ly in
Allegheny County but in Washington and Westmoreland and Fayette Counties
and the others around Pittsburg, if it's necessary. He surely is
persistent."

"Isn't it lucky he is? And don't you hope he'll find some clue before
his holidays end? That detective didn't seem to make any progress at
all!"

Mr. Clark came back more than ever convinced that he had guessed the
cause of the "botanist's" perseverance.

"Unless my eyes and fingers deceive me greatly this is clay and pretty
smooth clay," he reported to the waiting group, and Dorothy, who knew
something about clay because she had been taught to model, said she
thought so, too.

"We know his reason for wanting the land, then," declared Mr. Clark;
"now if we could learn why he can't seem to take it in that he's not
going to get it, no matter what happens, we might be able to make him
take his afternoon walks in some other direction."

"Who is he? And where is he staying?" inquired Mrs. Smith.

"He calls himself Hapgood and he's staying at the Motor Inn."

"Is the little girl his daughter?"

"I'll ask him if he ever comes here again," and Mr. Clark looked as if
he almost wished he would appear, so that he might gratify his
curiosity.

The Motor Inn was a house of no great size on the main road to Jersey
City. A young woman, named Foster, lived in it with her mother and
brother. The latter, George, was a high school friend of Helen and
Roger. Miss Foster taught dancing in the winter and, being an
enterprising young woman, had persuaded her mother to open the old house
for a tea room for the motorists who sped by in great numbers on every
fair day, and who had no opportunity to get a cup of tea and a sandwich
any nearer than Glen Point in one direction and Athens Creek in the
other.

"Here are we sitting down and doing nothing to attract the money out of
their pockets and they are hunting for a place to spend it!" she had
exclaimed.

The house was arranged like the Emerson farmhouse, with a wide hall
dividing it, two rooms on each side. Miss Foster began by putting out a
rustic sign which her brother made for her.

MOTOR INN
TEA and SANDWICHES
LUNCHEON DINNER

it read. The entrance was attractive with well-kept grass and pretty
flowers. Miss Foster took a survey of it from the road and thought she
would like to go inside herself if she happened to be passing.

They decided to keep the room just in front of the kitchen for the
family, b