“Thank you,” said Shirley. “Of course I don’t mind.”
“I’ll see you fellows later,” he said significantly. “We’ll talk this matter over when there are no girls around. Get out of here now.”
Dick turned once more to Shirley. “Come,” he said.
It was late when they neared Clara Morton’s home. As they approached quietly, a figure ran from the porch to meet them. It was Mabel.
“Shirley,” she cried, “I was so afraid that something had happened to you. I have been waiting here for more than an hour.”
“Well, something did happen,” said Shirley. “I’ll tell you about it when we get upstairs.”
“Come on, then,” said Mabel, “but be careful. I told Clara you probably wouldn’t be home until in the morning, and no one here must see you in that costume.”
Shirley turned to say good-bye to Dick, but there was no Dick. His duty done, he had not waited for thanks.
“I would like to have said good-bye to him,” she told herself.
Silently the two girls made their way up the stairs, and reached their room without being discovered.
Mabel insisted upon an immediate account of Shirley’s adventures and the latter gave full details.
“You see,” she concluded, “it was all your fault. Why didn’t you remind me of my purse?”
“That’s right, blame me,” said Mabel. “I think you’ve had some jolly fun.”
“It depends on how you look at it,” drawled Shirley. “Oh, but I’m tired. Let’s get to sleep.”
The next two days, Saturday and Sunday, the girls spent quietly in their friend’s home, only going out twice. One trip was to the theater, and the other to church on Sunday morning.
Early Monday morning found them on the train.
A young man boarded the train at Cynthiana, who attracted Shirley’s attention at once. There was something familiar about him, but for the moment she could not place him. Looking in her handbag for her ticket, she accidentally drew forth a card, which she glanced at in surprise.
“I wonder,” she murmured, and then it all came to her in a flash.
“The card of the young man who came to my aid in the drugstore,” she said, passing it to Mabel. “That reminds me, I forgot to send the ten cents.”
“I reckon he won’t miss it,” said Mabel, as she returned the card.
The young man who had just gotten on the train, came through the aisle. He dropped his suitcase in the seat across from the girls, and sat down.