CHAPTER XXIV

FACE TO FACE

“I speak the truth,” Doris insisted indignantly, “and furthermore, Ronald Trent, I am convinced that you are nothing but an impostor. You are plotting with Henry and Cora Sully to swindle these people—out of everything!”

“Doris!” Iris remonstrated.

“She’s lost her mind!” Cora exclaimed.

Thoroughly aroused at the false accusations made against herself and her chum, Doris could not have remained quiet had she wished. However, she forced herself to speak calmly.

“You shall not have a cent of my money when Jake arrives with it,” she told Ronald.

“We shall see,” he returned, glaring back at her. “You have already lent the money to the Misses Gates and they have promised it to me. Haven’t you?”

Azalea and Iris, pale with excitement, nodded their heads miserably.

“We’ve given you nearly every cent we have of our own,” Iris admitted, “and we did promise you Doris’s money. We trusted you—and now these dreadful accusations.”

“What can you expect when you bring strangers into the house?”

“But we needed Doris’s help so much, Ronald,” Azalea protested, “and she isn’t the same as a stranger.”

“You are willing to accept her word against mine?”

“Oh, Ronald, please don’t take that attitude,” Iris pleaded. “We want to believe you both, but surely something is wrong.”

Ronald laughed shortly.

“I told you once I’d straighten out everything. Just send these intruders on their way.”

Azalea and Iris exchanged uneasy glances. They did not know what to do. For the sake of John Trent, the man they loved, they felt they could not be disloyal to his son, and yet they were reluctant to ask Doris and Kitty to leave, particularly as they had been given a special invitation to visit their home. The girls had told a very straightforward story, but on the other hand Cora and Henry were old servants.

“I don’t know what to do,” Iris murmured.

“There’s only one thing to do and that’s to send these girls packing,” Ronald told her firmly. “Let me handle this for you.”

“But we want those important papers back,” Azalea protested. “Tell us where they are.”

“How should I know?” Ronald demanded harshly. “These girls have probably hid them somewhere!”

“You know that isn’t true!” Doris snapped. “We’ve told you where you’ll find the papers, but apparently you’re afraid to look!”

Ronald scowled. He had been trying to induce the Misses Gates to send Doris and Kitty away before they thought of bringing up again the subject of the lost property. He realized that the girls had it in their power to place him in an extremely awkward position. He hoped to bluff his way through by appealing to the sympathies of the two ladies.

Cora and Henry paled as Doris reminded Azalea and Iris of the suitcase. The housekeeper trembled and clung to her husband for support.

“Just look at them,” Ronald declared. “They’re crushed at the accusation against their good names. Here they have served long and faithfully and now these girls try to brand them as thieves!”

“Oh, Ronald, we aren’t branding any one,” Iris said at the point of tears. “We only want to get at the truth.”

Doris and Kitty were at their wits’ end. In every manner possible they had tried to convince the Misses Gates of their innocence, but they realized that no matter how strong was the case against Ronald Trent, the ladies would give him the benefit of the doubt. Only positive proof would shake their faith in him, for in their minds they had built up a dream man. It was difficult for them to see Ronald in his true colors.

Realizing this, it seemed to Doris that the best thing the girls could do would be to leave the mansion at once. Perhaps later, the Misses Gates would realize their error.

“We have caused you enough worry and pain,” she said quietly. “Kitty and I will pack our things and leave at once.”

“But our lost papers!” Iris half sobbed.

“We can only tell you what we’ve said before,” Doris declared. “You’ll find them in Henry’s suitcase!”

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t look, at any rate,” Azalea murmured. “Ronald, don’t you think it would be the best way to clear up this frightful muddle?”

“I wouldn’t give that much credit to the trumped-up story,” he returned condescendingly. “My dear ladies, don’t take this matter so seriously.”

Azalea eyed him with the first glimmer of distrust.

“After all, it happens to be _our_ papers that are missing,” she told him tartly. “I think we shall have a look inside that suitcase!”

Cora and Henry, now thoroughly frightened, began to back toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Azalea asked sharply.

“We are leaving,” Cora told her sullenly. “We won’t remain in this house to be insulted!”

“You’ll not leave until we have examined your suitcase,” Azalea retorted, displaying more spirit than the girls had known she possessed.

“You’ll not find any papers there!” Henry cried. “Not unless these girls framed us!”

“That’s probably just what they did do!” Cora chimed in, catching at the straw. “I’ll bet they put them in our suitcase, so as to throw suspicion on us.”

“We’ll soon know if the papers are there or not,” Azalea declared.

Realizing that they could no longer bluff, Henry and Cora of one accord started for the door, hoping to escape. They were abruptly halted by a steel-like voice.

“Stand where you are!”

Doris and Kitty wheeled, to see Jake barring the door. And directly behind him stood Marshmallow and Dave!