As Dorothy feared, the small-boy element did discover them. No sooner had they caught sight of the officer than they seemed to swarm from nowhere to a solid group directly about the disgraced girls.
This added to Miette’s alarm, but it only annoyed Dorothy.
“Don’t notice them,” she told Miette, as the urchins asked insulting questions. “We will soon be indoors.”
Indoors!
In a station house!
A huge man in dismal uniform sat in the doorway. The constable greeted him familiarly.
“Here we are, Cap,” he said, “I’ve got some pretty girls here. Any room inside?”
Dorothy frowned and looked up at him sharply.
“I did not know that officers joked at the expense of—innocent girls!” she spoke up, with a manner that almost surprised herself.
“Hoity-toity!” exclaimed the officer, “but you have some spirit. Related to Major Dale, all right.”