lace behind the wheel, drove
rapidly off in the opposite direction. Mr. Scovill rubbed his hands
together as he watched the car disappear. It was a way he had when his
plans were turning out nicely. Forty-five minutes later his driver
called up from the country house to say that he had brought the girls
out in safety. Mr. Scovill smiled blandly. So far everything had played
into his hands. When Mr. Thurston returned the following day he
announced the fact to him that the birds were safe in the trap. Then he
left town for a protracted stay. Mr. Thurston made one trip out to the
house to behold the thing for himself. Riding up in the elevator, he saw
the girls standing by the barred window of their prison. When they lit
the light he descended in haste so as not to be seen by them. Then he
also left town for a while.
The Winnebagos, who were all in time for the Limited except Nyoda and
Gladys, boarded the car without them and amused themselves during the
ride by thinking up ways to tease the tardy ones when they should arrive
on the next car. Pretty Mrs. Bates met them at the car stop with the
news that Nyoda and Gladys were coming out in the automobile, and when
they thought it was time for them to arrive they all lined up in the
road where the drive turned off, and were ready to sing a funny song
which Migwan had made up about not getting there on time. The blue car
came in sight and the girls ranged themselves straight across the road
so it could not pass until the entire song had been sung. With mouths
open ready to sing they stopped in astonishment. The two girls in the
tonneau were strangers. They smiled bashfully at the row of maidens with
the bright red ties.
Mrs. Bates stepped forward. "Whom have you brought us, John?" she asked.
"Why, you said there'd be two girls in the car when I came out,"
answered the driver; "and there were."
"Oh, is there any mistake?" asked one of the strange girls. "Our names
are Genevieve and Antoinette Rogers. We've come up from Seaville to
visit our guardian, Mr. Thurston. He couldn't meet us and another
gentleman pointed out his automobile and said the driver would take us
out to Mr. Thurston's country place, and we got in, and he brought us
here."
"This is Bates Villa," said Mrs. Bates. "You undoubtedly got into our
car by mistake."
"I'm sorry this is not the right place," said Antoinette in a tone of
frank regret. "I was so glad when I saw all you girls and thought you
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