ll again, and then both ladies
heard distinctly the far-away tinkle in the depths of the house.

"I heard that," said Mrs. Lee.

"Yes, so did I. It rang that time."

Then the ladies waited again.

"Suppose you ring again," said Mrs. Van Dorn, and Mrs. Lee rang
again. Then they waited again, straining their ears for the slightest
sound in the house.

"I am afraid they are out," said Mrs. Van Dorn.

"So am I. It is such a lovely afternoon."

Mrs. Van Dorn, after they had waited a short time, put out her hand
with a decisive motion, and rang the bell yet again.

"I'm going to make sure they are not at home," said she, "for I don't
know when I shall get out calling again, and I always feel as if it
was my duty to call on new-comers in the village pretty soon after
they move in."

Then they waited again, but no one came. Once Mrs. Lee started and
said she was sure she heard some one coming, but it was only the
rumble of a train at a station two miles away.

"Shall we leave our cards?" said Mrs. Lee. "I don't suppose there is
much use in waiting any longer, or ringing again."

Mrs. Van Dorn, who had been staring intently at the door, looked
quickly at her companion with a curious expression. Her face had
flushed.

"What is it?" asked Mrs. Lee. "You don't suppose any one is in there
and not coming to the door?" Mrs. Lee had a somewhat suspicious
nature.

"No; I don't think there is a soul in that house, but--"

"But what?"

"Nothing, only--"

"Only what?"

"Why, don't you see what they have done?"

"I am afraid I don't quite know what you mean," Mrs. Lee returned, in
a puzzled way. It was quite evident that Mrs. Van Dorn wished her to
grasp something which her own mind had mastered, that she wished it
without further explanation, and Mrs. Lee felt bewilderedly
apologetic that she could not comply.

"Don't you see that they have gone off and left the front door
unlocked?" said Mrs. Van Dorn, with inflections of embarrassment,
eagerness, and impatience. If she and Mrs. Lee had been, as of yore,
school-children together, she would certainly have said, "You ninny!"
to finish.

"Why!" returned Mrs. Lee, with a sort of gasp. She saw then that the
front door was not only unlocked, but slightly ajar. "Do you suppose
they really are not at home?" she whispered.

"Of course they are not at home."

"Would they go away and leave the front door unlocked?"

"They have."

"They might be in the back part of