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Page 52
"Come to the fire, Little Billee, and see if you can't begin to
commence to dry out a little bit."
"I've just washed my hair, and I can't do a thing with it!" said
Big Bill, comically, as he ran his fingers through his thick mane
of brown, wavy hair. "But, I say, this fire feels good! Wow! but
I'm damp! I say, Pennington, I've been thinking."
"Hard?"
"Yes, hard. Now you must all listen to me. I expect opposition,
but it doesn't matter. What I'm going to say now, GOES! See?"
Bill looked almost ferocious in his earnestness, and Patty looked
at him with admiration. He was so big and powerful, physically,
and now his determined face and strongly set jaw betokened an
equal mental power. "I'm at the head of this expedition, and in
the present emergency, my word is law!" He banged his clenched
fist on the mantel, as he stood before the fire, and seemed fairly
to challenge a reply.
"Well, go on," said Patty, laughing. "What's it all about?"
"It's just this. You two girls have got to stay in this house,
ALONE, while Pennington and I walk back to Spring Beach, NOW!"
"Good gracious! What for?" exclaimed
Patty, while Daisy screamed, "I WON'T do it! I WON'T stay here
alone!"
"Be quiet," said Bill, looking at Daisy sternly. "You MUST do as I
say."
"You're right, Farnsworth," said Jack Pennington. "It's nearly one
o'clock, and we must start right off."
"Yes," agreed Bill. "Now, Miss Fairfield, I assure you, you will
be perfectly safe here. It isn't a pleasant prospect, but there's
nothing else to be done. The house is securely fastened against
intruders. You can lock the drawing-room doors on this side, so
the broken window need cause you no uneasiness. We will walk back
to 'Red Chimneys,' unless we can get a lift somehow. But, at any
rate, we will send a car back here for you at the earliest
possible moment."
"It IS the only thing to do," agreed Patty; "but I hate to have
you boys start out so wet. Can't you borrow from your host's
wardrobe?"
"Good idea!" laughed Bill. "I saw some men's raincoats in the
hall. I think we will appropriate them, eh, Pennington?"
With very few further words, the two men took possession of
raincoats, rubbers, and umbrellas belonging to their unknown
hosts, and went out through the open, broken window into the
night. It was still raining, but not so hard, and Bill called back
cheerily, "Good-night, ladies," as they tramped away.
"It's awful," Daisy whimpered, "to leave us two girls here alone
and unprotected! I know we'll be robbed and murdered by
highwaymen!"
"You're talking nonsense, Daisy," said Patty, sternly. "Now, look
here, if you'll just be friendly and decent, we needn't have such
a bad time, but if you're going to be cross and cry all the time,
I shall simply let you alone, and we'll have a horrid,
uncomfortable time."
This straightforward, common-sense talk brought Daisy to her
senses, and though she still looked petulant, she made no more
cross or unkind speeches.
"What are you going to do?" she enquired as Patty took off her
chiffon gown, and held it carefully before the fire. "That frock
is ruined."
"Yes, I know, but I'm going to pick it out and make it look as
decent as I can. I suppose I'll have to wear it home when I go.
Take off yours, and I'll dry them both nicely. I'm good at this
sort of thing. Here, I'll unhook it."
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