Harriet heard no more. The two girls had gotten up and moved out of her
hearing. But she was shocked beyond expression. The soap in the consomme
was no longer a mystery. She had never believed that Patricia was quite
so unscrupulous. Now she knew the worst. Harriet did not know what course
to pursue, but after thinking it over she concluded that there was nothing
for her to do. As to the proposed trip to "The Pines," surely were she to
go to Cora and tell her what a wrong thing she was planning, Harriet would
merely be snubbed. Besides, it was not at all certain that Cora Kidder
would go.
She heard the two girls slip into the tent and knew from their light
footfalls that they were wearing their slippers. Harriet knew, too, that
they had been sitting outside clad in their wrappers, for they got into
bed immediately. There were a few whispered words, which she failed to
catch, then silence settled over the tent, broken occasionally by Tommy's
unintelligible mutterings. Tommy was dreaming again--giving promise of
having a mild form of nightmare later on.
A gust of wind set the tree-tops to rustling. All Nature stirred
restlessly. The listening girl heard the disturbed chirpings of the birds
in the trees. Following this came the patter of raindrops on the roof of
the tent.
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