ke lightning! It'll be worth your while. Straight
ahead, five blocks--east two--north three! Drive, I tell you."

And "drive" the man did, as fast as his slow horse could be urged, while
within the carriage the three young folks sat in anxiety, Dorothy
leaning far forward, as if by that means she could reach her destination
sooner.

Their new friend beamed upon her, asking a few questions which drew out
a brief history of their trip and the plans for their coming summer.
Then almost before the cab was halted before a big hotel he had opened
its door again and taking the hands of the two girls piloted them
straight into it and through some great halls to the dining room. There
he halted and gave the name:

"Mr. Daniel Ford and party."

"At dinner, sir, private dining room. May not wish to be disturbed. I'll
send to inquire--step into the reception room please," bowed and
explained the employee the gentleman had summoned.

"That's all right. Direct us. I'm Darby of the Metropole. These young
people belong to Mr. Ford's party."

A moment later they had met Mr. Ford himself, issuing from his private
room, vexed and anxious at their delay and starting out in their
pursuit.

"Well, laggards! What does this mean? Wasting the time when there's so
little of it? Mrs. Calvert's fretting so she can't eat her dinner
and--in with you! In with you! There's but fifteen minutes before her
train starts east!"

When a good natured man is angry he seems another person and Dorothy
drew back in fear. But Alfaretta's own temper rose and she exclaimed:

"Don't scold us, please, Mr. Ford, it wasn't our fault!" while Leslie
vainly tried to explain: "A gentleman, a stranger, brought us here and
paid our cab fare. I want a dollar, Dad, to refund him."

But, for once, the doting father was deaf to his son's words. He did not
even pause in his rapid stride along the corridor, fairly dragging
Dorothy off her feet in his unconscious haste, and finally depositing
her in an empty chair beside Aunt Betty's, with the remark:

"Here's your 'bad penny' again! She--they all--will learn some lessons
up at San Leon, this summer, or I'm a mistaken man. The one thing nobody
should dare lose is--time!"

Mrs. Calvert gave him a surprised look but she had also been hurt by
Dorothy's absence during the brief space that remained to them together,
and she hastened to deliver the many last charges and bits of advice
that seemed needful before their parti