mbatants. Naturally, this caused their employers to see that justice
was done, and thus it happened that all contestants accompanied the
officer to the police-station.

Meantime Polly and Eleanor waited and waited, but no one came to inspect
their sample book. They telephoned Mrs. Courtney's house and were told
she had left, in her car, fully an hour before. Then they telephoned Mr.
Dalken's office and heard that he had driven away in his car fully an
hour before.

"The old parade must have held them up," suggested Polly.

"But that's over, now, and they surely could have been here if they were
detained at one of the nearby cross-streets," said Eleanor.

Another half hour passed and then two cars drove up and stopped before
the Ashby Shops. Two people stepped from their individual cars and two
angry people stood and stared at each other. Then Mr. Dalken, recovering
first, bowed stiffly and walked across the pavement to enter the Shop
door. Mrs. Courtney had started to cross the sidewalk before she realized
that her unknown opponent was entering the same Shop she was bound for.
She passed through the door he held open, and sent him a careless glance
of thanks, then looked around for the girls whom she had expected to meet
there.

Neither girl was in sight, and the lady now asked one of the salesmen,
"Where shall I find Miss Brewster or Miss Maynard?"

"Just step this way, Madam. I'll take you to their private office," was
the polite reply.

Mrs. Courtney glanced in a large mirror to assure herself that her hat
was presentable, then followed her escort. As she reached the partly
closed door of the office used by the young decorators, she heard a man's
voice. The same voice which had been accusing her chauffeur of bad
judgment and ignorance of city laws. Before she could change her mind
about entering the room, however, the escort had knocked and Polly flung
the door open. She welcomed the new visitor.

Both girls were tickled to pieces to find how their plot was coming on
apace: both dear friends were now together at the same time, and all that
was needed was for them to be introduced.

"Oh, isn't this just lovely!" cried Eleanor, acting her part very well.
"To find both our friends here at the same time!"

"Dear Mrs. Courtney, this is our dear Mr. Dalken," said Polly, politely.

"And _this_ is the dear friend we have told you of so often, Dalky!"
added Eleanor, effusively.

The lady and gentleman bowed dist