Aunt Jane's Nieces
We can walk it in five minutes."
Patsy hesitated.
"Really, it's no use going, Dad," she protested. "It isn't in reason
that I'd have a place presented me in a dead swell neighborhood. Now,
is it?"
"We'll have to go, just the same," said Uncle John. "I couldn't sleep
a wink tonight if we didn't find out what this all means."
"True enough," agreed the Major. "Come along, Patsy; it's this way."
Willing Square was not very big, but it was beautiful with flowers and
well tended and 3708 proved to be a handsome building with a white
marble front, situated directly on a corner. The Major examined it
critically from the sidewalk, and decided it contained six suites of
apartments, three on each side.
"D must be the second floor to the right." he said, "and that's a fine
location, sure enough."
A porter appeared at the front door, which stood open, and examined
the group upon the sidewalk with evident curiosity.
Patsy walked up to him, and ignoring the big gold figures over the
entrance she enquired:
"Is this 3708 Willing Square?"
"Yes, Miss," answered the porter; "are you Miss Doyle?"
"I am," she answered, surprised.
"One flight up, Miss, and turn to the right," he continued, promptly;
and then he winked over the girl's head at Uncle John, who frowned so
terribly that the man drew aside and disappeared abruptly. The Major
and Patsy were staring at one another, however, and did not see this
by-play.
"Let's go up," said the Major, in a husky voice, and proceeded to
mount the stairs.
Patsy followed close behind, and then came Uncle John. One flight up
they paused at a door marked "D", upon the panel of which was a rack
bearing a card printed with the word "Doyle."
"Well, well!" gasped the Major. "Who'd have thought it, at all at
all!"
Patsy, with trembling fingers, put a key in the lock, and after one or
two efforts opened the door.
The sun was shining brilliantly into a tiny reception hall, furnished
most luxuriously.
The Major placed his hat on the rack, and Uncle John followed suit.
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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