e no idea what
we go through with that girl! She is a terror! And yet,--well, there is
something about her I can't help liking. For one thing, she's so fond of
Fleurette. If she has hurt her,--well, Azalea would just about kill
herself!"

A telephone call to the Gales' produced no information as to the
whereabouts of Azalea or the baby. Betty replied that she hadn't seen
any one from Wistaria Porch that day, and was thinking of coming over to
call.

"Don't come just now," said Patty, half-absently, and then she hung up
the receiver without further words.

"Well, I think I'll have to call up Bill," she said, at last. "You see,
he's fearfully busy today, with a specially important matter, and he
probably won't be in his own office, anyway. And I hate to intrude on
a directors' meeting,--that is, if there's no necessity. And yet,--it
seems as if I must!"

"Oh, do," cried Elise; "you really must, Patty! Why, Bill would reproach
you if you didn't."

So Patty called Farnsworth's office. Bill's business consisted of varied
interests. He was a consulting engineer, he was a mining expert, and he
was still connected with government work. So, frequently, he could not
be found in his office, though he usually left word where Patty could
get in touch with him.

But in this instance it was not so. The confidential secretary gave
Patty the address Farnsworth had left with him, but when she called that
he had already gone from there.

With long-suffering patience, Patty called number after number, hoping
to find Farnsworth at some of the likely places she could think of.

But number after number brought no results,--and Patty turned from the
telephone in despair.

"Well, Elise," she said, forlornly, "you might as well go to your room,
and get your hat off. Come on, I'll go with you,--and I may think of
something else to do about Baby. For the present I seem to be at my
wits' end."

Of course, in the meantime the nurse and the other servants had searched
the house and grounds,--but there was really no chance of finding
Fleurette that way.

It was all too certain that Azalea had taken her away somewhere. And it
might be all right,--it might be that Azalea had merely taken the child
out for a walk. She had been known to do this,--but never before without
Patty's sanction. Of late, though, Patty had objected to it because she
feared that Azalea might not return quickly enough. Twice she had been
gone for two or three hours,