CHAPTER VII A STRANGE RECEPTION
Frantically, Doris and Kitty called to Wags and in response to theircommands he reluctantly returned to them. The man who had fallenscrambled to his feet, and stood glaring angrily at the girls.
"Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry," Doris apologized. "Wags isn't really vicious.He was just playing."
"Playing!" the man snapped. "You call that playing!" As Wags again cametoward him he raised his foot to kick him.
"Don't!" Doris pleaded. "I tell you it was an accident."
She caught the dog up in her arms and held him away.
"What do you want here anyway?" the man asked rudely.
The first drops of rain were beginning to fall and as a vivid streak oflightning flashed above the house, the girls cringed.
"Please, may we come in?" Doris begged.
Silently the man held the door open for them but he scowled as theypassed through. They entered a large kitchen. Before they had time totake stock of it, a stout, slovenly woman who was mopping the floor, borewrathfully down upon them.
"You can't come in here with that dog!" she told them. "Can't you seeI've just finished mopping up this big ark of a kitchen?"
Chilled by this reception, the girls hastily backed toward the door.
"What is it you want?" the woman asked, less harshly.
"We came to see the Misses Gates," Doris explained. "They're expectingus."
"Oh!" A peculiar expression flashed over the woman's face. She was silentfor an instant and then she said: "You came to the wrong door. This isour quarter."
"And you are--"
"Cora Sully. I take care of the house. This is my husband, Henry, andI'll tell you right now there ain't a lazier man alive!"
Somewhat embarrassed at such brutal frankness, Doris and Kitty continuedto edge toward the door.
"Go around to the side door and I'll let you in proper, else the oldmaids'll be put out." Then she added more gently: "We're not much used tocompany here."
As the girls were about to close the door behind them, she calledshrilly:
"You can't take the dog in!"
Still carrying their suitcases, and with Wags trotting at their heels,Doris and Kitty made their way toward the side door. It was beginning torain hard.
"What a horrible woman!" Kitty shuddered. "Now, what can we do withWags?"
"We can't let him run wild in the storm, that's certain. I have an idea!"
They had reached the shelter of the side veranda and Doris set hersuitcase down and began to unfasten the strap.
"What are you doing?" Kitty demanded.
"I'm going to tie Wags under the porch. He'll be out of the rain there."
"It's mean of that woman not to let us take him in," Kitty said.
She helped her chum fix the dog, but they were forced to drag him underthe porch by main force, for he was reluctant to leave them. By the timethey had fastened him securely in his shelter, they were thoroughlydrenched themselves.
"What sights we are!" Doris declared. "I wonder if that woman ever willlet us in?"
"Here she comes now," Kitty said in a low tone.
The door swung open and Cora, wearing a clean white apron which she haddonned for the occasion, ushered them into a long hall.
"Right this way," she directed.
They followed her into a spacious living room, bright and cheerful, butfurnished in rather prim and old-fashioned style. A fire was burning inthe grate.
"Two young ladies to see you," Cora announced.
The Misses Gates promptly arose and, putting aside their sewing, eagerlycame forward to greet the girls. Cora took their suitcases and wraps andleft them.
"I am so glad you came," one of the ladies said in a soft, sweet voice."When this storm gathered so quickly, we were afraid you might be caughtin it." She smiled apologetically. "Our home isn't as modern as it oncewas, but Azalea and I will try to make you comfortable here."
As she sank back into the restful depths of a big chair, Doris had anopportunity to study the two sisters.
Iris and Azalea quite obviously were twins, for they looked alike andthey dressed identically. Their voices, too, were similar--low, musicaland soft. They looked rather frail and delicate, Doris thought, and theirfaces were finely chiseled like that of a cameo. They wore simple, long,white cotton dresses. Had it not been for their snow white hair, Doriswould not have guessed that they had long since left their youth behind.
If the girls had been disappointed at their first reception, they nolonger had any doubt of their welcome. Azalea and Iris set them at easeby maintaining a pleasant, light conversation. It was apparent to Doristhat they were both well educated, though they seemed to take littleinterest in modern-day topics.
"I don't believe they know much about what has been going on in the worldfor the last ten years," Doris told herself.
Before fifteen minutes had elapsed, she found herself quite captivated bythe two ladies, and Kitty, too, had forgotten her former uneasiness.
As the afternoon advanced, the girls found themselves more and morecomfortable, looking forward to a pleasant visit.
"No doubt you wondered why we invited you here," Iris said after a time,addressing Doris.
"Well, yes, I did," she admitted.
"It's a long story. Azalea and I--"
Her voice trailed off as Cora Sully appeared in the doorway.
"Supper is served," she announced.
Iris arose to lead the way to the dining room.
"The story must wait," she said with a smile. "I know you girls are farmore interested in food just now."
"I am a bit hungry," acknowledged Doris with a pleasant smile, as she andKitty followed the twins into the next room where Cora was putting thefinishing touches to the table.
Kitty kept close to her chum. Doris caught her eye. In a whisper sheheard Kitty ask her about the dog outside, as she motioned toward thefood--Kitty wanted Wags to be remembered.
"Wait!" signalled Doris, as the group took seats about the table.
But would the dog wait?