n. They left Kingsbridge at eight o'clock, and did not return until six. Half an h

injure her ankle. She need do no walking. I should prefer that she be with you when you have an

her mother asked no questions, but wi

off on such a mysterious errand? Why, Mr. Stuart," ask

When Ruth whispered something in his ear, he answer

the mother and daughter dining with Mr. Stuart. But Gladys Le Baron stopped for a moment at the able to inquire after Bab'

ow they got through their meal. But

ned, "until we go upstairs to my sitting room. Mr

coldly: "How are you, Mollie?" and sat down near the small wood fire which was burning cosily in the open grate. Not once did he glance

When I first spoke to him of the matter he declared he had never been loaned any such sum. He had great difficulty in recalling the incident until I showed h

to me, Ralph, that you could have forgotten," she declared. "But perhaps i

did not answe

ued Mr. Stuart, breaking the silence, "to pay over this money to

ve lost between Bab and her uncle. She had long looked for some difficulty to ar

ice sounded cold

, and Mr. Stuart, who seems to be taking an unusual interest in your af

be exceedingly sorry, Ralph, to have any trouble with you ov

o me within that time. Perhaps you have never heard of the statute of limitation. Perhaps your friend, Mr. Stuart, will make it clear to you. You should have asked me for this money five or six years ago. The New York law does not require a debt to b

confess to owing, simply because she has not asked you for it before! How could she ask for it when you alone knew of the debt and kept the matter a secret? I am not so sure how your law w

wer, Gladys Le Baron walked smilingly into the room. She

instant. "I wondered why father ran off by himself to see Aunt

t at once, Gladys!" inter

thing, to-night, that I never expected to do in my life. I am goin

cousin through a mist of tears. When Mr. Stuart had ended his story, he said: "I am sorry indeed to tell you this, Gladys, but you must have lear

raised his eyes to look at her, while Mr. St

ather?" she as

answered, "but it is purely a matter of busine

, and wept bitterly. There was no other sound in the room, except an occasional

ought to pay back to Aunt Mollie the money you borrowed from Uncle John, won't you please let me give her this money of mine? I must do it, father. I can't understand the business

r breath. Then she put her arms round her father and k

ars would he have had her a witness to the scene which had just passed between him and his sister. He meant, of course, to tell her

to my sister, and business is business with me. But since my daughter Gladys and my sister seem to look upon the matter as a case of sentiment, why I--" He

bara rejoiced. But in her heart of hearts she thought it was hard to have her uncle

w from the room. "I am so glad," whispered Gladys

gently: "Gladys, dear, if I once did you a kind

ng in the sitting room, with a fire burning cheerily in the grate and the candles lit over the mantelpiece. In fron

e, taking off her mother's light wrap. "What has happened

e. Now, perhaps Bab can go to Vassar, and things will be a little easier for us, even if the other money has gone. Mr. S

been dropped. "I want all of you to be eating marshmallows except me, so I can do all the talking. I think I have been a perfect angel. Father, you

dded naughtily, "Ruth and I can keep good news to ourselves as well as other people. At l

Ruth, "don't you dearly lo

d. "I most certainl

to be disbanded. We must get together again before I go home to Chicago. Mollie told me she and Bab wanted you to go on a visit to a cousin in St. Paul, bu

rand trip for 'The Automobile Girls!' Now please don't anybody object until I have finished. Here, eat another marshmallow! Thi

, hopping up, and forgetting

iseases if we attempted it, but she ended by declaring that, of course, she could not be left behind if we were determined on the frolic. She is a darling! So, now, Mrs. Thurston, if only you will consent, in a few day

tance from the regular line of travel, is a well built log cabin. It has big fireplaces in it, and can be made thoroughly comfortable for September. Early in October, Ru

to the chosen place, they can store the car in some suitable garage, and

Thurston weakly, in the first pause

ed. "We have spoken to the doctor, and he says Bab will

ight seeing trip. Among them is a railroad president and his wife, and their private car is to be used for the tour. It would give me great pleasure to have you meet them and make your journey to St. Paul in their company. My sister

the necessary arrangements, and properly equip this camping party myself. I shall even run up to the Berkshires for a day or two, to look over the ground. I want to engage a guide for the party, and a woman to do the cooking.

rously. By this time Mollie and Ruth were both on

ond of study, like Barbara. "We may spend a week or so in Lenox, to please Aunt Sallie. But most of the time we want to be right in the mountains. Let me see-there is Greylock, and Monument Mountain, and hosts

r Bab," Mollie spok

on, even if you think it wiser for us not to go on the camping trip with Ruth. I

s for the 'Robin Hood Band' of 'Automobile Girls!' I am sure they will soon rival that celebrated

New England hills, compelled to seek protection from the Indians in our log hut. I wish we could run across a few Indians up there; we shall be right on their old camping grounds

like to be off to-morrow. Remember how fast the ti

t would hardly be a real 'Automobile Girls' pa

We have already talked our plan over with Squire Carter, who is delighted to have Grace go. He

ed at the station to speed Mrs. Thurston on her journey. Mr. Stuart was to accomp

d Mrs. Thurston at the last minute.

thing is O. K. Remember to keep your camp fires always burning. You are to have the most trustworthy guide in the Berkshires, as well as his wife, to lo

rmit Ruth to follow any wild fancy that pops into her head, at least, I

about your little mother," he said. "We will see that things are well with

ember, daughter," he declared, "I rely on you and Bab

for a few moments a circle of waving hands. A little later th

e hotel. Grace, Mollie and Bab were to be Ruth's guests un

oots and leather leggins. Ruth insisted that her heavy wool dress be made of the Stuart plaid. She then had a tam o'shanter designed from the same Scotch tartan. But Ruth's proudest possession was a short Norfolk jacket made of the same

of them all, for, with her blue skirt and blouse, she was to wear a coat of hunter's pink and a smart, little hat of the same bright scarlet shade. Mr. Stuart selecte

y garments are half a dozen pairs of overshoes, and the same number of mackintoshes and umbrellas. I shall also take an extra trunk of warm flann