Benny lay back in his chair and beat upon the table, howling defiance at
his sister through Harry's shouts of laughter.

"Silence!" cried Dorothy, rising, flushed and furious. "Is this a
corn-feast, that you all sit yelping in a circle? Ruyven, hold that
door, and see that no one follows us--"

"What for?" demanded Ruyven, rising. "If you mean to keep our cousin
Ormond to yourself--"

"I wish to discuss secrets with my cousin Ormond," said Dorothy,
loftily, and stepped from her chair, nose in the air, and that
heavy-lidded, insolent glance which once before had withered Ruyven, and
now withered him again.

"We will go to the play-room," she whispered, passing me; "that room has
a bolt; they'll all be kicking at the door presently. Follow me."

Ere we had reached the head of the stairs we heard a yell, a rush of
feet, and she laughed, crying: "Did I not say so? They are after us now
full bark! Come!"

She caught my hand in hers and sped up the few remaining steps, then
through the upper hallway, guiding me the while her light feet flew; and
I, embarrassed, bewildered, half laughing, half shamed to go a-racing
through a strange house in such absurd a fashion.

"Here!" she panted, dragging me into a great, bare chamber and bolting
the door, then leaned breathless against the wall to listen as the chase