The old woman replied suavely: “Nothing at all, my dear; that is, nothing startling. Mr. Strait drove over this morning with some mail for me and I asked him to return at two. Now hurry and pack up your things. We’re going home.”
Dories put her hand to her heart. “O,” she exclaimed, “I was afraid there had been bad news from Mother.” Then, hesitatingly, “I thought we weren’t going home until Monday.”
“We are going now,” was all that her aunt said.
Dories ran back to the beach to explain to the three standing there, then the girls bade the boys good-bye and hastened up to the loft to pack their satchels and don their traveling costumes.
“What can it mean?” Dories almost whispered. “There must have been something urgent in the letter Aunt Jane received this morning,” she concluded.
Nann snapped down the cover of her suitcase, then flashed a bright smile at her friend. “To tell you the truth,” she confessed, “I am glad that we are going today. Since your Aunt Jane will not travel on Sunday, and since the mysteries have all been solved, there would be nothing to do from now until Monday.”
Before the other girl could reply Nann, with eyes glowing, continued enthusiastically: “And how wonderfully the old ruin mystery turned out, didn’t it? I feel ever so sure that Carl Ovieda and his sister will prove good friends.” Then, teasingly, “Carl seemed to like you especially well.”
Dories’ surprised expression was sincere. “Me?” she exclaimed dramatically, then shook her head. “Of course you are wrong! You are so much prettier and wittier and wiser, Nann, boys always like you better than they do your friends.”
“I hold to my opinion,” was the laughing response. “But come along now, I hear the rattly old stage coming. If we are to make the 3:10 train, Spindly will have to make good time.” Nann glanced at her wrist watch as she spoke; then, taking their suitcases, they went down the rickety stairs. On the front porch they found Miss Moore waiting among her bags; her heavy black veil thrown back over her bonnet. Gib’s father, having left the stage at the beach end of the road, was coming for the baggage. “O, Aunt Jane!” Dories suddenly exclaimed, “aren’t we going to put the covers on the furniture and fasten the blinds?”
It was Mr. Strait who answered: “Me’n Amandy’ll tend to all them things, Miss. We’ll come over fust off Monday an’ take the key back to the store.”