CHAPTER XVI.
SIDNEY’S “GHOST.”
About lunchtime the next day, Mrs. Holland answered the telephone to find Mr. Thorne on the line. After some preliminary conversation, he came to the point of his message. “I called you to inquire about Hope and her guest. We were so interested yesterday in meeting the young lady who looks so much like Sidney, that Mrs. Thorne and I would like to meet her again. Sidney’s guests left yesterday and we have just seen Sidney off; but if your girls are not going till later, could we not have them for dinner. I seem to remember that Miss Harcourt spoke of its being doubtful about her leaving till late to-day. Mrs. Thorne is right here and she will speak to you when I am through.”
“Thank you Mr. Thorne; the girls may not get off until to-morrow morning. Hope is wretched and I am not sure whether it is too much Christmas holiday excitement or an attack of la grippe coming on. Shirley says that she will wait to go with her, if she is able, in the morning. They will scarcely miss anything. Oh, is this Mrs. Thorne now? How are you, my dear? Yes, Shirley can come,—I will properly present the invitation,—but Hope is too miserable. Wait a moment, please.”
Mrs. Holland duly called Shirley, who said that she would be very happy to go. Mr. Thorne, again at the telephone, said that he would call for her on his way home.
“Hope, what have you gotten me in for by being sick?” queried Shirley of Hope, who was lying in bed, being plied with various remedies at different intervals.
“A pleasant acquaintance, I hope, that will make up for Sidney’s snippiness! Has Caroline gone, do you know?”
“Yes; I forgot to tell you. She telephoned early and she very likely took the same train as Sidney. I rather dread going to Sidney’s home, and what will she think—my being invited after she has gone?”
“Mr. Thorne evidently wants to see you and perhaps he’d rather have Sid out of the way, especially if he saw that she feels as she does about it.”
“Well, I’ll try to be a ‘good girl!’”
“I don’t think that they will try to find out about how it went at school. You might think up some of the mistakes to amuse them, though. But don’t you imagine that Mr. Thorne wants to see if any relationship can be traced between the families?”