ds. Quite frankly, then, she told the entire story of
her sudden yielding to temptation and of her two weeks' experience in
stage life, which had resulted in her meeting with Mr. Hunt.

Nor did she allow her speech to take but a few moments of time, not
wishing to draw too much attention to herself. At the instant of her
finishing, it happened that dinner was announced, so that Miss Adams had
no opportunity for expressing an opinion of Polly's conduct either one
way or the other. As they walked out of the room, however, she did
manage to give Polly's arm a tiny sympathetic squeeze, whispering, "I'll
tell you of my own first stage appearance some day, dear, if you remind
me of my promise."

CHAPTER IX

The Meeting

"They are not coming, Esther, and I am so dreadfully disappointed I
think I shall weep," Betty Ashton announced one afternoon about two
weeks later. The two girls were waiting in front of a tumble-down little
German station in the country, apparently several miles from any thickly
settled spot. Esther was seated in a carriage with a driver, but Betty
was leaning disconsolately over the station platform raised by a few
steps from the ground. A few moments before she had been walking rapidly
up and down in far too great a state of excitement and pleasure to keep
still. Now, however, the train had pulled in and stopped, letting off
several stout passengers, but revealing no sign of Polly O'Neill and the
maid, whom Miss Adams was sending on ahead to make things ready for
her.

"They must have missed the train; they will be sure to come down early
in the morning," Esther comforted.

But Betty mournfully shook her head. "It won't be quite the same if they
do. Of course I shall always be happy to see Polly O'Neill at any time
or place in this world or the next; still, a postponed pleasure is not
as agreeable as one that takes place on time. And think of all we had
planned for this evening!"

Under the circumstances there was nothing for Betty to do now but to
climb back into the carriage and take her seat next her sister. For the
little station was by this time completely deserted and had few
attractions for making one linger long in its neighborhood. It was too
lonely and dilapidated. There was another station at Waldheim, where
passengers usually got out, but the two girls had given Polly special
directions to use this one, so that they might have a long drive home
through the German forests at sun