The Carter Girls' Mysterious Neighbors

le," said Nan, trying to keep u

e meant as the crow flies. He did not allow for all th

m glad we are not so close to the track b

ack to that old station," said that young hopeful. "I wi

ersected the road. Of course Bobby took occasion t

her one wet, too," and he stepped boldly into the stream.

" chorused

unce! My 'ployer says sech t

was making his professional calls, his duties being to hold out his arm when they were turning corners or prepa

need toughening," said Na

inductor an' the boy comed and plunked hissef down by me an' he axed me what was my name and where I was a-gointer, an' was all'n you

ting opposite us, just behind Mother and Father!

the enfant terrible. "He wanted mostly to know

dn't tell him!

e was Lizajane an' you was a-

Bob

re joy of laughing. Douglas forgot her burdens and responsibilities; Helen forgot how she hated to be poor; Nan forgot that the quarter of a mile she was going to have to trudge twice a day to join the army of commuters was much nearer half a mile and she was not a very

e hum of a motor and the toot of a horn. A large tou

w!" cried the

He stopped his car and with crimson face

e I-- Oh, hang it all! er-my nam

illy Sunday-Billy Nut Sunday!" and Bob

Douglas, trying to swallow th

out you," said Bobby, wit

he young fellow c

was a-te

sually manage him better than any of the others. She whispere

ering, but your little brother told me on the train c

hey were likely to

that you have rented the farm from the Misses Grant; also

be there today, Wednes

t anything straight because they discuss every subject so thoroughly that they are all mixed up before they

, but Helen slipped her han

ke the privilege of going after your mother and fa

oo kind!" chor

ll of you firs

let the ladies know we are

em at the farm. I sa

ell them w

ness, and, as I was fully aware of the fact, I just drove

ed them in with pleasing gallantry. By adroit man?uvering he managed

shover. I'm Dr. Wright's shover in town an' up'n the mountings. He d

y you right now," said

said Douglas. "This is Helen Carter; and this, Nan; and this,

n and then they

ion to the farm, but maybe it is because I am la

quarter of a mile? It is

of the back seat. It was decided that Nan and Bobby were to go on to the stat

like it?" asked Helen as they opened the big gate tha

looks so

estate agent was so glib and rattled on so he confused us. I was afraid he had hypnot

r. Nearer the house a straight young ash and a willow oak divided the honors. At one side of the quaint old house a great mock orange had established a precedent for mock oranges and grown into a tree, just to show what a mock orange is capable of wh

ght Lucy, regretting that thirteen years old, almost four

r was such a red as the gum tree boasts and these huge specimens were one blaze of color. The

e, and even then a few blossoms were making the air fragrant. In the back there were several rather

chamber over this and two small, low-ceilinged attic rooms. Later a shed room had been built at one side in the back, then a two-story addition had reared itself next to that with no apparent connection with the main house, not even a family resemblance. This two-storied "lean-to" was known always as "the new house," although it had been in existence some threescor

s our girls stood on the lawn drinking in the beauty and peace of the sc

hey will all be faded by tomorrow. I have told you a million times I read the letter that Douglas Carter wrote and she said distinctly she was coming on Thursda

were coming that day. I read the note, too, and if you hadn't have been so quick to burn it I guess I could prove it. Those flowers ar

train stop at the crossing,"

g! I noticed

that you didn't even know it was train time. What John Sutton means by l

He is twenty, if he is a day. I remember perfect

t was just four

the Spanish war, as our history scholar, Lucy, had just learned. That seemed to

red Helen, "or they will begi

rat-tat on the open fro

cking!" exclaim

a woodpecker," p

f Helen's knuckles and

was a knock,

ound of altercation on the stairs leadi

ll I can go faster than you can, and here you have

why didn't you start up the ste

er get up the steps! Save

ll height and no breadth. Miss Louise was dark of complexion, with coal-black hair streaked with grey; Miss Ella was a strawberry blonde with sandy hair streaked with grey. Age that brought the grey hair seemed about the only thing they had in common, excep

ve her right of way but who was silenced for the moment by shortness of b

ng tomorrow," said Douglas,

ss Louise. "You said Tuesday, didn't yo

rant, I sai

It was explained that Billy Sutton had gone to get Mr. and Mrs. Carter, but the trunks must be sent for. Quite humbly Miss E

d the bright rag rugs look on these floors. The furniture was very plain with the exception of an occasional bit of fine old mahogany. A beautiful old highboy was not

ouse was redolent of late roses and mignonette and citronella. An occasional whiff of car

rls found Miss Ella to be really very agreeable. Both ladies seemed to be bent on showing kind

as pretty. As they rolled up in Billy's car the quaint house and beautiful lawn certainly presented a most pleasing

h air. "I think I shall have to have a cow and some pigs and do some fall plowin

of enthusiasm. Dr. Wright had told her that with returning healthy nerves would come t

asked Douglas as she drew h

rong and if I can give up before I drop it would be less trouble for my family," and Mrs. Cart

bed," said Miss Ella. "We were planning to ha

agreed for once on the propriety

Miss Louise, with a sentim

asked Mrs. Carter with some s

said Miss Ella in a matter-of-fact tone, as though noble

short rest and come to Grantly," said Mrs.

be much occupied with his engine, but Nan noticed