Part 21 (1/2)

They telephoned the police, and in a few minutes two of them arrived at the Maynard house for consultation.

”I know the child well,” said one of them, ”I often see her about,--a well-behaved little lady, but full o' fun, too. D'ye think she might have been kidnapped, now?”

”It might be,” said Mr. Bryant, ”though she's pretty big for that. And, too, she took extra money with her.”

”Then she may have been goin' somewhere by rail.”

”That's so! I never thought of that!” and Cousin Jack almost smiled.

”But where would she go?” said Mr. Maynard, hopelessly. ”She never travelled alone, and though impulsively mischievous, sometimes, she wouldn't deliberately run away.”

The policemen went away to begin their quest, and the Maynards and their guests went to breakfast.

No one felt like eating, yet each urged the others to do so.

”Where's Middy?” inquired baby Rosamond, at table. ”Middy gone 'way?”

”Yes, dear,” said Cousin Jack, for no one else could speak. ”Middy's gone away for a little while.”

”I know,” said the child, contentedly, ”Middy gone to Gramma's to see Kitty!”

”Why, perhaps she did!” exclaimed Mr. Maynard.

But Mrs. Maynard had no such hope. It was too unlike Marjorie to do such a thing.

”Well, let's find out,” urged King. ”Let's get Uncle Steve on the long-distance wire.”

”Don't alarm Grandma,” said Mrs. Maynard. ”There's no use stirring her up, until we know ourselves what has happened.”

”Leave it to me,” said Cousin Jack. ”I'll find out.”

After some delay, he succeeded in getting Uncle Steve on the telephone.

Then he asked for Kitty.

”h.e.l.lo, Susannah!” he cried, a.s.suming a merry voice, in his kind desire not to alarm her. ”This is your Cousin Jack!”

”Oh, h.e.l.lo, Cousin Jack!” exclaimed Kitty, in delight. ”How nice of you to call me up! How is everybody?”

”We're well, thank you! How are you all?”

”Oh, we're all right.”

”Are you lonesome, away from your family?”

”No, not lonesome, though I'd like to see them. Tell Midget there are two hundred incubator chicks now.”

”Well, that _is_ a lot! Now, good-by, Kitsie; I can't run up too big a telephone bill for your father. We all send love. Be a good girl.

Good-by.”

Cousin Jack hung up the receiver and buried his face in his hands. It had been a great strain on his nerves to appear gay and carefree to Kitty, and the implied a.s.surance that Marjorie was _not_ there nearly made him give way.