CHAPTER XV
THREE GIRLS
Reflecting on her strange experience while in New City, seated latethat same afternoon on the broad veranda of her handsome home, Corahad one gratifying thought. No one whom she knew had seen her whileSid Wilcox was in possession of her car--and of her.
Feeling this assurance she decided not to mention to any one at homethe fact of his having stolen the ride. She resolved to ask Paul tokeep it a secret, and she knew he would. As for Sid himself, if hedid boast of it, few would credit his story, for he did not bear avery good reputation for truth, and he was constantly getting intoscrapes. Cora especially hoped Jack would not hear of the escapade.
Now Cora, who had been sitting in an easy chair, trying to read abook, decided to take the hammock for a change. She did not feellike reading.
She wore a simple frock of white muslin, and her hair was let downin a most becoming fashion, in long, loose braids, all combining tomake her particularly girlish-looking.
Cora was taking what she called her "loll." This particular form ofrest, she always declared, was the only sort a healthy girl couldreasonably enjoy.
"When you rest, why, just rest," she used to say to Isabel Robinson,who, on account of her nervous temperament, had rather been overdonewith "rest cure" ideas. Isabel delighted in such terms as"relaxation" and "siesta," while Cora reveled in her "loll."
A box of "deadly chocolates"--that is what Isabel would have calledthem--were at Cora's elbow, and she was just reaching for the tenthone, when Isabel herself, and her sister, sauntered along the path.
"Come on up, girls," called out Cora. "But please don't ask me tomove. I'm in the most delicious heap."
"Exactly that!" exclaimed Isabel, who looked particularly pretty ina soft-blue summer gown, while Elizabeth was like some flower, indeep-pink muslin. "You do get into the most awful heaps, Cora, dear.But you never can rest without relaxing, and to do that--"
"Belle!" exclaimed Cora, "that is precisely why you never rest--younever relax your brain. You're always thinking of resting and notdoing it."
Bess sank into a wicker chair and smothered the cushions. Bess wasstout--"when she sat down," as Cora expressed it.
"Got your car ordered yet?" asked the hostess, passing around thebox of chocolates. Neither girl could resist them.
"Oh, no," answered Belle. "Poor papa is in the greatest muddle.Every one in New City seems to have the best car to sell, and, as hewants a good one, he doesn't know which one to select."
"Why not ask Jack?" suggested Cora. "He's had lots of experience."
"Just what I proposed," replied Belle. "You, know how queer poor,dear papa is. He really dislikes motors."
"Seen Ida lately?" asked Bess.
"Not a sight of her," answered Cora. "I was hoping you might bringsome news--not particularly about her, though, but some news. I amjust pining for a real, choice bit."
She passed the chocolates again. Bess took one, but her sistershook her head.
"Well, as to news," remarked Bess, "we have heard that Sid Wilcoxhas a new machine."
This was news indeed, after what that youth had said to Cora thatvery day. Or had he been only fooling her?
"A new one," repeated Cora vaguely, trying to, gather her thoughts.
"Brand, spick--span new," went on Bess. "We haven't seen it, youknow, but we've heard that it is a beauty."
"What extravagance!" murmured Cora,--still busily thinking. "Hisrunabout isn't very old. I wonder where he gets all his money?"
"Don't you remember he said he had some to invest in the new issueof bank stock?" suggested Belle.
"But the bank wouldn't let him subscribe," added her sister.
"What did he do with his other car--the one that was broken in thecollision?" asked Cora.
"Maybe he--pawned it," suggested Belle, who had rather vague ideasconcerning pawnshops.
"Very likely he would if he could." This from Cora with a lightlaugh. "I guess Sid is very fond of a change--and excitement." Shethought of her experience with him.
"Even a change of girls," commented Belle.
"Aula Allen told me that he and Ida were `on the outs.'"
"Indeed!" and Cora raised her pretty eyebrows. "I fancied he wastoo--too convenient a friend for Ida to drop. But my dears, as ourEnglish teacher says, I have something more important to discussthan Ida Giles and Sidney Wilcox. I'm going to have a `doings,' as Iused to call them."
"Goody!" exclaimed Bess, helping herself to some more of thechocolates. "Make it a lawn party."
"Well, that's just what I want you to help me with. I know thatBelle will want to make it a seance with relaxed robes and collapsedmasks and relapsed--"
"Oh, you're mean!" exclaimed the taunted one. "I'm not such a freakas that."
"Oh, no," drawled Bess.
"Cer-tain-ly not," added Cora in a teasing tone.
"Well, go on with your `doings,'" insisted Belle. "I won't make asingle suggestion."
"Not make them; but veto them," persisted Cora. "Well, then, nevermind, sissy. You sometimes have splendid ideas, even if they are allsterilized."
"And when they are disclosed the sterilization gets away," put inBess. "That's what mother's nurse declared when we tried on thoseaprons that come in air-tight packages. But now, Cora, let's have alawn party."
"Wouldn't it be nicer to have an out-door play?" asked Belle, whohad forgotten her resolution not to make a suggestion.
"Oh, dear! I suppose we'll have to have it in the afternoon, whenour nurses can be with us," said Bess. "We're supposed to be suchkiddies--not out yet, and all that. It's detestable--"
"Indeed," interrupted Cora, "mother says I may have an eveningaffair, and also out of doors, if I like. Since my last birthdayI've been wonderfully grown up."
"Out of doors! And after dark!" cried Bess. "That's great!" andshe clapped her hands. "Oh, let's have it a masked affair. I neverhave been to one in all my life, and I'm just dying to mask!"
"Now, girls, let's be serious," suggested Cora, "for I haven't anytoo much time to arrange this affair. We ought to have it in June,when we can depend on having a pleasant evening. Suppose we plan amasked mythology fete? Have a dark, green cavern, presided over by:er--um--let's see--who was the gentleman who had charge of passingshades from earth to some place, and where did he pass 'em to?"
"You mean Charon," said Belle. "But, Cora Kimball, do you supposewe could make mythological frocks that would stand damp, night air?Of course, they would be comfortable."
"Oh, we'll manage somehow. At any rate, we'll have a masked'doin',' that's settled."
"That's all that really counts," said Bess.
"Masks?" questioned Cora. "Just mask in order to be of someaccount? Not the blessed boys, and the jealous girls--and thechances of pretending you mistake Jack for Walter--and you say a lotof things you are just dying to say, and would not dare to say ifyou weren't masked. All that--But hush! Here comes Jack!"
"Hello, girls," greeted her brother, and at the sight of Jack, Bessand Belle adjusted themselves in more conventional attitudes. "Howare you all?" he went on. "Sis, here's a letter for you. I kept itin my hand all the way from the post-office so as not to forget togive it to you."
"Awfully kind of you, Jack."
Cora glanced at the postmark, and slipped the missive into thelarge, loose sleeve of her gown.
"Oh, you may read it," spoke Bess, smiling frankly at Jack. "Wedon't mind."
"Not in the least," came from Jack as he took a chair next toIsabel. "In fact, we would be glad to have you do so. Go ahead, sis.Help yourself," he went on pleasantly, dipping into the chocolatebox.
"It will keep," said Cora quickly. "But, Jack, what's new? Formercy's sake, do tell us something new! Is there anything moreabout--"
"Yes, a lot about it," and Jack anticipated his sister's question."I hear that the sleuths have a straight tip. They told Ed thisafternoon that they would have his money back inside of a--"
"Oh, isn't
that fine!" broke in Belle. "I have been souncomfortable ever since that affair happened and they found theempty wallet in poor, dear Cora's car. It looked just as if we--"
"Don't!" spoke Cora quickly in a low voice.
"It certainly was uncomfortable," put in Bess.
"Especially for Ed Foster," remarked Jack with a. significant grinas he took another chocolate. "Um--um--these are mighty fine, sis!"
"Oh, take them all!" cried Cora. "But tell us some more about it;do, Jack, please!"
"Yes. Do they really think they're on the right track?" askedIsabel.
"That's all I know about it," answered Jack calmly as he finishedthe last candy. "I heard the detectives had promised to get themoney back inside of a week, and that's all. Maybe it was only talk.They have to say something for their pay, you know. But I almostforgot. There is another bit of news, girls."
"What?" they demanded in chorus.
"Ed says he knows who took the money."
As Jack made this announcement he looked around as indifferently asif he had made the most ordinary remark on the most commonplacesubject.