MARSHES PAY A DEBT
MRS. MARSH, her day’s work completed, was doing some sewing. Her thoughts often turned to her beloved son, twice beloved, since he was not about. Ted had sent her a picture of himself on horseback and she was looking proudly at it. It was an unusually long letter she had received that morning. Ted had told of Red Mack, Smiles, Pop, and the others. How his horse, Scout, and he were great chums, and how Wolf had grown and was a dog any boy could be proud of. How fine and important Mr. Dean was and how good to him Mrs. Dean was, always. Throughout the boyish letter, the mother read of the boy’s happiness in his new surroundings. But Ted also made her feel that he missed her and that he missed Helen.
What a fine picture it was of him. Howmanly he looked. The mother was quite sure there never was a boy like her Ted. But she missed him so. And, thinking about how much she missed him, she looked for a moment as if she would cry.
But instead of crying, she suddenly smiled.
“I must not be selfish, as Helen says. It is his chance. Bless the Deans.”
Ted in his first letter of that week had written about the Academy at Wayland and that he was to arrive there on May 1st. She knew that Mrs. Dean had kept him up in his studies in the eight months he had been away from school, but she was glad to know that he was again to get back to a regular school.
After a while she started to set the table. Helen would soon be home and Mrs. Marsh was always sure to have things ready for the hungry girl when she reached home. After the table was set, Mrs. Marsh reopened the letter received that morning from Ted and placed it conspicuously, so that Helen could not fail to see it.
Her thoughts still stayed with Ted. She did not mind receiving the monthly remittancefrom the Deans, she mused, just as had been arranged, before they left for the West, yet she was glad that it would not be necessary to receive this money very much longer. What they had accepted up to now would be paid back by the three of them, the mother, Helen and Ted. But both of them were very anxious to pay back at once the hundred dollars Mr. Dean had insisted that she take when Ted had gone to the hospital. That was a burden which the Marshes were anxious to clear as soon as possible.
The bell rang. “It cannot be Helen. She does not ring. I wonder who it is?”
She pushed the button that opened the door below. After a time there was a knock at the door.
She opened it and a man stepped in.
“Mrs. Marsh?” he asked.
“I am Mrs. Marsh,” she answered.
“I am the insurance adjuster and I want to settle as to your losses through that fire. The company wants to offer you $25.00, which I think is very fair.”
“But it was supposed to be $100.00,” said Mrs. Marsh, uncertainly.
“We cannot make it $100.00; we do notintend to give more than $25.00. You can take it or leave it.”
The man made a move as if to go. Mrs. Marsh, uncertain, wished for Ted or even for Helen, and as if in answer to her wish Helen stepped into the room.
“Hello, mother!” She kissed her lovingly, then saw the stranger. She looked up at the man.
The mother explained.
“We will not take less than the $100,” said Helen decisively.
“We will give you $50, no more,” said the man.
Helen shook her head.
“You take $75 now, or $25 if I once leave the room.” The man started for the door. Helen let him go. He opened the door and went out.
“You should have taken the $75,” said the mother tearfully. “We need it badly, you know.”
“I think we will get the $100, mother,” quietly answered the girl.
The man came back into the room. He pulled out a paper, then five twenty dollar bills, and showed Mrs. Marsh where to sign.
Mrs. Marsh did so after Helen had first read the paper and had approved of it. The man left.
Mother and daughter looked at each other, happily.
“Do you know, mother, I just wish we could send it off tonight. It will feel so fine to get the burden of this big debt from our shoulders. Isn’t it fun to be able to pay your debts?”
“I am so glad,” said the mother, no less enthusiastic. “It worried me so.”
“Yes, mother, and I have some more good news. I have been given a raise and my pay is to be ten dollars a week.”
“It’s wonderful, but no more than you deserve,” said the mother, loyally.
“Why,” said Helen, “here is a letter from Ted and you never told me. What a perfectly fine picture.” There was silence while the sister read the letter and the mother watched her appreciation.
“Ted is going to be a great man some day, mother; I know it.”
“And you will be a fine woman, too,” said the proud mother.
“I wish we could go out there and join Ted. In another month we ought to be able to tell the Deans we do not need their help. My, that will be so fine.”
“Yes, Helen, and the first thing in the morning I am going to send this money to them and get through with that.”