Part 16 (1/2)

Grace laughed indulgently

”Just how do you expect to solve this le ”You certainly can't do it by looking at him”

”Oh well, if that's the way you feel,” retorted Mollie, feeling very ht we had already decided to pay hi the dresser draith a bang and co unexpectedly to her aid ”And I, for one, am with you in that, Mollie I have felt froarded her with growing hope, ”that I had not only heard the selection that that man played but that I had seen hio”

Iazine and A interested

”I know it's ridiculous,” Betty continued, as though to justify herself, ”but I can't help feeling that way, just the sa he played sounded fa herthat day, and yet I can't think of the na, but Mollie interrupted her impatiently

”Well then, since you all feel that way about it,” she said eagerly, ”I don't see why it wouldn't be fun to scout around his cabin a little bit and see if we can't pick up soht, let's,” said Betty, with the decision for which she was fairls, and we'll play detective”

This time it was Mollie who held back

”How about the weather?” she deet wet”

”Who cares?” said Betty airily, adding, as she stopped at the door to ive us an excuse to see His Highness again”

Half an hour later they had saddled their ponies and were cantering off briskly to visit the Hero in there?” asked Ah the woods that led near the ht run into some wolves, as we did that other time”

”We were much further in the woods than the Hermit's cabin,” said Mollie impatiently ”And it was in an entirely different direction, too Go ahead, silly, or I'll ride right over you,” and as she was urging Old Nick forward until he crowded uncoainst the little white filly, Amy had no other course but to do as she was bid

Nevertheless, she was not the only one as uneasy, and it lanced often into the shadows of the underbrush on either side of the narrow trail

There ild aniood reason to know, and though they seldom ventured this close to civilization, still there was no use in te fate!

”I didn't knoas as far in as this,” said Grace, after they had ridden some distance in silence ”Are you sure we haven't passed the cabin, Betty?”

”Why, we aren't nearly there yet,” was Betty's disco reply

”It's quite a way beyond that next turn in the trail”

Grace said nothing, but she gripped the reins harder in her hands She had er she would turn Nabob and make a dash back down the trail for safety

After that the silence becahed nervously

”Why all the noise?” she asked jocosely ”It nearly breaks ht I heard soainst the tree trunks,” retorted Mollie dryly, at which the girls giggled and the tension relaxed

”Let's talk about soested ”Gold, for instance”