"And Sammy Adams taking them in like that! That poor innocent! Not but what he was a fool; think of me opening my doors to two tramps!"
"Come on up-stairs. They won't be back till noon. They've gone chestnutting in the Wiley wood. They can't be back till noon."
The door opened just here, and Alva came in with Lassie behind her.
"Have you told them?" Mrs. Ray asked.
"What is it?" Alva asked.
"We don't know what to think about Mrs. Lathbun and her daughter," said Mrs. O'Neil.
Alva glanced quickly into both their faces and then at Lassie.
Mrs. Ray tucked the ends of her shawl in, folded her arms, and closed her lips tightly for a second before opening them to speak. "I never did like their looks," she declared. "I'm not surprised over what's come out!"
"I never liked their looks, either," said Lassie, "but what is it? Has anything happened?"
"No," said Mrs. Ray, "nothing in particular, only we're beginning to find them out. You can't pretend to be somebody forever without any trunks. Case-knives are good in their way, but they don't take the place of trunks."