CHAPTER III
THE UPSETTING PLANS OF UNCLE PIETER
Although so without family, Janet Eldon did not possess a lonely heart.She had the faculty of making friends, in spite of a little naturalreserve and a manner more or less formal which she had unconsciouslyacquired by long residence in a school that fostered it. But thatdropped away when she was with her intimate friends, for jolly schoolgirls with a sense of humor can have many a merry time. If Janet was alittle more mature in manner than some of the other girls of her age,it was to her advantage. Yet her background there had its limitationsand it was a good thing for her that the Marcy family was so fond ofher.
The family circle there was large. With Lina, Janet entered into allthe vacation plans, athletic or domestic, as they might be. They livedin town, but the younger fry learned to ride, to row, to swim, to campout a little or to motor together. Janet had some idea back in therecesses of her brain that the Marcys might take her to her uncle'shome after school was out. But that plan was not to be carried out. Shewas to see the Marcys again, but Janet was leaving this school soonerthan she had thought. Some of the girls she never saw again, theinevitable separation taking place sooner than any of them anticipated.
The day was bright after the April showers of the preceding one. Janetwent down to the double parlors of the building not knowing whom shewould see, but she was rather relieved to see the lawyer by whose handsthe modest fortune left her by her grandmother Eldon was administered.He was a man of medium height, with a somewhat serious but pleasantface, hair partly gray, keen eyes on the hazel order, and a manner ofsome dignity. Rising, he held out his hand to Janet.
"Miss Hilliard is not yet at liberty," he said, "but we can have alittle conversation before she comes in. I have what I hope will proveto be pleasant news to you, certain communications from therepresentative of your mother's family, her oldest brother, your unclePieter Van Meter."
Janet smiled, as she sat down and the lawyer resumed his seat. "I amglad to see you, Mr. Conley. I have just had some word of the sortmyself, a fine box from the home place and a letter from some ladythere. She sent me two books of my mother's and I found out that I hadan uncle."
"Well, well,--I am disappointed not to surprise you more. I thoughtthat I should find some enthusiasm."
"Oh, there is! I am terribly thrilled over it!"
"'Terribly thrilled', are you? Did the lady tell you that your unclewants you to go as soon as possible to the Van Meter place in New Yorkand make your home there?"
"No, Mr. Conley. Oh, how can I do that? I'll have to go to school somemore, won't I?"
"I think that your uncle has some idea of having you taught privately."
"I wouldn't like that at all. I don't think that I will go,--yes, Iwill, too, for I must find out about my mother."
Mr. Conley smiled at Janet's independent speech and Janet realized assoon as she had spoken that she must do what her guardian said. Thankfortune her guardian was Miss Hilliard!
"Perhaps the lady who has written you is the one who will instruct you.But we shall see what Miss Hilliard has to say. Here she comes now,"and Mr. Conley rose to meet Miss Hilliard, who came across the wideroom from the door into the hall.
"I suppose, John, you have come to tell us about Pieter Van Meter,"said Miss Hilliard, after she had shaken hands with the lawyer and hehad placed a chair for her.
"Yes, Anna, that rather poetical name is the subject of my discourse."
Janet could scarcely suppress a mild giggle at that. Pieter and Meterdid make a sort of rhyme.
Most of the conversation was now between Miss Hilliard and her oldfriend. Janet remembered what the older girls said, that Mr. Conley hadwanted to marry Miss Hilliard and was waiting for her yet. It was veryinteresting. Sakes, they must be at least forty years old!
The letter from Pieter Van Meter was submitted to Miss Hilliard andpassed on to Janet. It was brief, but clear, stating that the writerhad recently traced the whereabouts of his niece, though he did not sayhow. He wanted to see her and to offer her a home where her mother, hissister, had lived. It was also hinted that he was Janet's naturalguardian and that legal steps to that end could be taken in due time.
Janet was reading the letter and did not see the look that wasexchanged between the lawyer and Miss Hilliard when Mr. Conley began tospeak of that last point. But Miss Hilliard said firmly that nothing ofthe kind would be undertaken until Janet had been to the Van Meterplace and made report about it and her uncle.
"First we must see, John," said she in a low tone, glancing at Janetwho was reading the letter and apparently absorbed in it, "whetherPieter Van Meter is a fit guardian for Janet. If he is, and will carefor her little property and keep it together for her, very well. But Ishall not hand over the responsibility just to be relieved of it.Everything is safe for Janet as long as you are in charge. Mr. VanMeter might be perfectly good and yet without judgment to take care ofJanet. Janet, dear, you may be excused now, while I talk over businessmatters with Mr. Conley and arrange about your going, for I think thatI shall let you drop the school work to go, as your uncle desires."
"Just a moment, Anna. Janet, I have made out a full report for you ofyour property and income, with the same items of interest and rent thatI am giving, as usual, to your guardian. You are old enough now to knowabout these matters."
"Please, Mr. Conley," begged Janet. "I don't want to know anythingabout it. Will I have the same allowance as usual?"
"Yes," smiled the lawyer, in some amusement, "perhaps a little more, ifyou go to your uncle's and need some more frocks."
"Goody!" Janet looked at Miss Hilliard mischievously, then made heradieux as a properly trained pupil of the Hilliard school ought to do.
Miss Hilliard looked after her thoughtfully and Mr. Conley looked atMiss Hilliard. "Anna, you have had great success with that child," hesaid.
"Who can tell what the future will bring my girls?" she asked. "One canonly try to implant high ideals and the Christian principles that willcarry them on in any path. Janet is spirited and inclined to beindependent, but she has fine ideas of justice and the rights ofothers, with considerable courage, too. I am hoping that she will finda loving home in this new place. Mr. Van Meter says nothing about thefamily. How would it do for you to call personally in a little while,after we hear Janet's reports about her people?"
"That is a good idea, Anna. There is always the excuse of business, inaddition to showing an interest in Janet's welfare. Meanwhile, I shallquietly inquire about Mr. Van Meter. It is probably one of the oldDutch families with considerable standing, but we do not want to taketoo much for granted."
"Will it interrupt your affairs too much, John?"
"No. I often run up to New York and Albany. This letter is mailed atsome small village, near the country place of the Van Meters, Isuppose. How would you like to have me take Janet there, or to Albany,rather, where Van Meter says she will be met?"
"Thank you,--I shall go with Janet myself. It is not much of a trip andthe assistant principal can have a chance to exercise her skill withthe girls. I want to stop a day or two in New York."
The next two weeks were full of excitement for Janet, who went toclasses as usual, but with much distraction of mind. They had writtento her uncle. The date was set. Clothes were being put in order, and anew frock or two purchased, a task easy enough in the Philadelphiadepartment stores. Janet's wardrobe was always sufficient, but sherather imagined that Miss Hilliard felt as she did, that Uncle Pietershould see her well provided for up to date.
"Won't it be lovely in the country, Janet, through May and June!" AllieMay Loring exclaimed. "I just _envy_ you. We'll be shut up to oldlessons as usual, only for a few trips around and our picnics! Do writeto us at least."
"Indeed I will. If only it isn't too lonesome there! Maybe I'll be just_perishing_ to come back, after I find out all about my mother, youknow. But I am crazy to see the place where she lived when she was agirl l
ike me. If Uncle Pieter is nice, it will be all right. He did notsay a word about his wife or anybody, so I have it all to find out.Perhaps I have some cousins, too. Won't it be fun if I have?"
"I hope that you will, if you want 'em," said Allie May, who sometimesthought that she had too many. But then, Janet never had had anybody.
"When I get married," said Janet, "if I ever do, I'm going to marrysome one with a _large_ family of brothers and sisters and aunts anduncles and cousins and all the relations that you can have!"
"Great idea," laughed Lina Marcy.
At last the fateful day arrived. Janet, neat from top to toe and cladin the "darling spring suit," said goodbyes that turned out to berather tearful in the end, to a host of girls assembled in the parlorsand halls of the Hilliard school.
"Sure you come back next fall, Janet!"
"Come down for Commencement if your uncle will let you!"
"We'll miss you awfully in the spring fete, Janet!"
"That blue suit with the gray tones is too utterly sweet on you foranything, Janet."
"'Bye, Jannetje Van Meter Eldon. Give the Dutchman my best regards."
All this, to be sure, was before Miss Hilliard appeared from her roomto take Janet to the taxi which was waiting outside. And funniest ofall, several of the girls, who knew more about where Janet was goingthan the rest, took hands and sang softly around Janet:
"O Uncle Pieter, Pieter Van Meter Ain't no one sweeter, Be sure to meet her, Pieter Van Meter!"
Lips parted in merry smiles; girls were waving last goodbyes andkisses, as Janet was whirled away in the taxi beside Miss Hilliard. Onetear, of which Janet had been scarcely aware, was now carefully wipedaway to keep it from splashing upon the new suit. "Weren't the girlslovely, Miss Hilliard?" she asked. "I never was so surprised as when mylittle club gave me this sweet silk scarf that just goes with the suit,and the pair of hose that I have on."
"'Sweet'?" inquired Miss Hilliard.
"Well, it _is_ fragrant, for I put a drop of violet on it before Istarted."
Last pictures of the merry girls floated in Janet's mind, with theappearance of the fine old brick building, almost flush with thestreet, its vines, over the large windows, just budding with springgreen.
But the future was more interesting than the past. The very fact thatJanet knew so little about what it might hold for her made it all themore fascinating to contemplate.