Then There Were Five by Elizabeth Enright

Author:Elizabeth Enright
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781250102850
Publisher: Square Fish

CHAPTER IX

Mark

It was Willy who told Mark.

Afterward he came into the kitchen where the Melendy children were sitting. They looked at him with scared, solemn faces.

“Now you stop lookin’ like that,” Willy commanded. “The end of the world ain’t come. These things sometimes happen and you might’s well know about ’em. It’s Mark you gotta think about now. Oren was a rascal, and a villain, and a meanhearted sneak; but remember he was all the folks the poor kid had; I s’pose he got used to him the way a person gets used to chronic appendicitis, or boils, or any other hardship. He feels pretty lost right now, I guess.”

“Where is he? Mark?” Rush asked.

“Leave him alone for a while. He’s out back somewheres.”

“Where will he go now? He hasn’t anybody to live with,” Mona said.

“Why can’t he live with us?” cried Randy. “He could have the cupola, and he could teach us all to walk on our hands!”

“I’d take him fishing a lot,” contributed Oliver, like an uncle. “It would help him take his mind off things.” Mona couldn’t help giving him a hug, which he instantly ducked out of.

“I know what I’m going to do,” Rush decided. “I’m going to call Father long-distance, right now.”

“To Washington, D. C.?” said Oliver incredulously.

“Well, I’m glad you thought of it,” Willy said. “I was gointa suggest that myself; only wouldn’t it be better to wait till tonight? You’d be more likely to catch him then.”

“No, we’ll do it now,” decided Mona. “We’ll take a chance.”

They all went into the living room followed by Isaac and John Doe.

Rush lifted the receiver of the telephone.

“Hello, Miss Lederer. [Miss Lederer was the Carthage day operator.] This is Rush Melendy. I’d like to speak to my father in Washington, D. C.”

They could all hear Miss Lederer’s crisp, clicking little voice in the telephone. “Washington, D. C.! Do you know how much that costs?”

“Money is no object,” replied Rush, like a prince of the blood.

“Does your papa know you’re calling long-distance, Rush?”

“It’s my father I’m trying to reach, Miss Lederer. Martin Melendy, Hotel Beauregard, Washington.”

“We-e-ll.” The little machine-voice sounded reluctant. “But the night rates are cheaper.”

“This is urgent, Miss Lederer,” Rush said.

By a miracle Father was at the hotel! Rush poured out his story from beginning to end. Father and Miss Lederer listened attentively.

“Keep him there, by all means! Keep him till I get up there next week. Then we’ll see.”

“Oh, you’re swell, Father! I knew you’d say that—”

“I don’t like to think of you being there alone. I’m so tied up here I can’t possibly get away before next week. I’d better wire Cuffy to come home.”

“Oh, no, Father! Please don’t bother her. Willy’s here, and we’re pretty old now. Mona and I are anyway. We’ve got more sense than we used to have.”

“We’re getting old, too,” said Oliver, and looked at Randy. “Aren’t we?”

“Well, all right, Rush,” Father said, at last. “I suppose you are growing up. I suppose you ought to be able to handle this situation.

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