“Lord Somebody——”
“Oh! Lord Dudley. But you saw him afterwards. He was here——”
“No, I never happened to be around. And I couldn’t remember anything about him anyway. But I feel positive I never saw this woman.”
The girls were standing close together, Amy still clinging to Linda’s arm, when Mike opened the screen door to the stranger’s knock.
The woman hesitated a moment, and stepped inside, looking quickly about the room. With a bright smile of recognition, she came over to Amy.
“Helen darling!” she exclaimed, pushing Linda aside and kissing Amy gushingly. “Oh, I’m so thankful to have you safe!”
Tears came to Amy’s eyes, but she could not pretend that she remembered the woman.
“Who—are you?” she stammered.
The woman looked shocked.
“Helen! Can’t you remember me? I am your Aunt Elsie—I’ve cared for you ever since your mother died. Oh, surely, dear—” She looked helplessly at Linda.