Well, it turned out that the two children had scarlet fever. Brown
happened to know that Imogene had been exposed to the disease during a
surreptitious visit to the cottage of the station agent, whose wife it
appears was a close friend of the nursemaid, and whose baby thrived
immensely on the rich foods from the Bingle establishment. So the
instant the rash appeared, Brown began packing her suitcase and trunk.
She tried to get away without letting the other girls into the secret,
but they suspected. What might have been a dignified resignation on
Brown's part, became a stampede.
That afternoon the Force automobile came for Kathleen. Mr. and Mrs.
Force were confronted by Diggs as they came up the steps. He gave them
the news.
"The deuce you say," said Force, backing down the steps. "Has she been
exposed?"
Mr. Bingle appeared in the doorway. "Come in, please," he said,
covering his bare head with a newspaper. "Got some bad news for you."
"What the devil do you mean, Bingle, by running around among the riff-
raff of all New York, picking up germs and bringing 'em out here to a
house full of children? See what you've done, gallivanting around with
Rouquin's cheap--"
"Oh, come now, Force! Don't blame poor little Napoleon.
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