d."

"We brought you company, Aunt Audrey," Cleo answered, before Jennie had
a chance to offer any explanation. "This is Mary Benson, you know.
The little girl we met when we first came to Bellaire."

"Oh, yes. How do you do, Mary?" Mrs. Dunbar greeted the now really
frightened little girl. "It's so lovely to have you come and visit my
little ones. You see, they thought three would be really a crowd, and
that they would never grow lonely for home, but I have noticed the
tell-tale signs lately. Now, a real visitor will be the very best
thing to effect a cure," and she was urging Mary into the house, quite
as if her presence were indispensable for the evening's happiness.

The big, soft, dark eyes set so deep in the olive skin, just tinted now
with a trace of excitement's color, gazed up into Mrs. Dunbar's face
with all the yearning and longing of a lonely, forsaken child.

"Thank you," Mary managed to articulate, but the effort was mingled
with a little choking sob.

Jennie drew Mrs. Dunbar into the library while the girls proceeded to
the living room.

"Such a time as we have had," she exclaimed, "and I can't say it was
all my fault. You see those children were so determined to help that
poor friendless child that I just had to go along, or let them go
alone, and I was sure you would not want that, Mrs. Dunbar."

"Hush!" putting a finger on her lip and a smile with it. "It is
perfectly all right. I have known the children were on the trail of
the poor little dear, and I'm just glad they rescued her, to-night
especially. I saw three men running for the train I got off, and Mally
Mack told me one was a Turk the officers are after! Don't say anything
about it, but I know one of these was the man who meets the Indian
woman, she who cares for Mary."

"Indian?" repeated Jennie. "Is she that?"

"Likely that--or part negro. I am sure she is from some Central
American territory. I have used her type in painting. But come on.
Let us give the children a little spread. Phone for some cream, and we
will soon have them all happy enough to forget their fright. I know
they are just dying to tell me all about it."

No mistake about that. Even the presence of Mary did not appease the
children's eagerness to take Mrs. Dunbar into their exciting secret, if
a matter known to so large a number can be classified as a secret or
even a mystery.

In the rooms above the oak lined hall the girls could now be heard
w