ention of it
her thought turned involuntarily to Allen. Was he safe or had he
too--she shuddered at the thought.

"Wasn't it strange?" she said, seeking to change the conversation and
the trend of her own thoughts at the same time, "that Joe Barnes proved
to be Mrs. Barnes' son?" It was not at all what she had intended to say,
and out of the corner of her eye she saw Grace turn and look at her
curiously.

"No, I can't see that it's so very strange," Grace said dryly. "At least
I have seen stranger things."

"Well, you know what I mean," retorted Betty, still absently. "He is
awfully nice, isn't he?"

"That's what he seemed to think of you," returned Grace slyly.

"Of course he did! Why shouldn't he?" challenged Betty, coming out of
her abstraction and smiling gayly. "I like me, myself."

"That's the worst of it," sighed Grace, turning for consolation to her
inevitable box of chocolates. "No matter how awful you are, we have to
love you just the same. Look out, Betty," as the car took a curve on
three wheels. "Goodness! you're getting to be a more expert skidder than
Mollie."

"Thanks," returned Betty, executing a bow whose grace was somewhat
impaired by the proximity of the steering wheel. "Willst hand me a
candy, Gracie, honey? Thanks. That's a good girl!"

For a long time after that they were quiet, enjoying the swift motion,
the warm wind upon their faces, the fragrance of flowers and of moist
sweet earth flung to them from the depths of the woodland.

Before they knew it, they had reached the outskirts of Bensington, then
Bensington itself, and were speeding through the queer little town
without a thought of stopping when a warning signal from Mollie's horn
brought them to an abrupt stop. Betty jumped out and ran back.

"We'll need some provisions," Mollie called to her. "Unless you and
Grace think we can reach the next town by noon."

"That's what we planned to do," Betty answered. "Grace and I thought it
would save time not to stop here--and we haven't any time to waste, you
know."

"All right," Mrs. Ford decided. "Perhaps it will be just as well, for we
shall have to put on all speed in order to reach Bluff Point before
night."

So Betty raced back to her machine and in a moment more they were off
again, fairly eating up the miles. As the roads grew dryer and dryer
beneath the scorching heat of the sun they made even better time until a
little past twelve o'clock they entered the little village o