Feeling absurdly guilty, she slipped into a small restaurant in the downtown district in the vicinity of Haskell’s store. She questioned the yawning waitress as adroitly as she could about the fire, but the woman could give her no particulars.
Mechanically Dorothy gulped down the overfried egg and underdone bacon, thinking longingly of home as she did so. How different the morning meal would be at The Cedars.
She had started on the second piece of bacon when the door opened and—in walked Tavia Travers!
Dorothy gasped and nearly upset the cup of coffee at her elbow. She stared at though she were seeing a ghost.
Tavia came straight up to her table, color bright and eyes dancing.
“So you hoped to escape me, fair one?” she said, sinking into a chair and motioning to the waitress. “You should have known better by this time, Doro, my dear. Were you not aware that I always sleep with one eye open?”
“You must have had them both open wide if you saw me leave The Cedars this morning,” replied Dorothy crossly. “I didn’t want to have even you with me this morning, Tavia.”
“Business of my becoming horribly offended and leaving the place in a huff,” drawled Tavia, as she ordered a ham omelet from the indifferent waitress. “But I am going to disappoint you, Doro darling, for the reason that you will be very glad of my company before you get through. I intend to befriend you at all costs, even at the expense of my honest pride.”
“Oh, Tavia, you are too ridiculous!” sighed Dorothy. “I can’t be angry with you, no matter how hard I try. Only, if you are coming with me you will have to hurry with your breakfast.”
“Have a heart, Doro. The ravening wolves have nothing on me!”