The Automobile Girls at Palm Beach

exclaimed Mollie Thurston, leaning back in a wicker chair

boats. "I can't decide whether I should like to ride in the automobile, or sail, or just sit in the cocoanut grove and listen t

ked. "A woman I talked with on the train told me there wa

t you and see for yourself. It is now high

nder awnings on the lawn, a gay company of men, women and young pe

fashion immediately. Papa," she called to her father, who was immersed in the pages of a New York

r what you like, my dear. Am I not always at the command of the 'Automobile Girls'? What do you wish, little lady?

ded Barbara. "I am too happy

ted Ruth. "Go back to your own sweet dream

the rest of the world at Palm Beach. On the breeze the sound of

ng. "This place has bewitched me so that I have forgotten even my beloved aunt. Th

Stuart, smiling. "She has evidently been s

piazza. She was walking between two other persons, one a tall, middle-aged man with dark hai

mber we met her at Lenox, Bab, and she tried to ride you down in the famous race. Delightful creature-to

ever, and then some more,

r faces for the trio was almost upon them, and i

re supplied with lemonade, Mr. S

gnified voice, "this is Mr. Warren

t had risen and the two men wer

a that you were in this part of the world. The las

many things have happened since then." He sighed and looked out over the blue

oss," sympathized Mr. Stuart and his fine

he four girls, he said pleasantly. "So this is Maud. She was a little g

nd allowed her hand to touch that of Mr. Stuart. "O

ighteen forever," exclai

rked Maud Warren, raisin

es of which having been fully told in the "Automobile Girls in the Berkshires," they had not been impressed with Maud Warren, on account of her disagreeable and overb

their minds, sank into a wicker chair, and deliberately turning her b

en Barbara Thurston had bravely stopped a runaway team of horses driven by Ruth Stu

wport in Ruth's red motor car, familiarly known as Mr. A. Bubble. Grace Carter, a Kingsbridge girl, had been asked

idge, where several weeks later, Mr. A. Bubble once more bore them away to the heart of the Berkshires. There they spent a delightful month, in a little log cabin, roughing it. In "The

eautiful Sleepy Hollow Country is narrated. The eventful weeks spent in the ancestral home of Major Ten Eyck, an old friend of Miss Sallie Stuart's,

er Chicago home, they had been the guests of the Presbys, relatives of the Stuarts, at their country place "Treasureholme." Owing to imprudent speculation in wheat, both Mr. Stuart and Mr. Presby had become heavily in

at Palm Beach during the month of March. Now the "Automobile Girls" had actually arri

they sat idly looking out over the water. Mau

rbara reflected rather resentfull

dering why young girls ever insisted on aping so called "society" fashions. While

lance by four stern young judges, and found wanting, langui

rs. De Lancey Smythe belongs to an old, old Southern family. She is a widow, with one daughter, M

"We arrived yesterday. Theref

reed Maud. "You rea

friends of yours, Miss Warren,"

tain some one besides the De Lancey Smythes. They are too fine for me. I am just a plain blunt man, and can't stand to

o the De Lancey Smythes. But restraining her feelings she

a sail? It will be a

aud. He then turned a compassionate gaze toward his friend, Mr. Warren. "That

h won't pitch, Mr. Warre

ied the millionaire. "The lake is like a mi

ly against the railing of the piazza. He now strolled quietly away, without having

nquenchable curiosity concerning faces. An

clean-shaven face with its rather heavy bull-dog jaw, its square chin, and keen gray eyes, a little too narrow for Bab's taste? Bab did not kno

cheon two women appeared in a nearby doorw

her mother!" cried Maud, hurr

ather, "I do so want you to go out with us in our launch this afternoon. Won't

verging on anger crept into his good-natured br

ced toward the Stuart part

o nodded her head slightly. Whereupon mother and daughter mo

ld have decided her to be very handsome, but close observers would have noted a hard expression about the eyes and mouth that completely destroyed the eff

for good taste, and there was something about them that immediately

s. De Lancey Smythe, turning to Miss Sallie with well simu

ard them. She was about to frame some polite excuse for not going on the launch, hoping to thus nip in the bud the pr

bile Girls' will not disappo

d Miss Stuart. "We sh

he and her daughter, Miss Sallie marshal

disappeared. But there was an unpleasant light in her eyes, and a certain tightening

d Marian, when in the privacy of their own apartment. "That Miss

I've seen for a long time. Ever so much

ily. "Don't let me hear any more remarks of t

Nevertheless she made up her mind to try honestly to make a good impr

n, but sat down on a wide settee in one corner of the piazza for a long talk. One topic

rt of care. I have certainly spared no money in the effort. But what can money, alone, do for a motherless girl?" His voice choked a little. "Perhaps I should have married again, if only on Maud's account.

they make a good appearance but there's something about the mother that I distrust. She's not genuine, and although she tries to conceal it she's not well-bred. Maud won't believe it, and can't be made to see it. But I can. Now I believe, if she goes about with your four nice, wholesome girls and a

art warmly, grasping Mr. Warren's hand. "I'll tell my sis

ed poor Mr. Warren. "I am afraid my daughter is a difficult proposition at times, poor c

to her, my friend. And now, let's go

conversation with Mr. Warren to Mis

hose De Lancey Smythes, I shall endeavor to find out something about their social position." Miss Sallie looked about

r aid. And so, for the time