Not being acquainted with the town, they unwittingly turned down a street which led them toward the poorer section. They had gone a considerable distance before they realized their error.
“Let’s turn back,” Doris suggested. “I don’t like the appearance of this street. There are so many pool halls and gambling places.”
Abruptly they retraced their steps but, before they had gone far, Doris caught her chum by the sleeve.
“Look!” she commanded. “Isn’t that Henry Sully just ahead of us?”
“It is!” Kitty agreed. “We’ll meet him face to face!”
The man was walking toward the girls, but his head was lowered and he had not seen them. While he was still at least a hundred yards away, he turned into an old tumbledown building which opened off the street.
As Kitty and Doris passed the place a few minutes later, they surveyed it rather curiously and were not surprised to see that it was probably a gambling house.
“So that’s the way he spends his time!” Doris commented. “I guess he knew the Misses Gates were in their rooms and that he would have a good chance to slip away with no questions asked.”
“Did you notice the way he walked, Dory?”
“Yes, I did. His head was down—sort of flopping all around. And he walked with such a precise step as though he were trying not to stagger.”