not," said the irate aunt. "After I've come a long journey, I'm not going around hunting a place to stay. I'm too tired for that. I think it's up to you to find me a place."
"I'm afraid I don't think so," said Dale firmly but pleasantly. "However, I'll be glad to call up and inquire whether there is room anywhere. I can call the Oxford Hotel. It's rather expensive, but it would be very nice, if they still have room. And being expensive they might be more likely to have a room left. Or would you rather I try the cheaper places first?"
"I should think that would be entirely up to you, whatever you want to pay. We are your guests, you know."
Dale stared at her aunt in slow comprehension. "Oh, I see," she said slowly. "Well, I don't see that it's my affair at all. If you are my guests, you will occupy the rooms I have arranged for you. But since they do not suit you, I think the choice would be all your own. I couldn't afford to pay hotel bills, you know."
"Then you could have sent for the undertaker and had Grandma taken away. It isn't too late to do that now."
"No," said Dale, "I can't do that. But if you won't stay here, I can call up and find out if there are any accommodations left anywhere. Or, if you and Powelton are satisfied to stay here, I can ask one of the neighbors to take in Corliss. The old lady who just went away asked if she could do anything for me. She has a little hall bedroom that is plain but immaculate, where I think Corliss could be very comfortable. I could call and ask her. Would you like that, Corliss?"
"Me? Go alone to some little old stranger's house? Not on yer life!" said Corliss hatefully.
Dale gave her a steady look and then turned into the house and went to the telephone, followed by the three guests.
"What are you doing to do?" asked Corliss impertinently. "You needn't think you can force me into anything like this. I'll scream! I'll make a scene! You haven't really heard me scream yet!"
Dale did not answer. Instead she called the number of the Oxford Hotel and asked for the manager, while the three invaders stood in a semicircle around her belligerently. Dale, as she caught a glimpse of their three unpleasant faces, could not help thinking what a contrast they were to the sweet, placid face lying upstairs with the glory of heaven upon it.
A few clear-cut questions she asked, showing that she was well versed in making business arrangements. "You have a room? Only one room? What floor is that on? The second floor? What price? Ten dollars a day? Is there a double bed? Twin beds, you say? And where would the young man sleep? The fifth floor, you say? A small hall bedroom? Five dollars a day. Oh, you say there is another larger room on the fifth next to the small one? The price is seven-fifty a day? Thank you. The lady will probably be around there to look at them. Yes, it's a lady and her daughter and son." Dale turned. "You heard what he said, didn't you? Would that be satisfactory, or do you wish me to ask at other places?"
"Yes," said Aunt Blanche. "It's best to find out what is available. Yes, call up three or four more hotels."
Dale smiled. "I'm afraid I don't know that many hotels anywhere near here. There is the Longworth and the Kenmore. No others this side of the city. Unless of course you want to go all the way in town, and that would cost you a good deal in taxi fares."
Dale turned back to the telephone and called up the Longworth but was told curtly that they had no available room at any price. Then she tried the Kenmore and found one large double room, where a cot could be put in for the young brother.
Dale gave the result briefly and then said, "Now, please excuse me a minute while I talk with Hattie. There are some plans for to-morrow she will be waiting to know, and you can talk this over and see what you want to do. When I come back I'll call a taxi for you."
Then Dale vanished into the kitchen.
"The very idea!" said the indignant aunt. "Well, I guess she'll find she'll have to pay for this. I'll have all bills sent to her."
Dale returned and ordered the taxi. She was relieved to get her unaccommodating guests off finally and be alone in the quiet of her sorrow.
"They ain't no kind of relatives for a dear lady like our Grandma to have," grumbled Hattie as she locked the back door and turned out the kitchen light. "I'm right glad they're outta the house, so I am, and I wish they didn't have to come back. They don't care nothing about her—just what they can get out of it!"
"Well there, Hattie, don't let's think such thoughts about them. That wouldn't please Grandmother, and I'm quite sure it won't make it any easier to get along with them while they are here."
"Yeah. I know that. But human nature can't stand everything, you know."
"No, but we haven't had to stand everything, Hattie. And besides, Grandmother's Lord can help us to stand even everything."
"Oh, you is just a saint, Miss Dale, an' no mistakin'," sighed the old woman. "I couldn't never be as good as you, no matter how hard I tried."
"Well, just tell the Lord about it, Hattie, and then forget it. Do you know, I don't believe they know the Lord, and that's what's the matter with them. But if we act unpleasantly to them, they won't have much opinion of the way we serve the Lord, either. We've got to think of that, you know, Hattie. Grandmother always said our business on earth was to witness for the Lord."
"I know, Miss Dale. Yes, I know well enough, but I ain't so much on the doin'. Say, Miss Dale, do you reckon they will come to breakfast?"
"I don't know, Hattie. I told them breakfast would be at eight and we were having lunch at half past twelve to get everything cleared away in time for the service, but Aunt Blanche didn't answer, so we'll just have a simple breakfast and lunch, and if they come we can always cook another egg. Dry cereal, coffee, toast, jam, and orange juice. Then that nice soup you made for lunch, and hot muffins with applesauce. If that doesn't suit them, they can go back to their hotel. But I don't much believe they will come till lunch, or perhaps only in time for the service. However, don't worry about it. Just plan simply and have enough so if they do come we don't need to be embarrassed. Now, good night, Hattie, and thank you for the way you've carried on to-day and made things easier for me."
"Oh, you blessed little lady, I ain't done nothin'. I just wish I coulda made things easier. Good night."
And then the two went quietly to their beds to rest for the day that was ahead and to ask keeping all through the night and the days that were to follow.
CHAPTER III
The next day dawned brightly, a fitting morning for an old saint to leave this earth on her way to her heavenly home. Dale rose quite rested and ready to face the trials that would undoubtedly come to her that day.
She had a passing wish that she could go in there and stand by her sweet grandmother and tell her all that had passed, for somehow she felt her beloved presence was still here. Well, she knew that if she were here she would only laugh at some of the things that happened and press her lips and shake her silver head at the whole attitude of those unwelcome relatives, and she would finally say, "Didn't I tell you, Dale dear?"
Then she knelt by her bed and thanked the Lord that her grandmother was away out of it all, not here to hear the unpleasant words, nor guess at the insinuations that Dale was having to bear. I thank You, dear Lord, she prayed, that You have taken her home,
