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DORIS FORCE AT LOCKED GATES _Or Saving a Mysterious Fortune_
_By_ Julia K. Duncan
THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING CO. CHICAGO NEW YORK
Copyright MCMXXXI H. A. Co. MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CONTENTS
Chapter Page I A Queer Invitation 5 II A Friendly Note 12 III A Prospective Visit 22 IV An Aviation Meet 28 V Kitty Arrives 35 VI Locked Gates 42 VII A Strange Reception 53 VIII A Visitor 59 IX A Conversation Overheard 66 X Memories 75 XI A Sorrowful Romance 82 XII An Interlude 91 XIII An Important Request 99 XIV A Valuable Find 108 XV Questionable Characters 118 XVI A Pleasant Adventure 125 XVII A Dog's Discovery 135 XVIII The Floor Above 141 XIX Under the Window 149 XX A Picnic 154 XXI An Unusual Procedure 168 XXII A Narrow Escape 179 XXIII An Accusation 187 XXIV Face to Face 195 XXV Vindication 200
DORIS FORCE AT LOCKED GATES
CHAPTER I A QUEER INVITATION
"What are you waiting for, Doris? You've been hanging on that gatepostall afternoon."
"Marshmallow" Mallow, a chubby, pleasant-faced youth flung away the coreof an apple and came slowly down the walk toward the girl he had justaddressed.
"Oh, I'm waiting for the postman," Doris Force, an unusually pretty missof sixteen, tossed carelessly over her shoulder as she continued to gazedown the street. "He just turned the corner."
"Must be you're expecting a very important letter," Marshmallow drawled."I'll bet it's from Dave!"
"Oh, go eat another apple!" Doris retorted goodnaturedly. "I'm lookingfor a letter from Kitty Norris, my chum at boarding school. I'm anxiousto find out what she's planning to do this vacation."
"It's sure going to be dull here at Chilton this summer."
"I wish something exciting would turn up."
"So do I, but nothing ever does." Gloomily, Marshmallow thrust his handinto his coat pocket and brought out two candy bars. "Have one, Doris?"
"No, thanks. I don't see how you can enjoy eating all the time! Why, ifyou keep on, you'll land in the circus!"
Doris knew from past experience that her gibes would be accepted in thebantering spirit in which they were intended. She had known MarshallMallow for a number of years, and, in fact, they had resided in the samehouse, for Doris's uncle, Wardell Force, rented a suite of rooms fromMarshall's mother, Mrs. Thomas Mallow.
Though Doris and Marshall were as unlike as it was possible for twopersons to be, they were the best of friends. Marshmallow, who answeredto his given name only when his mother called, was liked by nearlyeveryone in the neighborhood, but he was subjected to a great deal ofteasing because he was decidedly fat. He was a year older than Doris butfrequently was mistaken as the younger of the two.
If Marshmallow were easy going and perhaps inclined to be a trifle lazy,Doris made up for his lack of energy. She was studious, and tremendouslyinterested in athletics and music, particularly the latter. It was herambitious dream that some day she would win fame as a singer in grandopera. Doris was utterly without vanity and would never admit that shewas talented. As for her appearance, she never could understand why herfriends were envious of her dark red curly hair and deep blue eyes.
"Here the mailman comes at last," she sighed in relief, as she saw theman turn in at the house next door. "Oh, I do hope he has something forme."
A moment later the postman stopped at the Mallow gate and began to lookthrough a pack of letters.
"Here you are, young lady," he said with a pleasant smile.
"Two!" Doris gasped in delight. "That's better than I had hoped for."Quickly, she scanned the postmarks. "And this one is from Kitty, too!"
Eagerly, she ripped open the envelope. The letter, written in an almostillegible scrawl, was brief, for Kitty Norris had never been asatisfactory correspondent.
"Kitty hasn't made any plans for the summer yet," she informedMarshmallow as she replaced the letter in the envelope. "She thinks itwould be fun if we could go to some summer camp."
"Well, why don't you?"
"I wish I could--but there's the problem of money."
"Your uncle will give it to you. He thinks you're just right and hecouldn't deny you anything."
"Uncle Ward is a dear and he's always given me everything I want, but Idon't like to ask for too much."
"It's your own money, isn't it?"
"Yes, Uncle Ward has looked after my property ever since Mother andFather died, but the other day he told me he wanted to have a long talkwith me about money. I guess I've been using it up dreadfully fast.Boarding school costs such a lot."
"Well, it shouldn't cost so much to go camping."
"No, that's so," Doris agreed, more cheerfully. "I think I'll ask him ifI can't go. Oh, dear, I don't see why one has to worry about money allthe time! I'd just be sick, if I found out I couldn't go on with my musiclessons. It would seem so funny to be poor!"
"I wouldn't see anything funny about it," Marshmallow said as hethoughtfully munched a candy bar.
"I didn't really mean it would be funny," Doris corrected. "I've alwayshad the things I've needed and until Uncle Ward spoke to me the otherday, it never occurred to me that I didn't have a substantial income."
Remembering that she had not read her second letter, she tore open theenvelope and glanced curiously at the message. It was written in a finebut cramped hand, and Doris turned over at once to the signature.
"Azalea and Iris Gates," she read aloud. "How very odd!"
"What's odd?" Marshmallow demanded.
"Why, just listen to this letter:
"'My dear Miss Force: We understand you are the only daughter of the lateLouise Trent Force. We knew her a great many years ago, and now aftermany years of heartache over her older brother, John, we find a mostunusual circumstance has arisen. Could you come to Rumson and visit ourhome in order to acquaint yourself with the present affairs pertaining toJohn Trent, your uncle? Very truly yours, Azalea and Iris Gates.'"
"You never told me you had an uncle by that name, Doris."
>
"I didn't know it myself, Marshmallow! This is all news to me!"
"Sort of queer they invite you down to their place at Rumson, isn't it? Afellow would think they could write anything they wanted to tell you."
"Perhaps this is only an excuse for something else," Doris said,thoughtfully scanning the letter a second time. "What do you suppose theymean by saying they want to acquaint me with the present affairspertaining to my uncle? I hope I'm going to inherit some money! I needit."
"Fat chance," Marshmallow grunted. "More 'n likely they'll ask you forsome."
Doris did not reply, for just then a smart red roadster swung around thecorner. It did not appear to be running smoothly and the driver, a man ofperhaps thirty, dressed immaculately but in rather sporty attire, broughtthe car to a standstill not a half dozen yards from where Doris andMarshmallow were standing.
"Now what?" they heard him mutter angrily.
Doris and Marshmallow moved over toward the car, curious to learn whatwas wrong.
"Having trouble?" Marshmallow inquired pleasantly.
"What does it look like?" the stranger snapped crossly. "This car hasn'trun decently for the last fifteen miles!"
"Perhaps your gas line is plugged," Marshmallow suggested, lifting thehood. "Yep, that's just what it is. Give me a wire or something and I canfix it in a jiffy."
"Gas line plugged?" the driver grumbled as he searched in the tool case."That's what I get for buying cheap gas at Rumson."
Doris glanced up quickly.
"What do you know of Rumson?" she asked.
"Plenty."
"Ever hear of people there named Gates?" Marshmallow questioned.
The driver gave him a sharp glance and muttered something which neitherDoris nor Marshmallow could make out. To their surprise, he brushed pastthem and slammed down the hood. Then he sprang into the roadster andwithout a word of explanation started the motor and drove rapidly away.