of the girls wanted for partners when it came to dancing
or playing tennis. In fact, sometimes they had "more partners than were
really needed," as Bess put it.

"But you are not going to complain because you have enough partners, are
you?" queried Grace.

"Oh, no, indeed," cried Bess. "I am glad there are more boys here.
Imagine Walter having to take care of all of us."

One day all of them went for a horseback ride. This put Rhoda in her
element, and, seated on a fine, spirited steed, the girl from Rose Ranch
gave as fine an exhibition of horsemanship as had been seen at Palm
Beach for a long time.

"Your chum rides like a regular western girl," said one of the boys
present, to Nan.

"And that is just what she is," answered Nan. "And one of the best girls
in the world besides."

"I don't doubt it. I wish I could ride half as well."

"Maybe Rhoda will give you lessons."

"No such luck, I'm afraid," said the boy. "But I'll ask her anyway," and
he did, with the result that he and Rhoda went out half a dozen times,
and the girl from Rose Ranch taught him many of her best riding tricks.

"He's a splendid fellow, Will Halliday is," said Rhoda to Nan. "He likes
outdoor life--and that's the best there is."

"Does he come from out West?"

"The middle West--Iowa."

"You are making a good rider of him, Rhoda."

"Well, I like somebody who takes a real interest in a horse," answered
the girl from Rose Ranch.

One night in the ballroom, Rhoda espied Linda across the room and with
her was a girl who looked familiar. She called Nan's attention to the
fact.

"Why, yes," said Nan with a puzzled frown. "It looks like--why, Rhoda,
it is----"

"Cora Courtney!" finished Rhoda in a "what-will-happen next" tone of
voice.

"Let's go over and make sure," said Nan, and they started to skirt the
floor, hugging the wall to escape the dancers, for the floor was already
crowded with them. But when they reached the spot where Linda and her
companion had been, the latter were gone, and, try as they would, the
girls could not find them.

"It seems awfully strange," said Nan as they disappointedly found their
way back to their seats, "that if the girl was really Cora we haven't
seen her before."

They told Bess and Grace about it later, and they agreed that the
incident looked queer, to say the least. However, they had so many
things to think about in the days that followed, that Linda slipped
entirely from their minds.

On