Part 18 (1/2)
”Girls speeding!” and he slapped his knees in good nature ”Now, Betty thinks she can't go unless the engine stutters, as she calls it I declare, girls are worse thanof the circumstances responsible for her speed, but he would take no excuse--it was ordinary speed, just like Betty's, he declared
”And you lost your chaperon?” He said this with a delightful chuckle, evidently relishi+ng the circu party into his company
”Yes,” spoke Belle, ”there was a fire at the hotel, and she was a doctor Of course, we didn't count when there were ed up”
”A fire!” repeated Mr Rand ”At a hotel! The Restover, I'm sure
Why, that is my hotel I mean I am one of the owners, and on my way up I met the woman doctor So she was your chaperon! Well, I declare!
Now, that's what I call a coincidence That young wo the head waiter Ha, ha! a good fellow to nurse
Always keep in with the head waiter”
”Oh, he was that good-looking fellow, Cora,” said Hazel ”Don't you remember how he soared around?”
”A bird, eh?” and Mr Rand laughed again ”Well, say,” and his voice went down into the intiave up her business I heard some remarks about how very devoted she was to that head waiter”
”Oh, Miss Robbins would neverphysician!”
”But sometimes the practice is hard and uncertain,” Mr Rand reo back there to straighten up accounts to find the doctor and the waiter 'doing nicely'”
”But how is the erly ”He was very badly hurt”
”Oh, Ji! By crackie!” and he slapped his knee again, ”I have it! It was you who took Jiirl with black hair and a maroon machine! Now, I have, more than ever, reason to be your friend, Miss Kimball Jim has been with me for years, and had he died as the result of an accident at Restover--well, I shouldn't have gotten over it easily”
”But some one had to take him,” said Cora modestly
”Oh, I know all about that That's like your excuse for speeding, and it's like Betty again Wait until she hears that you saved Ji a car,” intervened Hazel ”We sail along so beautifully”
”But you babies have been awake all night,” said Mr Rand suddenly
”Now, couldn't you just tuck in soet a chance when you see Betty She's a regular phonograph--friendshi+p's her key”
”I am sleepy,” confessed Cora
”I'm tired,” admitted Belle
”And I'm dead,” declared Hazel
”Then it's settled You are each to go to sleep instantly, and if those fellows blow that horn again, I won't let them in to Betty's party,” and Mr Rand, in his wonderful, fatherly way, seeirl into a perfectly coroaned Cora, but although he said not a word in reply, he knew perfectly well just what she meant
CHAPTER XV