The Challengers by Grace Livingston Hill

Author:Grace Livingston Hill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing Inc
Published: 2016-06-23T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

It was nearly midnight when Phyllis walked in on her anxious mother, with Butcher Brady just behind her, his genial face in a broad grin.

"I told ya I'd find her all right," he said, wagging his head and beaming. "I just hadta drive up one street and down the other a coupla times, and there she was right on the sidewalk walking along as fast as she could."

"Walking!" said Mrs. Challenger, lifting a white face, from which the anxiety had not yet faded. "Oh, Phyllis, my child! How frightened I have been! And what were you walking for at this time of night? Didn't you have money for carfare? I told you to be sure--"

"Yes, Mother," lilted Phyllis, "I had it, but I came on a bus from way uptown, and it stopped only three blocks from here. I thought it was better to walk than hang around waiting for a car. There wasn't one in sight."

"But where have you been? All day! Phyllis, how could you stay so long without sending any word?"

"I couldn't help it, Mother dear," said Phyllis, taking off her hat and sitting down wearily. "I tried to get Mr. Brady at eight o'clock to let him know I would be late, but they didn't answer. He says they were all out. Why, you see, Mother, I got some work to do, and the man said he would give me ten dollars if I would get it done tonight. It was thousands of circulars that had to be addressed and stamped and sealed and mailed, and I just got them all done. Is there anything to eat, Mother? I'm hungry as a bear. I didn't dare stop to get any dinner; I was afraid I wouldn't get done, and it was getting so late."

"Oh, my dear!" gasped her mother, brushing away the quick tears. But Rosalie had already hurried into the kitchen and was back in a minute with a covered plate containing a nice warm dinner that she had set in the warming oven for her sister and a glass of cold milk from the refrigerator.

Phyllis sat down and began to eat, while the others hovered near watching her, eager with questions. Even Butcher Brady lingered by the door wistfully, eager as the rest.

"But how did you get work, Phyllis?" asked the mother. "Was it one of our friends who gave it--?"

"No, Mother," said Phyllis, setting down her glass of milk, "it was just a man, a stranger. His name is Lucius Brown, Incorporated. You see, I had a plan when I left this morning. I had decided to take a street and just go into every place of business and ask for the proprietor, and ask if there was anything at all he needed done, even if it was only for a day."

"What an idea, child!"

"Well, there wasn't apparently any use in trying for a regular job. I'd answered all the advertisements I found and asked all the people I knew that would have any likelihood of needing a helper.

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