red at the door.

The Chinese minister again bowed profoundly to Barbara. "I was
looking for your smoking-room," he laughed, "but I found this young
woman instead."

As the two men went out of the room, Bab had difficulty in making sure
that she had not been dreaming of this fat, yellow gentleman.

"Barbara Thurston, what do you mean by running away by yourself?"
exclaimed Grace Carter, a moment later. "We have been looking for you for
ten minutes."

Hugh Post, Mollie and a strange young man were close behind Grace.

"I want to present my friend, Lieutenant Elmer Wilson," Hugh announced.
"He is a very important person in Washington."

"Not a bit of it," laughed the young man. "I am one of the President's
aides. I try to make myself generally useful."

"Your work must be very interesting," Barbara said quickly. "Do you--"

Just then a soft contralto voice interrupted her. "Are you ready to go
with me, Elmer?" it said.

Barbara recognized the voice as belonging to the Mrs. Wilson whom she had
met in the drawing room not an hour before. Could it be that this young
and lovely looking woman was the mother of Elmer Wilson? Surely the young
man was at least twenty-two years old.

"Coming in a moment, Mother," Elmer replied. "Have you said good-bye
to Harriet?"

"Harriet is not in the reception room now. Nearly all her guests have
gone," Mrs. Wilson murmured softly. "Mr. Hamlin is angry. But poor
Harriet ought to have a chance to talk for a few minutes to the richest
young man in Washington. I will leave you, Elmer. If you see Harriet, you
may tell her I did not think it fair to disturb her."

Barbara went back to the drawing-room to search for Ruth. She found Ruth
standing next her uncle, Mr. Hamlin, saying the adieux in Harriet's
place. A few moments later the last visitor had withdrawn and Mr. Hamlin
quickly left Ruth and Bab alone.

Mr. Hamlin was a small man, with iron gray hair, a square jaw and thin,
tightly closed lips. He seldom talked, and the "Automobile Girls" felt
secretly afraid of him.

"Uncle is dreadfully angry with Harriet," Ruth explained to Bab, after
Mr. Hamlin was out of hearing. "But he is awfully strict and I do not
think he is exactly fair. He does not give Harriet credit for what she
does, but he gets awfully cross if she makes any mistakes. Harriet is
upstairs, in her own sitting-room, talking to a great friend of hers. He
is a man Uncle hates, although he has known Charlie Meyers sin