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Oh, Neale! is it? cried Agnes.
But Neale gave her no reply. He was still glaring at Ruth whose expression of her doubt of his honesty had rasped the boys temper till he fairly raged.
If you want to find out anything about that stuff in the old book, you can do it yourself. I wont tell you. Im through with the whole business, declared Neale.
But but wheres the book? asked Ruth, in rather a weak voice now.
Oh, I brought it back, snapped Neale. Youll find it outside on the porch in my bag. Thats all I carried in the old thing, anyway. You can have it.
He marched to the door and jerked it open. Agnes tried to call after him, but could not.
Neale banged to the door behind him and tramped down the hall. They heard him open the outer door and slam that. Then he thumped down the steps and made for the Willow Street gate.
Oh, Ruth! what have you done? gasped Agnes, wringing her hands. Poor Neale!
I want that album! exclaimed Ruth, jumping up.
It it cant be worth anything that money, murmured Agnes, but followed her sister.
It is good money. Im sure of it! snapped Ruth.
She hurried to the porch. There was Neales old bag in the dark corner. Ruth pounced upon it.
Oh, Ruth! cried Agnes. Its never there.
Yes, it is. He didnt stop when he went out. Of course its here!
Ruth had brought the satchel into the lighted hall and opened it. She turned it upside down and shook it.
But nothing shook out not a thing. The bag was empty. The old album Agnes had found in the garret, and which had caused all their worry and trouble, had disappeared from Neales satchel.
CHAPTER XVIII WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT
Tess and Dot had run to tell the rest of the family that Neale had arrived and that Sammy Pinkney was better. Mrs. MacCall, who had a soft spot in her heart for the white-haired boy, put down some supper to warm for him, sure that Neale would come into the kitchen before he went home.
Dot ran upstairs to Aunt Sarah Maltbys room to tell her of the boys arrival, and Aunt Sarah actually expressed her satisfaction that he had reached home in safety. Neale was growing slowly in the brusk old ladys good graces.
Coming downstairs and through the dining room, where the gas-logs blazed cheerfully on the hearth, Dot found Sandyface, the grandmother cat, crouching close before the blaze, her forepaws tucked in,
and expressing her satisfaction at the warmth and comfort in a manner very plain to be heard.
Mercy me! ejaculated the smallest Corner House girl. Sandyface! you sound just as though you were beginning to boil! Oh!
For just then the door from the rear hall opened quickly and startled her. The strange girl the circus girl who had so interested Dot and Tess, to say nothing of the rest of the family, popped in.
Oh! repeated Dot. How you frightened me.
Barnabetta stood with her back against the door. One might have thought that the appearance of Dot, had been quite as unexpected and had frightened her.
She seemed breathless, too, as though she had been running. But of course she had not been running. Where should she have run to on such a cold night? And there was no snow on her shoes. Besides, she wore no wrap.
Did did I frighten you, little girl? Barnabetta said. I am sorry, I did not mean to.
She had both hands behind her and stood against the door in a most awkward position.
I was afraid you had gone to bed, prattled on Dot, stroking Sandyface. Ruthie said she sposed you had. But Im glad you hadnt. I wanted to ask you something.
Did did you? returned Barnabetta. She seemed to be listening all the time as though something was going on in the hall that frightened her.
Yes, Dot went on placidly. You know, weve been to a circus once.
Is that so?
Yes. And Tess and I was awful intrested in it. We we liked the ladies and gentlemans that rode on the horses around the ring, and was on the trapezers, too. And they looked beau -tiful in those spangles, and velvets, and all.
I spose those were their best cloes, werent they their real, Sunday-go-to-meeting frocks?
I I guess they were, admitted Barnabetta.
You wear your best cloes when you go up on the trapezers, dont you?
The fanciest Ive got, admitted the circus girl.
Well! Mustnt they look funny all going to church that way the ladies in those short, fluffy skirts, and the gentlemans in such tight pants! My! gasped Dot. Couldnt you tell us, please, what they do in circuses when they travel?
Why yes, said Barnabetta. Ill tell you.
Will you sit right down here and tell us?
Why yes.
Oh, wait! Ill run and fetch Tess! exclaimed the generous Dot. I know she will want to hear, too, and she scampered out of the room so swiftly that she startled Sandyface, who flew through the door before her.
Barnabetta was left alone in the dining room. There was a closet with a small door right beside the fireplace. When Dot returned with Tess the circus girl was leaning her back against that closet door, instead of against the hall door.
Oh, do come and sit down, urged Dot, eagerly, drawing an armchair to the hearth.