CHAPTER XIV
THE PROMISE BOOK LOST
"Now, Cora, dear," began Gertrude, in her quiet, yet convincing way,"you may just as well tell us what you are waiting for. We areguessing all sorts of things, and the truth cannot possibly be as bad."
They were sitting on the porch of the Grotto, and although they wereaway behind scheduled time at that point, Cora insisted she wanted torest a bit, and seemed loath to move.
Cora Kimball tired after twenty-five miles! As well accuse theWhirlwind of drinking its own gasoline.
Hazel was almost feverish. Cora had not divulged the purport of thetelephone message, beyond admitting it was from Ed, which gave Ray thechance for her little joke on the combination of names--Cora and Ed,the "Co-Eds."
"When the Co-Eds conspire," lisped Ray, "we may as well wait patiently.We will have to wait their pleasure, of course."
Cora did not mind the sarcasm. She was certainly not like herself.Bess and Belle were even anxious about her, and offered all sorts ofremedies, from bicarbonate of soda to dry tea.
"Now," said Cora finally, "it is two o'clock. Do you really think weought to make Breakwater tonight?"
"Why not?" gasped Daisy. "Won't Aunt May be waiting for us? And it isonly thirty miles."
"Yes, but," faltered Cora, "suppose you should have a breakdown on thatlonely road? There is neither station nor house from here to thefalls."
"What should break down?" asked Daisy. "This is papa's best machine,if you mean it is not trustworthy."
"Oh, Daisy, dear, I had no idea of insinuating such a thing. Yourmachine, of course, is just as trustworthy as any of the others. But Iwas thinking how delightful it would be to spend the night here. Ireally must confess to being broken up by that ram accident," and Corashivered slightly.
The girls looked at her in astonishment. Her words did not ring true;Cora Kimball was a poor actress.
"If Cora wants to stay," said Tillie, "I should think you would allagree. Cora is captain, is she not?"
"But our trip will be spoiled," wailed Maud. "I do wish I had nevercome."
"Oh, if there is going to be real distress about it," said Cora,evidently trying hard to pull herself together, "I suppose we had beststart. But remember, I have warned you. I have a premonition that wewill 'run up against' something before night."
"Then I am not going," declared Hazel. "I won't stir one step. Cora,let the others go; you can overtake them with your fast car, and wewill meet them in the morning."
This brought on a veritable storm of protest and dissatisfaction. Coraleft the girls on the porch, and went outside with Tillie.
"Could you hear anything those men were saying?" she asked the prettylittle German. "Were they discussing a patent, do you think?"
"Oh, no; it was not like that," replied Tillie. "It was about--let mesee. Some Haster, no, like a name--like your friend's name, HazelHastings. That was it, Hastings."
"Did they say Hazel?" pressed Cora.
"No, not that, of course," and Tillie laughed.
"How should they know Hazel? It was a similar name--just Hastings."
"And they unfolded blueprints? Like our campus maps, you know?"
"Yes, they had blue maps; I saw them when I picked up my shatteredcup.--It is all very well for Adele to blame his thumb; I blame him--heis too fat, and thinks himself very smart."
Tillie pouted. Evidently her caller had not been too polite, perhapshe had mistaken her for an ordinary waitress.
A distant "honk-honk" startled the girls. Cora rushed out to the road,and before the others knew what she was about she was in conversationwith Ed Foster. So quickly did he run up to the Grotto in Jack's carthat no one but Cora realized who he was until the machine was stoppedand he was out beside her. There was a stranger with him--abusiness-like looking man. He did not leave the car.
"There!" exclaimed Ray. "Didn't I tell you? It was this Co-Edbusiness that kept her. Cora can't fool me."
"Hazel," said Cora, stepping up to the porch, "Ed thinks you had bestnot go on with us. Paul is not well--he is not very sick, though--"
Hazel turned white, and Cora put her arm around her. "Now you must notbe frightened. It is nothing serious, and I will go back with you,"she said.
"Indeed you shall not!" exclaimed Hazel, now calling up all hercourage, and proving herself to be the girl she really could be in anemergency. "I shall go back with Ed, if I may."
The girls glanced from one to the other. They understood this was anemergency, that Hazel had been called back to her sick brother, yetwith girlish curiosity some of them, at least, showed surprise thatHazel should offer to ride back with Ed Foster.
"But I am not going back," said Ed; "at least not until we--thisgentleman and I--have followed the trail a little farther. You see,girls, we are out on a 'bear hunt.'"
But the girls did not see--only Cora looked as if she understood. Shesaid to Hazel:
"There is no hurry, dear. You can go with them when they come back.They have to pass this way, don't you, Ed?"
"Would you mind, Cora," said Ed suddenly, "if the gentleman outsideasked you a few private questions?"
"A reporter!" exclaimed Ray, all excitement.
"Dear me! I do hope he won't ask for our pictures. Mother would neverpermit it."
Ed smiled broadly. He looked a sort of assent, but did not otherwiseexpress it.
Cora stepped up to the auto, whereat the man left his place, and, underpretext of walking along idly, and perhaps thus gaining Cora's "privateear," he was soon out of reach of those on the porch.
"It is like a double robbery," he said after exchanging somepreliminary remarks, "and the child is disconsolate. Her mother issure it was not stolen, but lost, while we feel otherwise. It seemsthere is a handsome young man, a cousin of the child's, interested.His father is a lawyer--the lawyer who has the case against Mr.Robinson. Now this book--the promise book--contained the names ofthose who visited the cottage on the day that the papers were taken outof the mailbag. It is comparatively easy to guess the sequence."
"You mean they might call on those whose names appear in the book?"asked Cora, beginning to see something of the complex situation.
"Yes, and more than that. They would obtain valuable information fromthat little book--a clear description of the missing table. If they canfind it they will be able to keep the property where it is now--in thepossession of Rob Roland, Wren Salvey's rival cousin."
"Rob Roland!" exclaimed Cora. "Why, he was in the party at Robinson'sthe other evening. He was even attentive to a friend of ours."
"To whom, may I ask?" inquired the detective politely.
"A Miss Thayer, a young student," she replied.
"Miss Thayer! I heard her name mentioned in court this morning. Is shea friend of yours?"
"Yes, indeed!" exclaimed Cora, now alarmed. "What could be said ofCecilia Thayer?"
"Why, she has been on very intimate terms with the Salvey child, andlawyers devise all sorts of schemes, you know, to meet their own ends.It was hinted that Miss Thayer might know where the missing promisebook was."
"Clip take that from Wren! Impossible!" cried Cora. "Oh, this is alla mistake! I must go back. I cannot go on and let Clip be blamed forstealing the promise book."