Part 26 (1/2)

Bab ran back, throwing her arms about Mollie, giving her sister a quick embrace and kiss; then she hurried from the room, going straight to Ruth's bedroom. To her surprise, she found Ruth Stuart fully dressed.

The girl was sitting before a window staring out at the whitened fields.

”Oh, Ruth, I'm so glad I found you awake. Do you know whether your father is up yet?”

”Yes. Why, dear?”

”I must see him at once. I have important information for him. You will excuse me, won't you, if I run down to see him? Is he downstairs?”

Ruth shook her head sorrowfully. There was no laughter in her eyes this morning. She seemed very different from the bright, carefree Ruth of old.

”Father is not here, Bab.”

”No-ot here?” gasped Bab.

”No; he left on the seven o'clock train for Chicago this morning. After an all-night conference between him and Mr. Presby, it was decided that daddy must go into the city early this morning to see that Mr. Thompson whom you girls met at the wreck of the car on your journey to Chicago. I don't know what it is all about, but I suspect it is money,” concluded Ruth with a trace of bitterness in her tone. ”When I think how happy you girls are in your little home without wealth, I sometimes wish I had never known luxury. But what did you want to see father about?” demanded Ruth suddenly.

”I--I wanted to tell him something. Oh, please don't ask me now, Ruth, dear. Is--is he at home or at the office?”

”At home, I think. The office will not be open to-day, this being a holiday.”

”Then I am going to Chicago to see him,” declared Barbara firmly.

Ruth gazed at her incredulously.

”You can't mean that?”

”But I do.”

”Alone?”

”Unless Aunt Sallie will accompany me. I would rather she did not to-day.”

”Bab, I don't know what you have in that little head of yours, but I do know that is it important. You are not flighty, like myself. You need not tell me what is it that is troubling you, but if you wish, I will go to town with you.”

”Oh, will you really go with me, Ruth?” cried Bab, her face expressing her relief at Ruth's declaration. ”Then let's get ready at once.”

”You forget that we have Aunt Sallie to reckon with first, Bab,”

reminded Ruth.

Miss Sallie for a time gave promise of wholly defeating Barbara's plan to go into the city to see Mr. Stuart. However, after Bab had taken Miss Sallie into her confidence, the latter gave a reluctant consent. Ruth knew her way about so well that there would be no possibility of getting lost, and then they were going to her home, which made the journey seem less undesirable than it might have under other circ.u.mstances.

The result was that Ruth and Barbara took the nine o'clock train for Chicago that morning amid loud protests from Olive, Mollie and Grace.

Ruth regretted that the man had not come out with Mr. A. Bubble that morning. She hoped, however, that they might find the car at home.

Perhaps her father intended to drive out in the car that night. However, Barbara's mission being so urgent, the best thing to do was to take a train for Chicago at once.

From the station in Chicago the girls proceeded quickly to the Stuart home. Mr. Stuart was not at home. He had not been there, but had called up on the telephone to say that he would try to be home for luncheon.

Ruth went to the telephone and called up her father's office. Mr.

Stuart's secretary, who had been called there to do some important work that day, said his employer would be in in half an hour. Bab announced her intention of going to the office, urging Ruth not to trouble to accompany her, as her friend had several matters to attend to at home.