Quietly the Lady Eliza sat waiting. Not quite so quietly, Dick and Dolly sat on the top step of the veranda, waiting also, and at last Michael, who had gone after the Dana ladies, drove them up to the steps.
He had been charged by the twins not to mention their new acquisition, so, of course, had not done so.
Dick and Dolly met their aunts, with a smiling welcome, and then Dolly said:
“There’s a lady to see you, Aunt Rachel; as you weren’t home when she came, she sat down, over there to wait.”
In her pleasant, dignified way, Miss Rachel crossed the veranda, followed by Miss Abbie.
Though the ladies had slightly relaxed their “society” manner when greeting the twins, they instantly assumed it again as they went to meet their visitor.
“Good-afternoon,” said Miss Rachel as she neared the lady reading the magazine.
But the stranger did not look up, and Miss Rachel assumed she had not heard.
“How do you do?” she said, in louder tones, and held out her hand.
Miss Abbie also approached, and said “Good-afternoon,” and extended her hand, but apparently the visitor had no intention of stopping her reading.