Gloria and Treeless Street | Page 7

laugh the roof off. He
says women have no heads for business, and as for girls!--But if not
heads, I suppose they might have hearts, and the hearts might ache, the
way mine does every time I think of those houses and Straps and
Dinney and Hunkie--and the girl with eyes like mine. Yes, I'll tell you.
I mean to tear down some of those houses--Dinney's, at any rate. Now,
go outdoors and laugh!
"I don't suppose you know it, but Uncle Em's keeping a lot of money
for me when I get of age. I'm seventeen now. I never asked how much
money I'll have, but it's a lot, I'm sure of that. What I've been planning
out in my mind is to use some of that money in building decent houses
for Dinney and Straps, and some of the rest you are working for. I can
have the old ones torn down. I asked uncle for a runabout, but I'll give
that up. I wish I dared ask him how much it costs to tear a house
down--I wonder if you couldn't find out for me?
"Aunt Em and I picked out the kind of automobile for me in an

advertisement--a little beauty. Last night I dreamed I had it, and the
first ride I took it turned into That Street--I couldn't help it; it would go.
It--it ran over little Hunkie. Aunt Em heard me scream, and went in and
waked me up.
"I'll give up having an automobile.
"Please try to find out who owns Dinney's house--that is the worst
block of all, isn't it? Whoever does own that place couldn't ask very
much for it. It's such a rickety thing. You see, I've set my heart on
having one nice straight human house, anyway, on that street.
"With love,
"GLORIA ROSE."
The answer to this second letter was not as long as the first letter from
the District Nurse. It bore evidence of hurry.
"_Dear Gloria_: I am getting ready to go back this afternoon--no, my
vacation isn't done, but Dinney's poor mother is. She can't wait any
longer. I shall be there to-night.
"About the houses--my dear, oh, my dear! It will surprise you to know
that those houses are very valuable. It would cost a good deal to buy
even one of them, I am afraid. Let me tell you--I'll count up as nearly as
I can remember how many rents there are just in Dinney's house; that is
five stories high--the basement is the first one.
"Fourteen rents. Some of the rents are just one room or two rooms, you
see. Fourteen families pay for living in that house. The entire rental of
that one house helps fill somebody's pocketbook 'plum' full.' It was a
lovely plan--I cried instead of laughing over it--and when I see you I
am going to hug you for it! But, dear, I'll see if I can find out who
Somebody is, if you still want to know. It will be a simple matter, I
should say. I have never asked who owned any of the 'Pleasant Street'
property--I did not seem to want to know. But I'll find out if you really
wish me to.

"With love,
"MARY WINSHIP."
The District Nurse found Dinney's mother was "waiting" when she at
last reached her. But her release came soon. With a smile she left them,
and Dinney, seeing it, surprised the Nurse by a look of gladness. Then
he took Hunkie into his arms and turned away with him as the door
opened and a young girl entered. It was Rose. It seemed somehow to
Dinney as though a sweet peace filled the room now that his mother's
hard-drawn breath was no longer there. He looked through the window
and hugged Hunkie close. He was his baby sure, now. In a way that he
could not understand, it seemed as though something good had come to
his mother. Loving her as he did, he was glad, and realized not his
bereavement.
The District Nurse, a day or two later, found time to attend to Gloria's
commission. It was at first a little difficult, because she did not apply to
the right party, but she persevered, as she wished to tell Gloria in the
letter she meant to write that night. She was told of someone who might
know, and to that person she repaired at her first leisure. There she was
at last successful.
But she did not write to Gloria that night. Her pen would have refused
to trace the name she had found--no, no, no, in very mercy it could not!
Poor Gloria--dear child! For already the District Nurse loved Gloria.
No, she could not tell her who it was owned Dinney's home. Mr.
McAndrew's law case