“Come, dearies,” she said, “take chairs, both of you. ‘Are you weary, are you dreary, are you hungry, are you sad?’ as the ballad says. Marty, some supper for these ladies. Now, dearies, a little tea and toast, just to please Felicia Rivers, and because you remind her of her own sweet little lamb cousins who are out in the rain somewhere to-night.”
The girls sat down timidly and silently. Outside they could hear the rain beating against the walls of the old house.
Where was Miss Campbell? Would she arouse the whole of London in her search for her two lost girls? Oh, heavens, what a terrible thing it was to have neither money nor friends in the biggest city in the world! Billie made up her mind to one thing then and there. When she got back to Miss Helen Campbell—if ever she did get back—she intended to sew the largest piece of gold money in the English coinage in the lining of her coat for emergencies such as this; although she prayed heaven there would be no more such emergencies.
“Don’t you think it would be a good idea to call a policeman?” suggested Nancy, breaking the long silence which had fallen on them after Miss Felicia Rivers had hospitably invited them to sit down.
“Police!” screamed the enormous woman, giving her great bulk a violent shake, which made everything in the room rattle as if an earthquake had struck it. The mercury had dropped ten degrees. But it went up again in a hurry. “No, no, my dearies. A policeman would surely arrest you as suspicious characters. Take it from me, and leave the police alone. There’s not one who would believe your story. No, what you need is a kind gentleman to advise you. Marty, go and tell Mr. Dinwiddie I wish to speak with him. Tell him there’s tea brewing in the kitchen.”
The girls exchanged a long meaning glance. Then Billie rose.
“I’m very sorry, Miss Rivers, but I think we won’t wait to see your friend. We’d better be going. Perhaps a policeman can show us the way to—to——”
To where? Billie did not know herself. She choked down a sob and tried to think. Her father’s teaching had covered many things, but he had never told her what to do when lost in a big city.
“When two young persons incurs debts which they can’t pay, it awn’t for them to say what they must and must not do. Young woman, take my advice and sit right where you are. No harm will come to you. Listen to the rain. Would you care to leave these beautiful rooms, every convenience, splendid location, candles and service, and go out on such a night as this? You’d be as mad as a March hare to do such a foolish thing. I’ll keep you here to-night. There’s an empty fourth-floor-middle. You can just as well put up there for to-night.”
“You are very kind, but——” began Billie, when Marty, the slavey, hurried in, and behind her came a shabby middle-aged man, with a weak, delicate face, pale watery eyes and an ingratiating smile. There was something of the dandy in his appearance at second glance, and if the light had been less bright, he might have looked really well-dressed. But his black and white checked trousers were fringed around the hems; his black cutaway coat was shiny and rubbed in the seams; his shoes down at the heels and his white gaiters soiled and spotted.