ed Eline. She had put on a fawn-colored dress
that set off her complexion wonderfully well. Cora had put on her new
brown, while Belle in blue and Bess in mauve added to the charm. The girls
had freshened their complexion with cold cream and a thorough rinsing,
and all traces of the rather dusty trip had been removed.

"It's up to us for our glad rags," said Norton. "Come on, Walter. There's
no use letting them carry off all the honors," and he started for the
elevator.

"I wish you'd give just a look, and see if Jack isn't coming," went on
Cora. "I'm really a little worried. He may have had an accident."

"Now don't you go to worrying," counseled Walter, in his best brotherly
manner. "Jack and Ed can take care of themselves, all right."

"No, don't worry," went on Mrs. Fordam. "It will spoil your pleasure,
Cora."

"But I just can't help it. Come on, girls, we'll get our wraps and go
outside. I simply can't sit still."

"No, we had plenty of sitting all day," admitted Bess. "I believe it would
be nice to walk up and down out in front for a change. It's rather stuffy
in here," and she glanced about a typical hotel parlor.

"All right, go ahead and we'll be with you in a little while," directed
Walter, he and Norton going to their rooms while the girls and Mrs. Fordam
went outside.

All the injunctions of her companions not to worry did not drive anxiety
from Cora. Time and again she glanced down the road her brother must come,
but the _Get There_ was not living up to its name.

Dusk came, but no Jack. The promise of good appetites for the dinner was
not carried out, for Cora's worry affected all of them more or less. And
it began to look as if something really had happened.

"I simply must do something!" Cora exclaimed after dinner. "I'm going to
see if I can't telephone to some one along the road, and ask if there has
been an accident."

They tried to persuade her not to, but she insisted and started toward
the booth.

CHAPTER VIII

THE GIRL

Jack and Ed, standing near the machine, under the sign post, peered at
the advancing figure of the girl. She had stopped short--stopped rather
timidly, it seemed, and she now stood there silent, apparently waiting
for the boys to say something.

"It's a girl, sure enough," said Ed, in a low voice. "Out alone, too."

Jack, who never hesitated long at doing anything, resolved to at once
plunge into the midst of this new problem.

"Excuse me," he said, ta