“Miz Timmins says you folks kin all get out. She won’t have you served no breakfast. She don’t want none of you here.”
“My goodness!” wailed Jennie. “Dispossessed—and without breakfast!”
“Where is the proprietor of this hotel, boy?” Ruth asked.
“You mean Mr. Drovers? He ain’t here. Gone to Boston. But that wouldn’t make no dif’rence. Suse Timmins is boss.”
“Oh, me! Oh, my!” groaned Jennie, to whom the prospect was tragic. Jennie’s appetite was never-failing.
The boy slouched away just as Tom and Henri Marchand appeared with Bella between them.
“You poor, dear child!” cried Ruth, running along the hall to meet them.
Bella struggled to escape from the boys. But Tom and Colonel Marchand held her by either hand.
“Easy, young one!” advised Captain Cameron.
“I never meant to do no harm, Miss!” cried Bella. “I—I just wanted to see how I’d look in them clothes. I never do have anything decent to wear.”