The Twins in the South Part 9

"Indeed," Sally asked politely.

The maid came back just as the other carriage stopped. A man and two girls got out and came up the steps. Sally clutched each of the twins by an arm and pulled them in to a sheltering window recess.

"Now don't scream when you see what's coming," she whispered.

The maid was taking the bags. They could hear the man's voice asking for Miss Hull. The twins looked out from their hiding place.

Two girls stood in the doorway; the old lantern that swung from the porch illuminated their faces. They had red hair and they were dressed exactly alike.

"Twins!" Janet exclaimed in a m.u.f.fled voice, and Phyllis looked bewildered.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _"Twins!" Janet exclaimed in a m.u.f.fled voice_]

"Isn't it a lark?" Sally demanded. "The minute the old wing gets a pair of twins the new one has to follow suit."

They heard Daphne's voice and saw her with her mother and Miss Hull coming down the hall. They went forward to meet them as the new twins and their father followed the maid in the same direction, and under the center light exactly in the middle of the hall they all met.

All four twins looked at each other. Janet and Phyllis saw that their rivals were easily distinguishable one from the other. For although their faces were exactly alike, one was considerably stouter than the other.

It was Miss Hull's low musical laugh that broke the awkward silence.

"How did our little surprise turn out, Sally?" she asked.

"Oh, beautifully, Miss Hull," Sally laughed. "Jan and Phyl never guessed for a minute."

Miss Hull smiled delightedly and turned to the gentleman who was waiting for her.

"Mr. Ward," she said, holding out her hand.

Mr. Ward scowled.

"Yes'm. They're my twins; May and Bess," his abrupt way of speaking contrasted oddly with his southern voice. "If you can take them right now and let me get back and catch that next train for town I'll be mighty obliged. I kept the carriage waiting."

"Certainly, Mr. Ward," Miss Hull replied, "You go right on. We'll take care of May and Bess."

Mr. Ward bowed over her hand for a brief moment, nodded to his daughters and strolled out of the front door.

The Ward twins's faces relaxed and they smiled. It was easy to see that their father's departure was a relief rather than a sorrow.

CHAPTER IX-A Question of Names

"May and Bess are to be in the new wing," Miss Hull said. "Will you girls take them upstairs when you are going up with Daphne and find some of the girls on their corridor. Alice and Kitty will take good care of them, I am sure. Mrs. Hillis and I are going to have a little chat until dinner."

She dismissed the girls with a nod. Sally turned to Bess Ward.

"Will you come along?" she said, "and we'll find Alice and Kitty."

"Are you two going to room together?" Phyllis inquired.

Janet was walking with Daphne. She had gotten as far away as possible from the new twins, for she instinctively disliked them on sight.

"I should say we're not," Bess, the fatter of the two, replied. "May and I were figuring to see as little of each other as possible."

"But why?" Phyllis demanded, surprised.

"Reckon we're not dying of love for each other," May explained calmly.

"You being a twin could understand, I guess."

"We can't understand any such thing," Janet suddenly flared up.

They were on the stairs and they all stopped to turn and look at her.

"Phyl never wants to be away from me," she continued, her cheeks hot in anger.

"I don't hear Phyl agreein' with you," May remarked.

It was Phyllis's turn to be angry. The color left her cheeks and her eyes flashed dangerously.

"No need of my saying anything for people to know that I agree with my twin," she said coldly. "We always agree on every subject," and she walked upstairs the rest of the way in silence with her head up in the air.

The new twins exchanged glances.

"What did you say anything for?" Bess asked sulkily.

"Oh, keep still," May replied.

When they reached the new wing, Sally was glad to turn them over to Kitty and Alice. The news had circulated that there were to be twins for the new wing, and the girls had collected to welcome them. It is only truthful to say that their faces fell at the first glance. Beside Phyllis and Janet, the new twins did not show promise of adding greatly to the new wing.

"Phew! I'm glad that's over!" Sally sat down on her bed and pulled Daphne down beside her.

Phyllis sat in a big chair and Janet perched on the arm of her chair.

"They haven't any right to be twins," Daphne's drawl held a note of decision, "and they really don't look alike either."

"They're perfectly horrid," Janet replied vehemently.

"I wish they'd leave Hilltop," Phyllis added.

Sally said nothing for the moment, but she looked very wise.

"A penny for your thoughts, Sally," Phyllis offered.

Sally came back from her dreaming with a little start.

"I was only wondering what they'd be like in six months," she said slowly.