Old Queenie came up the lane and turned in at the open
gateway beyond the garden.
The new girl tugged excitedly at Sheila's arm.
"Say! Who are they?" she demanded huskily.
"This is Cap'n Ball and Mrs. Ball," was the reply, and the girl in
possession hurried forward to help them out of the carriage.
"Ahoy, Ida May!" the captain hailed cheerfully. "What's the good
word?"
He prepared to climb down. The girl assisted Prudence first.
"Who's that with you, Ida May?" asked the old woman. Then, with
keener eyes than the captain, she observed the change in the girl's
face. "What's happened? Something has gone wrong, Ida May, I know.
What is it?"
"That--that girl--"
Sheila almost choked. How could she prevaricate to the good old
woman who had been so kind to her?
"Who is she, Ida May?"
"She says she is your niece," whispered the girl.
"My niece? Land's sake! I ain't got no niece but you, Ida May. Say,
Ira, do you know this young woman? She ain't none o' your relations,
is she?"
Cap'n Ira came to the ground finally with a thump of his cane. He
straightened up and started at the new arrival.
"Red-headed, I swan!" he muttered. "Never was a Ball that I know of
with that color topknot.
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