Part 3 (1/2)
”Robert Stuart!” exclaimed the young man. Then his face grew hard.
Suddenly the conversation that she had overheard the previous night flashed into the mind of Barbara Thurston. The color left her face. The young man's keen eyes observed her change of expression. He shot a sharp glance of inquiry at her.
”I have a slight acquaintance with Mr. Stuart and his daughter,” he said coldly. ”I also know intimate friends of theirs, Mr. and Mrs. Presby and their daughter. Therefore I may have the pleasure of meeting you again.
I think perhaps I had better lie down and rest for the remainder of the journey. By the way,” he continued, after a slight hesitation, ”did you perchance discover a bundle of papers when you found me in the compartment on the other car?”
”Oh, I beg your pardon!” exclaimed Bab. ”I did find some papers. They are in my bag. I picked them up from the floor of the car thinking they might be of value to you.”
Slightly confused, Barbara opened her bag, and after turning over its contents drew forth a bundle of papers held together with rubber bands.
She handed the bundle to the young man.
The smile that lit up his face as he thanked her changed his expression completely. It was almost a gentle smile, and seemed strangely out of place on that cold, calculating face.
”Here is my card. I am rated as a cold, heartless man. But, my dear Miss Thurston, I have at least one virtue--grat.i.tude. If ever you are in need of a.s.sistance in any way do not hesitate to call upon me,” he said, extending a hand to Barbara as he rose rather unsteadily to his feet.
Bab mechanically dropped the card into her bag without looking at it, closing and dropping the bag on the floor beside her before accepting the hand. The touch of the cold fingers of the man's hand sent a feeling of dislike through her. It recalled to her mind more vividly than ever the conversation she had overheard in the sleeper.
”I hope I never shall see him again,” muttered Barbara, just as Miss Thompson came smiling up to them. But Barbara Thurston was destined to see the man whom she had rescued, though under circ.u.mstances that she little dreamed of at the present moment.
CHAPTER III
A DIZZY ROUND OF PLEASURE
THE train stopped at Englewood for a moment and then pulled out again for the Union Station. The girls already knew that they were in Chicago, and were feverishly gathering up their wraps. Bab was drawing on her overshoes when two warm hands were suddenly pressed over her eyes.
”Guess who it is?” cried Grace, after she and Mollie had uttered little smothered exclamations of delight.
”It's my Ruth! Oh, Ruth, Ruth!” cried Barbara, springing up and flinging both arms about the neck of Ruth, fairly smothering her friend with kisses. Ruth and her father had gotten on at Englewood to welcome their young friends.
”You dear, dear 'Automobile Girls,'” cried Ruth, now clasping the three girls one after another in a tight embrace.
”Am I to be left out of this entirely?” questioned Ruth's father in an aggrieved tone.
The girls disengaged themselves from Ruth's arms and fairly pounced upon Mr. Robert Stuart.
”Oh, how is dear Aunt Sallie and Mr. A. Bubble?” laughed Barbara, her eyes s.h.i.+ning with joy.
”Aunt Sallie is waiting to greet you at our home. Mr. A. Bubble is outside growling over your delay in getting to Chicago,” smiled Mr.
Stuart.
”We received your telegram,” said Mr. Stuart, as they left the Union Station. ”For a time we were considerably upset. Later we saw an account of the wreck in the morning paper. We did not learn that anyone was injured.”
”What caused it? Wasn't it awful?” questioned Ruth, gazing at her friends admiringly. ”And to think I wasn't there to share the honor of being mixed up with a railroad wreck. Too bad,” she pouted.
”It wasn't a wreck, it was a shake-up,” answered Grace.
”I am glad you were not with us. Who knows what might have occurred,”