Doris Force at Locked Gates; Or, Saving a Mysterious Fortune
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CHAPTER XV QUESTIONABLE CHARACTERS
The Misses Gates did not appear at luncheon but kept to their individualrooms. Azalea sent word by Cora that she was ill with a headache andpreferred to be alone; Iris offered no excuse. Kitty and Doris knew thatthey were still upset over the finding of the ruby ring.
"I almost wish Wags hadn't dug it up," Doris remarked dolefully. "It'smaking the poor ladies feel so unhappy."
The girls ate a rather forlorn meal in the big dining room. Cora waitedon them in a more slipshod manner than usual and took no pains to concealher dislike. Shortly after luncheon, they saw her leave the premises bythe back gate.
"I'll venture the Misses Gates don't know she's leaving," Doriscommented. "Cora thinks they'll not find out she's gone."
The mansion seemed very quiet and desolate to the girls, and they foundit difficult to settle down to reading.
"Why not see something of the town ourselves?" Doris suggested by way ofa question. "We're in for a dull time here this afternoon if we don'tbestir ourselves. Anyway, I must send Dave a message telling him we'll gowith him tomorrow."
"Suits me fine," Kitty agreed, putting aside her book. "But what shall wedo about the ring? We can't very well take it with us. We might berobbed."
At a loss to know what to do with the ruby, Doris had carried it aroundin her pocket, but now she removed the tiny case and studied it inperplexity.
"I wish the Gates sisters would accept it," she murmured. "I'm scared todeath we'll lose it."
"They won't take it," Kitty returned, "and you know it will pain them tobring up the subject again."
"We can't wear the ring, that's certain, for it isn't ours. We'll have tohide it somewhere."
"But where?"
"How about our bedroom?"
"You know Cora goes snooping around there. She might find it."
"I know!" Doris exclaimed. "We'll hide it under the mattress. No onewould ever think of looking there!"
"Great!" her chum approved. "Let's do it now, while the coast is clear."
They hurried upstairs and, closing the bedroom door, secreted the tinyjewel case beneath the mattress, taking care to rearrange the covers.
"Now we can forget about it," Kitty declared.
However, both girls knew that as long as the ruby ring remained in theirpossession, they could not forget its existence. It was certain to givethem many uneasy moments.
Satisfied that for the time being the jewel was safe, they left themansion by the back gate.
Locked Gates was located at the edge of Rumson but it was only a shortwalk to the main part of the little city. The girls stopped first at thepost office where they dispatched an air mail letter to Dave.
Then, as time rested heavily upon them, they dropped in at a corner drugstore for an ice cream soda. Doris bought a few things she needed, andthey continued down the street with no particular destination in view.
Not being acquainted with the town, they unwittingly turned down a streetwhich led them toward the poorer section. They had gone a considerabledistance before they realized their error.
"Let's turn back," Doris suggested. "I don't like the appearance of thisstreet. There are so many pool halls and gambling places."
Abruptly they retraced their steps but, before they had gone far, Doriscaught her chum by the sleeve.
"Look!" she commanded. "Isn't that Henry Sully just ahead of us?"
"It is!" Kitty agreed. "We'll meet him face to face!"
The man was walking toward the girls, but his head was lowered and he hadnot seen them. While he was still at least a hundred yards away, heturned into an old tumbledown building which opened off the street.
As Kitty and Doris passed the place a few minutes later, they surveyed itrather curiously and were not surprised to see that it was probably agambling house.
"So that's the way he spends his time!" Doris commented. "I guess he knewthe Misses Gates were in their rooms and that he would have a good chanceto slip away with no questions asked."
"Did you notice the way he walked, Dory?"
"Yes, I did. His head was down--sort of flopping all around. And hewalked with such a precise step as though he were trying not to stagger."
"I'll bet he's had about one drink too many."
"Probably six would be more like it. Do you suppose the Misses Gates knowhe drinks?"
"Oh, I'm sure they don't. You know how strict they are about suchthings."
"I think it's time they find out about their help, then. I don't see howthey can be so blind."
They continued down the street and presently had forgotten about HenrySully. The town was soon explored and they were thinking of returning tothe mansion when Kitty suggested that they attend a moving picture show.
"All right," Doris agreed, "if we can find anything good."
They had noticed a number of theaters near the post office and turnedthat way.
"We're coming to one now," Kitty observed a few minutes later. "Can youmake out the sign?"
"Oh, we don't want to go there," Doris said hastily. "It's one of thosecheap places that cater to folks with perverted tastes."
They were about to pass on without a glance at the advertisements whenthey noticed a familiar figure. Of one accord they paused and pretendedto be looking at the window display of a candy shop adjoining thetheater.
"It's Cora Sully!" Kitty whispered to her chum. "She's buying a ticket."
Without glancing in their direction, the woman entered the moving picturehouse.
"Aren't they a pair!" Doris exclaimed in disgust. "Henry half drunk in agambling place and Cora here at this cheap movie! I don't see how Azaleaand Iris can tolerate them--they are so refined themselves."
"Either they don't know about it, or they must have some very specialreason for keeping them. Didn't they say Cora was the daughter of theirformer dressmaker?"
"Yes, perhaps they keep the couple out of sheer sentiment. I'm sure if Iwere in their place I'd send Cora and Henry away in a hurry."
Farther on down the street the girls found a picture house whichsatisfied them and they purchased tickets. The show lasted for two hoursand when they left the theater, it was nearly supper time.
"We must be getting back to the mansion," Doris declared. "Before we go,though, I have a notion I ought to put in a telephone call to the bank atChilton and find out how much money I have there. I'd ask Uncle Ward buthe's still out of town campaigning for that Fresh Air Fund."
"Then you've decided to loan the Misses Gates the money they want?"
"Oh, I haven't decided anything. I don't know what to do! I thought if Ifound out exactly how much money I have, it might be easier to decide."
"It won't take very long to put the call through," Kitty urged. "Whydon't you?"
Doris consulted her wrist watch.
"The bank is closed by this time, but I am sure there will be some onethere who can tell me what I want to know. We'll try it, anyway."
They turned in at the next drug store and, after a brief wait, Doris wasconnected with her party. After a few minutes she received theinformation she sought and came back to Kitty, who was waiting outsidethe booth.
"Did you find out?" she demanded.
Doris nodded. Her eyes were shining.
"Why, Kit, I have a lot of money. From what Uncle Ward told me the otherday I thought I was almost poverty stricken."
"How much?"
"Nearly six thousand dollars. Five thousand nine hundred and forty-three,to be exact."
"Why, you're rich, Dory!" Kitty exclaimed in awe.
"Hardly that, but I'll have enough to last me for a long time."
Both girls, blissfully ignorant of how much it cost to live, consideredDoris's little hoard a miniature fortune.
"When I have so much, it seems a shame not to make a small loan to Irisand Azalea," Doris said thoughtfully.
"They promised you'd get it all back," Kitty encouraged. "In the en
dyou'll come into the Trent inheritance."
"There's only one drawback."
"What's that?"
"Cousin Ronald is to handle the money." Doris sighed as one who wasburdened with great business responsibilities. "Oh, dear, I wish I likedhim better. If I could entirely trust him, I'd offer the money in aminute!"