Mother made Mr. Carney welcome, and apologised for Teddy's boldness. Mr. Carney professed himself delighted to be amongst the little ones, and spoke highly of Teddy.
"You have an-er-extraordinary little son. He'll make his mark in the world. Ah -" His smile faded, his old face grew hard and bitter, as Dr. Chester came in sight. The doctor's face, too, had changed.
The men glared at one another for a moment and then old, Mr. Carney smiled again.
"Well, doctor, I feel slide young and happy among these little people. It is foolish, after all, to - Shall we bury the hatchet?” He held out his hand, and the doctor gladly put his in it.
The children stared and wondered, but old Mr. Carney's smile was quite a nice one, although it seemed a little out of repair through being so long without use. But by the time he had had his fortune told, had treated everybody to ice cream, and "cleared out" all the stalls; by the time he had everyone laden with gifts, had 'taken Baby Bet's confiding hand in his, and kissed her, his smile had become quite perfect. Any child would trust him then, anywhere!
He went away in the doctor's car, looking ten years younger and a million times happier than when he arrived.
Teddy looked shy and sheepish; he kicked three holes in the smooth, green grass near the dahlia bed.
"Oh, Teddy, you wrote and asked him to come - and you didn't tell me," Mother said, reproachfully.
"Aw - well - I guessed Dr. Chester would come. He's that young Angie's friend - and I wanted to have a rich friend, too! I thought if I told you, and he didn't come, it would be silly. So I didn't tell. And I wanted him to get a chance to spend some of his money for the Mission. Anyhow, Mum, he and the doctor seemed ready to kill one another, and then they made friends, so it's a jolly good thing he came. Isn't It?"
What could Mother say? She could only sigh patiently. Sometimes the missionary spirit in her children brings a mother into all kinds of social difficulties! But, as Teddy said, the bazaar, thanks to Dr. Chester and Mr. Carney, was a "stunning" success, and that, in his opinion, was all that mattered.
Mick felt inclined to be jealous of Teddy and Angie, and wished he could scrape up an acquaintance with a millionaire or two.
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