eer Crossing.
Jamieson rushed over to Miss Mercer and spoke to her for a minute, and
then Eleanor, laughing, held out her hand to Holmes, and turned to the
two girls with a smile.

"Why, how silly you were," she said, "to think that Mr. Holmes meant
to be anything but kind! You mustn't get such nonsensical ideas. Mr.
Holmes, just to prove that you don't bear any malice, you must let me
drive you out to the farm for dinner. No, I really won't let you refuse.
I insist. There's plenty of room in the car--the chauffeur will go back
in one of the farm wagons, and Charlie will drive."

Holmes glanced once at Bessie triumphantly but he was careful not to
betray himself.

"I'm afraid I oughtn't to impose on you, Miss Mercer," he said. "But
really, since you're so pressing--well, I shall be most happy to come."

CHAPTER XV

THE TABLES TURNED

When they arrived at the farm, after the swift run in the Mercer car,
Miss Mercer took Holmes out on the big back piazza, and Bessie and
Dolly, under the watchful eyes of Jamieson, made up for their long fast.
It was nearly five o'clock in the afternoon when they reached the
dining-room, and Jamieson laughed as he saw them eat.

"You'll spoil your appetites for dinner," he said, as he saw Dolly
making away with the cold meat and bread and milk that had been provided
for them.

"I don't care!" she answered. "It couldn't taste half as good as this,
no matter what it was. But now you're not going to keep on being mean?
You'll tell us why you and Miss Eleanor are being so nice to Mr.
Holmes?"

"Not yet," he said. "But you'll know soon enough. It isn't just because
we like the pleasure of his company, I can tell you that. Mr. Holmes is
in for one of the worst surprises of his life before I get through with
him, unless I fall down pretty hard. And I don't expect to. I'll tell
you one thing, though. All you girls are going for a straw ride tonight,
and Mr. Holmes is going to be along, too. He doesn't know it yet, and he
won't know, even after we start, just where we're going."

"It's a lucky thing Miss Eleanor has taken part in amateur theatricals
sometimes," he continued. "She was half wild with anxiety about you two,
and she was ready to give you the worst scolding you ever listened to.
But I told her what I wanted her to do just in that one minute there
at the station, and she played up splendidly, so that I don't believe
Holmes suspects that we're on to him at all. She's m