Part 9 (2/2)

If we should get lost----”

”Oh, don't be an old wet blanket,” cried Mollie impatiently, and as Amy and Grace see to do but to surrender as gracefully as she could

It was after lunch that the girlsobserved to where their e of the woodland And oh, what a glorious sense of freedo down a cool forest trail--alone!

They had been this ith Andy before, so they had no fear of losing their path and they urged their horses to more and more speed, intoxicated by the sense of freedom

What they did not notice was that the sun had disappeared behind an oly And so they were caught fairly and squarely by the deluge that swept upon theo? Where to turn for shelter fro wind? They checked their horses while they gazed at each other wildly

Suddenly Betty's straining eyes made out what seemed to be the outline of a little shed or cabin, half hidden by surrounding foliage

”There's a house over there,” she cried, hastily diser to a tree a little off the path ”Maybe whoever lives there will let us in till the rain stops”

The girls followed her example and hurriedly e When they reached the house Betty started to knock, then paused uncertainly, her hand uplifted For above the beat of the rain and the shrill whine of the wind came a strain of etful of their disco melody wailed itself to a close

”I--I've heard that ently, almost timidly, on the door

CHAPTER VIII

ALONG THE TRAIL

Betty's knock had to be repeated twice before the occupant of the cabin responded

”Knock harder, Betty, if----” Mollie was beginning when the door opened at last and a very strange person stood upon the threshold Tall, with stooped shoulders and a head bent a little as though he had spent countless hours over his violin, with long, curly hair, and with the visioned eyes of the ure that would have made people turn to stare at him anywhere

”I--e are very sorry to trouble you,” said Betty hesitatingly, as the musicianhard, as you see, and we thought----”

The man started and frowned

”Ah yes, of course,” he said,them into the room ”You will find shelter here, but very little else, I fear”

As the girls entered rather hesitantly thethe violin that lay upon the rough board table, he began with the utirls had the rather unco himself to be polite to theentleman he would have refused them admittance

They looked uneasily at each other and then toward the onein the rooht was in the minds of all of them--to escape from the enforced hospitality of thisup a little,” said Grace softly

”I reckon on't have to stay -haired host put down his case and turned toward the as we ca,” she said ”It was very wonderful”