“Wasn’t that man terrible?” Doris said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “And the way he sent us to bed just as though we were infants! Do you think he really could be a cousin of mine?” “I don’t see how he could be,” Kitty comforted. “He doesn’t look or act like any of your relatives that I ever saw.” “Well, I hope not! Wonder what he wants of Iris and Azalea?” “Something he didn’t want us to hear, that’s certain. Say, where is he from, anyway?” “Some place about four hundred miles from here—Cloudy Cove, I think he said.” “And he drives that far every few days to see Azalea and Iris? It looks fishy to me.” “I think so, too,” Doris agreed. “The Misses Gates are lovely ladies—far too good for that loud creature—but at the same time they’re scarcely the type a man would drive four hundred miles to see.” “He doesn’t care a whit about them. You can tell that.” As they undressed, the girls continued to discuss Ronald Trent and to make disparaging remarks. Then Kitty jumped into bed and Doris put out the light. Snuggling down into the covers, they shivered a bit as the wind rattled the window pane. They could almost imagine that in the pitch dark room someone was slowly creeping toward them. “I’d hate to stay here very long,” Kitty whispered. “Folks are so funny. Even Henry and Cora.” “I’m eager to find out why they sent for me,” Doris whispered in return. “It looks to me as though there’s something strange going on here.” Save for the moaning of the wind, the old house was quiet, and presently the girls heard the front door slam shut. “That was my illustrious cousin departing,” Doris murmured. A few minutes later they heard two doors close farther down the hall and knew that Azalea and Iris had retired. The girls closed their eyes and tried to go to sleep, but the brushing of the branches against the windows, and the weird sounds made by the wind, kept them in a state of nervous suspense. Then, just as Doris was dozing off, she heard a low whimpering moan from the yard below. “Wags!” she whispered to Kitty. “Maybe he’ll stop,” her chum suggested. But Wags did not stop. He continued to whimper until the girls were afraid he would disturb the entire household. “Poor thing!” Doris sympathized. “He’s out there all alone in a strange place. I’ll bet he’s lonesome.” At last, unable to bear it any longer, she slipped out of bed and began to dress. “What are you going to do?” Kitty whispered. “I’m going to bring him up here for the night.” “Cora will just about kill you, if she catches you!” “I’ll sneak down so quietly no one will hear me.” “I don’t like to stay here alone while you’re gone, Dory. It’s too scarey.” “Then come along.” “Ugh! It’s too far.” Doris had finished dressing and now, without making a light, she moved cautiously toward the door. “Don’t be gone long,” Kitty pleaded in a whisper. “If Wags lets out a yelp while you’re bringing him upstairs, we’re sunk!”