“There, there,” he said, masterfully throwing an arm around the shoulders of each of the ladies. “Don’t take on so about it. I’ll straighten this matter out in a minute for you. Just leave everything to me.” “Oh, Ronald,” Iris murmured gratefully. “We’re in such a muddle,” Azalea added, “and we don’t want to falsely accuse any one.” “Of course not. Just let me handle this in my own way. Now, Cora and Henry are old servants, aren’t they?” “Cora is the daughter of our former dressmaker,” Azalea explained. “She and her husband have been with us several years now.” “Years! And how long have you known Doris Force and her friend?” “Why, we never met them until a few days ago,” Iris answered reluctantly. Ronald nodded in grim satisfaction. “There you are!” “You accuse your own cousin—” Iris began, but Ronald interrupted her. “Yes, my first duty is to you and to Miss Azalea. I will not protect my own relatives at your expense!” Goaded beyond endurance, Doris faced Ronald Trent defiantly. “Call me no cousin of yours!” she cried. “I believe you’re nothing but a bluff!” The man’s face went white with anger and for an instant Doris thought he meant to strike her. Instead he laughed harshly. “Don’t say such things!” Azalea commanded sternly. “Ronald is the son of our dear friend, John Trent.” “Let him prove it,” Doris cried. “Young lady,” Ronald told her angrily. “The burden of proof is upon you. Prove that you didn’t take those papers!” “All right, I will!” Doris announced with sudden decision. “I’ll tell you where the papers are!” At her words, Cora and Henry Sully recoiled a step, but the Misses Gates did not observe their guilty action. “Tell us!” Azalea commanded. “Yes,” Ronald echoed, but with less force. “Spin your fairy tale.” Doris faced the three conspirators defiantly. She pointed an accusing finger at Henry. “The papers are in his suitcase!” “You lie!” Henry snarled. “It’s the truth and you know it,” Kitty confirmed. “We can prove it!” “How do you know the papers are in Henry’s suitcase?” Iris questioned doubtfully. “Because we saw them there yesterday,” Doris declared. “Ah, then you admit you were snooping around?” Ronald demanded triumphantly. “We weren’t snooping,” Doris retorted indignantly. “We had a very good reason for going to the Sullys’ suite, and as it turns out, it was fortunate for the Misses Gates that we did.” “You went to the Sully suite yesterday?” Azalea, gasped. “Yes, we heard Etta crying and sobbing. We didn’t know what was wrong—” “You saw Etta?” Iris asked. She dropped weakly into a chair and for a moment looked as though she might faint. “We thought no one in the world knew about her,” she said very low. “For her sake we have kept Cora and Henry here during all these years. What will the neighbors think if they learn it?” “They shall never hear it from us,” Doris replied, “but we are unwilling to permit the Sullys to desert her.”