a voice whose thrilling and sympathetic quality never failed to hold
any audience that heard it. "Please wait for a moment, Dr. Ashton and
Polly. There is something I want you to hear--a confession I must make.
Earlier this afternoon when we first began to feel afraid that Betty was
not coming home it occurred to me that perhaps Lieutenant von Reuter
might know something about her. You must not think I intended being
officious, but was there not a possibility that she might have gone for
a walk or drive with him? You see, American girls so often fail to
understand that they cannot do away from home the things they do in the
United States without any thought of harm. And so I wondered if the walk
or drive together might not have become a longer one than they realized
or if an accident might not have taken place so as to delay them
unaccountably. Therefore at about four o'clock this afternoon I
telephoned to the castle and asked to speak to Lieutenant von Reuter.
The man servant told me that he was not at home, that he had left the
castle at an early hour in the morning without saying where he was going
or when he would return. However, I left word begging him to let us hear
as soon as he came in. I made the message so emphatic that I hardly
think it could have failed to be delivered. Notwithstanding we have
heard nothing thus far. But if Dr. Ashton feels that it would be best to
inquire again, I want him to know what I have done and----"

Never in their acquaintance had Polly O'Neill before shown impatience
with her new friend. Now, however, her loyalty to Betty Ashton seemed
the most important issue in the world. Particularly when on the faces of
Mrs. Ashton, of Dick and even Esther, she could observe that Miss Adams'
suggestion had left its influence. Well, she and Betty had been like
sisters always, members of the same Camp Fire club. She knew that Betty
could do no such thing as Margaret Adams suggested, even in a spirit of
thoughtlessness. It would seem too much like an effort to mislead her
mother and deliberately to desert her.

Just as emphatically as of old Polly shook her head, although she did
manage to speak with more than her usual restraint. "You are mistaken,
Margaret, in supposing that Betty's disappearance has anything to do
with Carl von Reuter. Oh, yes, I--I know it is partly my fault because I
told you the other afternoon that Esther and I were both uneasy because
she seemed to like him so much. But t