Rupert will be back by then, I'm sure;
he's out somewhere with Sam. There's been some trouble about trespassers
on the swamp lands. Goodness, won't this rain ever stop?"
As if in answer to her question, there came a great gust of wind and
rain against the door, a blast which shook the oak, thick and solid as
it was. And then came the thunder of the knocker which Letty-Lou had
polished into shining life only the day before.
Val opened the door to find Mr. Creighton and Mr. Holmes huddled on the
mat. They came in with an eagerness which was only surpassed by Satan,
wet and displaying cold anger towards his mistress, whom he passed with
a disdainful flirt of his tail as he headed for that deceptive fire.
"You, again," observed Charity resignedly as Sam Two was summoned and
sent away again draped with wet coats and drenched hats.
"Man"--Holmes argued with Satan for the possession of the
hearth-stone--"when it rains in this country, it rains. A branch of your
creek down there is almost over the road--"
"Bayou, not creek," corrected Charity acidly. Lately she had shown a
marked preference for Holmes' absence rather than his company.
"I stand corrected," he laughed; "a branch of your bayou."
"If you found it so unpleasant, why did you--" began Charity, and then
she flushed as if she had suddenly realized that that speech was too
rude even for her recent attitude.
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