he camp was fairly deserted. Only a few of the other
girls were to be seen and they were busy and nowhere near Teresa.

In fact, the camp in Beechwood Forest would be vacant within the next
few days. Summer was closing with the soft loveliness that makes one
forgive and forget her less charming moods.

Already the evergreen house, which had been the center of the camp
life, was being dismantled.

Katherine Moore had returned to the Gray House on the Hill. After the
performance of the Greek tableaux she had not been so well and Dr.
McClain had additional reasons for desiring her presence in town at
this time.

Impatient always to fulfill his own wishes, no sooner was Mr. Hammond
aware of Kara's departure to town than he requested permission to have
the floor of the old cabin removed and the search begun. Kara was not
to be told of the effort until the work was accomplished. Not one
chance in a thousand, Mr. Hammond agreed, that any trace of Kara's
past history be located here, therefore she had best not be excited or
worried until the task was finished.

This afternoon, as Teresa twanged at her banjo strings, she looked
oftener than was good for her music at the group of men who were at
work in the evergreen cabin.

So far they had only started the removal of the old boards.

When this was concluded the Girl Scouts had determined to organize the
searching parties among themselves. Mr. Hammond would join them; no
one else was supposed to feel a sufficiently keen interest in the
investigation to be allowed to take part.

In spite of her music Teresa observed Lance McClain coming toward the
Girl Scout camp when he was still some distance away. He was not
wearing his Scout uniform as might have been expected.

Even at a distance Lance appeared unlike the other boys. He was
smaller than a number of them, more slender and graceful. He had a
peculiar carriage of the head. He seemed to bend forward slightly and
yet his eyes were nearly always upturned. He apparently did not look
at the objects directly in front of him.

"Hello, Lance, I am awfully glad to see you! I was feeling dull,"
Teresa called out. "How did you happen to walk over to camp and not be
wearing your uniform? Miss Mason is lying down in her tent; if you
like I'll tell her you are here and then you can stay and talk to me,
or else I'll play to you."

Lance made a funny grimace.

"Thanks awfully, Teresa, but I want to see Dorothy for a special
reas