t hurt like everything to have her go away."

"Go away? Oh, Amy!" cried the Little Captain in surprise, facing her as
though that possibility had not yet entered her mind.

"Why, yes," repeated Amy, astonished at Betty's amazement. "She's almost
well now, and, of course, she's too independent to want to stay here when
she's all right again. Why, Betty, what's the matter?"

For Betty had sunk down in one of the kitchen chairs and was regarding her
tragically.

"But, Amy, she mustn't go away," she argued weakly, knowing that she
really had no argument at all. "Why, I really can't imagine it! I--I never
thought--"

"Well, of course, none of us wants her to," Amy admitted, adding
reasonably: "But I really don't see how we're going to stop her if she
makes up her mind to go. Do you?"

Betty picked up one of the hampers and they walked slowly back through the
hall to the front porch.

"Why no, not exactly," she said thoughtfully, then added, with a sudden
gleam in her eyes: "Unless--unless--"

"Unless what?" queried Amy breathlessly.

"Oh, I don't know whether you'd call it an idea or just plain
foolishness," answered Betty, striving to speak carelessly. "I was just
thinking that we might persuade her to stay longer on the plea that we
wanted to bring the motorcyclist to justice and needed her
identification."

Amy looked a little disappointed.

"Well, I don't know," she said doubtfully. "She said the other day that
she didn't care much about bringing the fellow to justice. She said one
motorcyclist was as bad as another, and the only thing that would give her
satisfaction would be 'to arrest the whole tribe o' them.'"

Betty laughed a little at the characteristic remark, but her eyes were
troubled.

"Well," she said with a sigh, "I suppose you're right. She is rather hard
to reason with at times. If only I could think of something."

The sharp toot of a horn as Mollie grazed the curb with the huge touring
car put an end to the conversation for the time being. Grace was already
on the porch, and as they raced down the steps the girls' spirits rose
happily.

After all, it was a perfect summer day, the sun shone brilliantly down
upon them, the wind caressed their faces, and, above all, they were young.

It was not till they were several miles out upon the shining road that
Betty once more thought of Mrs. Sanderson.

"We might," she said thoughtfully, as though speaking to herself, "tell
her that we were tr