is night. She had money
enough with her to pay somebody to help her dig back for facts regarding
the disappearance of the money belonging to the old firm of Grimes &
Morrell. But she did not know how to go about getting the help she
needed.

Her only real confidante--Sadie Goronsky--would not know how to advise her
in this emergency.

"I wish I had let Dud Stone give me his address. He said he was learning
to be a lawyer," thought Helen. "And just now, I s'pose, a lawyer is what
I need most. But I wouldn't know how to go about engaging a lawyer--not a
good one."

She awoke at her usual time next morning, and the depression of the night
before was still with her. But when she jumped up she saw that it was no
longer raining. The sky was overcast, but she could venture forth without
running the risk of spoiling her new suit.

And right there a desperate determination came into Helen Morrell's mind.
She had learned that on the west side of Central Park there was a riding
academy. She was _hungry_ for an hour in the saddle. It seemed to her that
a gallop would clear all the cobwebs away and make her feel like herself
once more.

The house was still silent and dark. She took her riding habit out of the
closet, made it up into a bundle, and crept downstairs with it under her
arm. She escaped the watchful Lawdor for once, and got out by the area
door before even the cook had crept, yawning, downstairs to begin her
day's work.

Helen, hurrying through the dark, dripping streets, found a little
restaurant where she could get rolls and coffee on her way to the Columbus
Circle riding academy. It was still early when the girl from Sunset Ranch
reached her goal. Yes, a mount was to be had, and she could change her
street clothes for her riding suit in the dressing-rooms.

The city--at least, that part of it around Central Park--was scarcely
awake when Helen walked her mount out of the stable and into the park. The
man in charge had given her to understand that there were few riders astir
so early.

"You'll have the bridle-path to yourself, Miss, going out," he said.

Helen had picked up a little cap to wear, and astride the saddle, with her
hair tied with a big bow of ribbon at the nape of her neck, she looked
very pretty as the horse picked his way across the esplanade into the
bridle-path. But there were few, as the stableman had said, to see her so
early in the morning.

It did not rain, however. Indeed, there was a f