“What are they, Mr. Howbridge? Boys or girls?”
“Both.”
“Both? Oh! You mean one is a boy and one is a girl.”
“Ralph and Rowena Birdsall.”
“That is better than having two of either sex, I should say,” Ruth observed with more gravity. “They sort of—sort of balance each other.”
“I guess they are ‘some kids,’ as our friend Neale would say,” suddenly laughed Mr. Howbridge. “I knew Birdsall very well. I might say we were very close friends, both socially and in business. Poor fellow! The last two years of his life were very sad indeed.”
“Has he left plenty for the twins?” asked Ruth.
“More than ‘plenty,’” said Mr. Howbridge. “He was very, very wealthy. Ralph and Rowena will come into very large fortunes when they are of age. The money is well invested.”
“Then you need not worry about that,” Ruth said sedately.
“No? The more money, the more worry for the administrator and guardian,” Mr. Howbridge said succinctly. “I can assure you that is true. But it is what to do for, and with, the twins themselves that bothers me most just at first.”