CHAPTER X MEMORIES
However, Doris was to learn no more that night, for as she moved softlydown the stairs the two men pushed back their chairs.
"You'd better be gettin' out of here before those old gals find out whatwe're doing," he warned. "I'll let you out the back way."
They moved on to the kitchen and Doris, made bold by her knowledge of theunderhanded scheme, came down into the living room. She heard the backdoor close as Ronald Trent hurriedly departed. A moment later, as thegate creaked, Wags gave another savage yelp.
Not until she heard Henry starting up the back stairs to his ownquarters, did Doris dare venture to the door. Waiting until everythingwas still again, she quietly let herself out of doors.
Wags whimpered joyfully as she stooped down to unfasten him, and liftedup his paws. Doris picked him up, and holding him close, stole back intothe house. She closed and locked the door behind her and listened. Thecoast seemed clear.
"Don't you dare bark!" she whispered to Wags.
Tiptoeing up the stairway, she anxiously wondered if she could reach herroom without being discovered.
"Azalea and Iris are probably asleep by this time," she thought.
In this supposition she was not correct. The Misses Gates were at thatmoment lying wide awake in their adjoining rooms in the left wing,recalling vivid memories of their girlhood when each hoped to be thebride of the handsome John Trent.
Only a few close friends had understood why Doris's uncle had gone awaywithout marrying either of the twins, for by turns he had appeared inlove with each of them. Some people had jokingly remarked that he couldnot tell them apart and that this was his reason for giving them up. Atany rate, he had never been able to choose between them and had goneaway, leaving heart-breaks behind. For Azalea and Iris the locked gatesat the front entrance to the mansion were symbolic of a past which couldnever be forgotten.
With the passing of the years, the Misses Gates clung tightly to theirmemories, and the appearance of John Trent's son had only served tofreshen them. Perhaps in Ronald Trent they saw their lover of old. At anyrate, they doted upon him and were flattered by his extravagantcompliments. Believing that he was indeed the son of John Trent, theycould not see his cheapness or his crude devices for gaining their favor.They regarded him indulgently, as a mother might her son.
Shut away from the world by their own wishes, Azalea and Iris lived onlyfor their dreams. Wickedness was to them nebulous and unreal. They hadtrusted Ronald Trent because it was in their nature to trust.
As Doris stole quietly up the stairway with Wags snuggled in her arms,her thoughts were bitter. What right had Ronald Trent to ingratiatehimself with Azalea and Iris, only to trick them? Obviously, his motivewas money.
"He won't get away with anything if I can help it!" she told herself.
As if to punctuate the thought, she unthinkingly gave Wags a tinysqueeze. He promptly yelped. Alarmed, Doris stopped and listened, but shecould hear no one moving in the house. Quieting Wags, she continued upthe stairs and down the long dark hall to her bedroom.
Letting herself in, she dropped Wags on the bed with a sigh of relief.
"I thought you never were coming," Kitty whispered. "What in the worldmade you take so long?"
"Lots of things," Doris told her impressively.
"I was scared to death here by myself."
"It was sort of scarey down where I was too, Kit. Listen! I have the mostastonishing news!"
In a few terse sentences she then told her chum all she had overheard.
"Why, the mean old scamp!" Kitty exclaimed. "So you think he is aftertheir money?"
"I'm sure of it."
"Do you suppose they have a lot?"
"I don't know, but I should think so. This house must be worth plenty."
Kitty and Doris were both ignorant of real estate values and did not knowthat if Locked Gates were placed upon the auction block, it would bringonly a comparatively small sum. The house was not modern and had falleninto a general state of dilapidation.
"At least, I'm pretty sure that man isn't my cousin," Doris declared,"although Henry Sully did call him Trent."
"I knew there was something wrong with that man the minute I saw him,"Kitty insisted.
Doris had finished undressing and slipped into bed. Wags snuggled downbetween the girls and they permitted him to remain, for his presence madethem less afraid of the unseen dangers of the old mansion.
"What do you mean to do now that you've discovered that those men areplotting against Azalea and Iris?" Kitty asked.
"I don't know," Doris admitted doubtfully. "If they learn what we'vediscovered, there is no telling what they might do to us. They alreadysuspect that I may try to make trouble. They called me a red-head! I'llshow 'em a thing or two before I get through!"
"Will you tell the twins what you have learned?"
"Not right away. I want to get all the proof I can before I say anythingto them. If I should make a mistake, they never would forgive me. Youknow, Kitty, I even hate to hear that man Trent laugh."
"To be honest with you, Dory, I do too."
"It seems so insincere."
"Yes," agreed Kitty. "Whenever he bursts out into one of those loudguffaws of his one just can't help but feel that he is doing somethingfor effect--that there is not real honest effort back of anything he isplanning or doing."
At this moment Wags, as if to comfort the two girls and to protect themfrom sinister wiles of those around them, stretched forth his little redtongue and tried to bestow a wet kiss on an ear of each of the girls.
"Dear little Waggsie, you are our friend, aren't you, even though we arenot sure of the rest of them in this house?"
Wags gave a yawn of contentment, and snuggled closer between the girls.
"What do you suppose this Trent does to earn a living?" ventured Kitty.
"I can't imagine what he does, but he surely is well dressed, and has asnappy car."
"Dave said that car was a special imported model from France. They arevery expensive--cost plenty, besides the transportation charges from theother side," replied Kitty.
"I wonder if Uncle John Trent was anything like this Ronald. PerhapsUncle Ward never mentioned Ronald to me, because he was so loud andcoarse. However, if Uncle really never knew he existed, he won't approveof him in our family circle now. This is really a dreadful thing todiscover," and Doris sighed disconsolately, as she pushed back her softhair that was massed over the pillow.
"Well, Doris, I think we're in for an adventure."
"It certainly looks like trouble after that conversation I just overheardbetween Trent and Henry," replied Doris.
"It was surely lucky they didn't see you in the dark hallway--that wouldhave been unfortunate," and Kitty drew the coverlet over her bare, whitearm, and shook her pillow into a more comfortable position.
Wags snored contentedly as if bored with hearing his bed-fellowschattering so late into the night.
"I'm not a bit sleepy, Kitty."
"Neither am I," responded her chum; "this has been such an exciting andthrillingly adventurous day, with your playing detective and gettinginformation, that I can't go to sleep. I'm thinking about it too much."
"When do you suppose we'll hear why we are here to visit?" inquired Dorisof Kitty.
"Well, maybe the Misses Gates will tell us soon, and that will be helpfulto place the motive."
Far into the night the girls continued to talk, but at length, from sheerweariness, they turned over on their sides and tried to sleep.
"Hope no one finds Wags here," Doris murmured drowsily as she closed hereyes. "We must wake up early in the morning and get him out of the housebefore any one is up."