Before breakfast had been finished, Ronald Trent put in his appearance. The girls were surprised at such an early call, but apparently Iris and Azalea knew what brought him, for they exchanged rather embarrassed glances. For once the man did not flatter and palaver with the ladies but turned his attention to Doris.
“Well, cousin,” he began in his blustering way, “I hear you’ve promised to come across with five hundred dollars.”
“I promised the Misses Gates that amount,” she returned, placing stress upon the name.
“Well, it all amounts to the same thing,” Ronald said easily. “Naturally, they’ll turn the money over to me, so I can attend to the—the attorney’s fees. It will save a lot of trouble if you will have the bank draft made out in my name. I’ll tell you just how to do it.”
“I have secured drafts before,” Doris informed him.
“Smart little business woman, eh? How soon will you be able to get to the bank?”
“I suppose I could go today,” Doris said quietly.
“Fine! Don’t forget to have the draft made out in my name.”
While they had been talking, Henry Sully had entered the dining room to ask the Misses Gates a question concerning the gardening work to be done that day, and now as Ronald turned around he gave the man a sly wink. Doris, who was by chance looking directly into the buffet mirror, saw the wink and immediately her suspicions were aroused.
“On second thought,” she remarked, eying Ronald closely, “I don’t believe I’ll be able to get to the bank today.”