rls!" exclaimed the surprised crowd in chorus.

"Tavia Travers!" declared one voice, as Tavia showed her head.

"And if that isn't Dorothy Dale! Well, they're nice girls!" came
another sneer, "talk about being good and always preaching." This, was
almost in Dorothy's ear. "I guess they had better begin at home!"

Tears came to Dorothy's eyes. If her father were only there to take
her hand--could that be little Joe?

"Dorothy! Dorothy!" called a young voice. "Come this way! We have
been down to the telegraph office," went on Joe, for Dorothy was beside
him now, "and we never had any idea you were in that wagon. Ned just
got back. He was going out again to look for you."

"Is Ned all right?" Dorothy managed to say, while Nat was thanking the
officers who were in haste to be on their way again.

"Oh, he's all right, but I guess he had an awful time. He was too
hurried to tell us about it, for he said he had to go back--There's his
car now! Ned! Ned!" shouted Joe at the top of his voice, while Nat,
seeing his brother at the same moment, gave his familiar whistle.

Tavia had not yet been able to extricate herself from the crowd. Many
of the boys recognized her, and she was plied with all kinds of curious
questions. What had happened? Had they been arrested for speeding?
(Ned's presence in the automobile prompting this query), or was someone
hurt? In fact, there seemed to be no limit to the quality or quantity
of questions that were being poured into Tavia's ears.

But Tavia was not the sort of girl to make explanations--under the
circumstances. If friends, or those who appeared to be friends, could
so easily lose all sympathy, and become so annoyingly curious about her
and Dorothy, why then, she declared to herself (and also made it plain
to some of the boys who were at liberty to tell the others), what
really did happen "was none of their business."

But unfortunately there were, in that crowd, those too willing to draw
their own conclusions, especially as regarded Dorothy Dale, a girl of
whom so many others had been jealous.

Dorothy was aware of some of the remarks made, but she little realized
what a part the patrol wagon ride was to play in her life, nor how a
girl who had observed her in the vehicle was to use that knowledge
against her.

CHAPTER VI

A RIDE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Mrs. Winthrop White was talking earnestly to her brother, Major Dale.
She had come in from the Cedars th