to conceal what was within. Then it was that Peggy first became aware of something she had not

of the Fanning Har

fore Fanning, his look of startled surprise replac

ir of easy familiarity which Peggy disliked so much. "

"and it gives me even more of a

e affected, "I guess you think that I can't make good as well as any one else when I try. Roy wouldn't

are actually buil

guess I'll have to enlarge the plant pretty soon. You see that Roy would have been wiser to sell me that 'plane of

perity. Fanning's conceited, confident air jarred upon her sadly. "But I

nning, eagerly; "you must have come to earth

stinct telling her not to disclose the true object of her

clump of woods round the bend in the road?" asked

I was so close. M

n and Giles

emendously excite

es. Wha

ad pulled him

were a long way from home, that's all. But here comes Gid now. Hey, G

is chin was more bristly than ever, and his shifty blue eyes

t didn't break sooner. Come on to the forge, mis

age Hester Gibbons came flying down the path, but stopped at a sign from Fanning. The youth dropped further be

suspect anything?" ask

. The existence of the Harding Aeroplane Company has become known rather before I wanted it to, also. However, they may as well know now

both burst into fits of immoderate laughter. Evidently something connecte

blacksmith, and the rod was well repaired. Peggy soon had it adjusted, and was about to clamber into the chassis and start home when a shout from the road made her look up. An autom

eather pocket case above her head and

appened?" she cried, as she c

dear, the most extraordinary, inex

air,'" quoth the slangy Jimsy, "e

nspection. "Well, that's the case that held mamma's jewels. It was returned

jewels were in

ie, it wa

y, "and nobody knows

ne of the servants know anything about the matt

ng in imitation of a famous detective of fiction. "Why on earth should the thief

g at the wallet which had

all mud-stained. It looks as i

t doesn't give us any more to go on than the the

p again," put i

he group was about to break up

kes? No, I see you haven't. Well, he's been

y, impulsively; "that's been

portant signalling station for ships passing up and down the Sound. The position which Jeff Sto

ow staunch aeroplane. It was not until she had vanished with

along, "how I wish that the mystery

passing by the cottage

nning Harding and Gid Gibbons's d

oncentrated upon her. She whisked about, her skirts swinging as she did so. But she did not turn quickly

ed at in such a hurry was a ruby brooch, or at least an imitation of one. S

ed it, it seemed, for

earing jewelry. Her father must

es had not deceived her. It had been a ruby that Hester Gibbons had pulled off and haste

grossing to talk about, and also speculated on several other things. She, however, avoided mentioning her suddenly aroused suspicions to Jimsy. He was so hasty. Inwardly sh