n't make a sound. I may need you and I may
not. If I do it will be in a hurry and you will have to make time." Then
she slipped back into the house.

But we must go back to the invalid, Lily Pearl, and her devoted
attendant in the west wing. Also the cousin. Ten minutes after Nelly had
left her room to carry her note to her father, Helen went to Mrs.
Vincent's study.

"Oh, Mrs. Vincent, cousin Pauline came back to see if she had left her
engagement ring in my room. She did not miss it until she got back to
her friends' house and then she was frightened nearly to death and came
all the way back here."

"Couldn't she have telephoned?

"I suppose so, but she never takes it off except to wash her hands. She
left it on my dresser. She is going back now. May I walk to the gate
with her?"

"Yes, but come directly back, Helen. How is Lily?"

"She's just fallen asleep. Thank you, Mrs. Vincent."

A few moments later Helen and her cousin left the house but not by the
door giving upon the terrace. The side door answered far better. Then
slipping around the house they paused beneath Stella's balcony and the
cousin gave a low whistle. Instantly, Lily Pearl's head was bobbed up
over the railing and she whispered:

"Oh, take it quick! I hear Peggy's voice down in the hall!" and a
suitcase was lowered from the balcony, the cousin's strong right arm
grasped it, as the cousin's deep voice said:

"You're a dead game sport, Lil. You bet we'll remember this."

But Lil did not wait to hear more. She fled to her room pell mell, not
aware that in her flight she had overturned a tiny fairy night-lamp
which Stella always kept burning in her room at night. Quickly
undressing, Lily dove into bed and drawing the covers over her head was
instantly sound asleep. The voice which had alarmed her soon died away
as Peggy rejoined her friends upon the terrace.

Helen and the cousin had meanwhile reached the gate and also a cab which
waited there, and were soon bowling along toward Washington.

And what of Nelly? As she was returning to the house she caught sight of
the two figures hurrying toward the main gate. Back she sped to Star,
and mounting him, rode along the soft turf as silently as a shadow,
until she saw the two figures enter the cab.

For a moment she was baffled. What could she do alone? She knew it would
be worse than senseless to attempt to stop the runaways unaided. She
must have help. Yet if she lost sight of them what might