“Oh, I’m dreadfully sorry,” Doris apologized. “Wags isn’t really vicious. He was just playing.” “Playing!” the man snapped. “You call that playing!” As Wags again came toward him he raised his foot to kick him. “Don’t!” Doris pleaded. “I tell you it was an accident.” She caught the dog up in her arms and held him away. “What do you want here anyway?” the man asked rudely. The first drops of rain were beginning to fall and as a vivid streak of lightning flashed above the house, the girls cringed. “Please, may we come in?” Doris begged. Silently the man held the door open for them but he scowled as they passed through. They entered a large kitchen. Before they had time to take stock of it, a stout, slovenly woman who was mopping the floor, bore wrathfully down upon them. “You can’t come in here with that dog!” she told them. “Can’t you see I’ve just finished mopping up this big ark of a kitchen?” Chilled by this reception, the girls hastily backed toward the door. “What is it you want?” the woman asked, less harshly. “We came to see the Misses Gates,” Doris explained. “They’re expecting us.” “Oh!” A peculiar expression flashed over the woman’s face. She was silent for an instant and then she said: “You came to the wrong door. This is our quarter.” “And you are—” “Cora Sully. I take care of the house. This is my husband, Henry, and I’ll tell you right now there ain’t a lazier man alive!” Somewhat embarrassed at such brutal frankness, Doris and Kitty continued to edge toward the door. “Go around to the side door and I’ll let you in proper, else the old maids’ll be put out.” Then she added more gently: “We’re not much used to company here.” As the girls were about to close the door behind them, she called shrilly: “You can’t take the dog in!” Still carrying their suitcases, and with Wags trotting at their heels, Doris and Kitty made their way toward the side door. It was beginning to rain hard. “What a horrible woman!” Kitty shuddered. “Now, what can we do with Wags?” “We can’t let him run wild in the storm, that’s certain. I have an idea!” They had reached the shelter of the side veranda and Doris set her suitcase down and began to unfasten the strap. “What are you doing?” Kitty demanded. “I’m going to tie Wags under the porch. He’ll be out of the rain there.” “It’s mean of that woman not to let us take him in,” Kitty said. She helped her chum fix the dog, but they were forced to drag him under the porch by main force, for he was reluctant to leave them. By the time they had fastened him securely in his shelter, they were thoroughly drenched themselves. “What sights we are!” Doris declared. “I wonder if that woman ever will let us in?” “Here she comes now,” Kitty said in a low tone. The door swung open and Cora, wearing a clean white apron which she had donned for the occasion, ushered them into a long hall. “Right this way,” she directed.