could
make sketches of them!"

"You'll see plenty to sketch when you get to Palm Beach," said Walter.

They visited the public parks and drove out to some of the suburbs.
Everything interested the girls very much and they frankly said so.

"Everything is just about perfect," declared Bess.

"All but the darkeys!" sighed Rhoda. "I think it is all perfectly lovely
but the negroes. There are so many of them, and they one and all look
thoroughly shiftless."

"Oh, no, not shiftless," put in Mr. Mason. "They are just care-free."

"Humph! All right, then. Care-free. Just too lazy to care for anything
at all, if they can get enough to eat, and I suppose that is not hard
down here."

"They are quite all right when you get used to them," put in Mrs. Mason.

It was nearing dusk when they at last turned back toward the city, and
it was then that Walter reminded Nan of her promise to tell him all
about the mysterious men who had startled her so.

Nan obeyed, but, strangely enough, felt none of the uneasiness that she
had felt on board the boat and in the hotel. There was something about
the luxurious comfort of the car and Walter's reassuring presence that
made her feel quite safe.

But Walter himself was anything but calm. He glowered fiercely at the
road ahead of them and his hands clenched tightly on the wheel.

"It's a rotten shame!" he burst out, when Nan had finished her story.
"If I once get hold of those fellows there won't be enough left of them
to identify."

"But you will help me find Mrs. Bragley's property for her, won't you?"
insisted Nan. "She said it was at a place called Sunny Slopes."

"Sunny Slopes, Sunny Slopes," Walter repeated thoughtfully. "The name
sounds rather familiar to me. I tell you what I'll do," he said, turning
to Nan with sudden decision. "Dad knows the names of nearly all the
places through here. And if this Sunny Slopes is anywhere near Palm
Beach we'll drive over in the car. How does that suit you?"

"Oh, fine," said Nan happily, adding as she gave him a demure glance:
"Only we will drive over in the big car and take the girls along."

"What's the matter with this car?" asked Walter, turning to look at her.
"I thought you liked it."

"I love it!" said Nan fervently, adding with a funny little smile that
Walter did not understand: "I think on that particular trip, I would
like to go in the big car."

The morning after their delightful ride about Jacksonville, they took
the tra