Kit dropped into a chair laughing. "Proceed!" she announced.
"The Legal Advisor has the chair!" laughed Shirley.
"The question under consideration," began the Colonel, "is one of very great importance. It is that Shirley Williams should open an art and photographic shop right here in Lynnwood!"
"Whoopee!" shouted Kit, swinging her arm around her head as if she were waving a sombrero.
"Why of course," said Bet. "I'm surprised that we didn't think of that ourselves. I move that the shop be opened at once, immediately! Where is it to be?"
"But listen. To run a shop a person must have money and must know how to sell things and I don't know how or anything." The prospect was alluring to Shirley, but the difficulties seemed too great.
"She has to go to school," Joy reminded them.
"You leave it to Dad. He's thinking of something, I can see that."'
"Yes, I have a plan and we will want to talk it over with Shirley's mother before we do anything. Now if you girls will keep quiet, I'll tell you my plan."
"Hurry, Dad, we can't wait! Please don't be so slow, say it right this minute!"
"Suppose you keep quiet long enough for your father to say a word," suggested Kit. "Let the poor man have a chance!"
"What I was trying to say is that I have that little corner store next to old Peter Gruff's place. Supposing I give that to Shirley for a year and let her open a Saturday Shop; that means that it would only be open on Saturdays."
"Dad, you're a wonder! I'm proud of you!"
Colonel Baxter shook his head at his daughter.
"No interruptions!" Then he continued: "With the Christmas season ahead, I'm sure that Shirley could sell plenty of these art prints alone to make it worth while. I'll get her the frames in New York at a wholesale place where I've dealt for years."
"But Colonel, I haven't any money to start things."
Again the man put up his hand for silence. "Now I believe this is going to be a good business proposition for anyone who goes into it, so I am going to back you. It will not take much money. For furnishings for the shop I would refer you to our attic. Auntie Gibbs hates to throw anything away, or give it away for that matter, and you will find chairs and tables and that sort of thing. You girls can decorate the place to suit yourselves. Now what do you think about it? Don't all speak at once."