t, Bessie! Do you suppose he'd really go after
the girls and look for us there?"

"You could hear how mad he was, Zara. I think he'd do anything he could
to get even with you for running away like that. It made him look
foolish before all those men and it'll be a long time before folks let
him forget how he was fooled by a girl."

"What are we going to do?"

"I'm trying to think. If I could get word to Miss Eleanor, she'd know
what to tell us, I'm sure. I'm afraid she'll be wondering what's become
of me--and maybe she'll think I just ran away, and think I was wrong to
do it."

"But she'll understand when you tell her about it, Bessie, and if you
hadn't come I never would have got away by myself. I'd have been afraid
even to try, if there'd been a chance."

"The worst part of it is that if Farmer Weeks really has any right to
keep you, or if you were wrong to run away, it might get Miss Eleanor
into trouble if they could find out that she's been helping you to get
away."

They were walking along the road, but now Bessie, who had forgotten the
need of caution in her consternation at the thought of the new plight
they faced, pulled Zara after her into the bushes beside the highway.

"I heard wheels behind us," she explained. "We mustn't take any
chances."

They stopped to let the wagon they had heard pass by, but as it came
along Bessie cried out suddenly.

"That's Paw Hoover!" she said. "And I'm going to speak to him, and ask
him what he thinks we ought to do. I'm sure he'll give us good advice,
and that he's friendly to us."

She hailed him, and the old farmer, mightily surprised at the sound of
her voice, pulled up his horses.

"Whoa!" he shouted. "Well, Bessie! Turning up again like a bad penny.
What's the matter now?"

Breathlessly Bessie told him what had happened, and of Zara's escape
from Farmer Weeks, while Zara interrupted constantly to supply some
detail her chum had forgotten.

"Well, by gravy, I dunno what to say!" said Paw Hoover, scratching his
head and looking at them with puzzled eyes. "I don't like Silas
Weeks--never did! I'd hate to have a girl of mine bound over to
him--that I would! But these lawyers beat me! I ain't never had no truck
with them."

"Will the law make Zara go to him, Paw?" asked Bessie.

"I dunno, Bessie--I declare I dunno!" he answered, slowly. "He seems
almighty anxious to get hold of her--an' I declare I dunno why. Seems
like there must be lots of other girls ove