Truly she seemed so, and now she appeared even more self-reliant as she stood there in the glare of the lamps of the auto. Her face had lost some of the traces of hopeless despair, and she had somehow managed to get rid of the evidences of the tears. The boys wondered how she did it, for it was rather like a magician"s trick, "done in full view of the audience." Jack and Ed paid a mental tribute to her accomplishment in using a handkerchief.
"Are you sure you are comfortable there?" the girl asked Ed, as he crouched partly on the floor of the car, with his feet on the run-board.
"Quite," he affirmed, not altogether truthfully, but at least gallantly.
"It seems so selfish of me, that really----"
"Say, Ed"s all right!" cried Jack, gaily. "He"d rather ride on the run-board than anywhere else; wouldn"t you, old man?"
"Sure!"
"In fact, he often sits there when there"s a vacant seat. It"s a hobby of his. I"ve tried to break him of it, but he is hopeless!"
"Now I know you"re poking fun at me!" she exclaimed, and she laughed lightly. "I"ve almost a notion----"
She made a motion as though to alight.
"Don"t you dare!" cried Jack. "Here we go!" He let in the gear, and the clutch came into place. The car moved forward slowly, and gathered speed.
"We"ll be there in no time," Jack went on. "It"s rather unpleasant for you, isn"t it, going about by yourself?" he asked the girl.
"Oh, I"m used to it. I have been working in an office, but I--I decided on a vacation. I took it rather suddenly, and I haven"t made any plans since. I decided to go off--and, yes, lose myself for a time. That"s why I"m in a part of the country I have never visited before."
"I see," remarked Jack. "It is sometimes good to do things on an impulse.
I know how tiresome the dull routine and grind must be."
"He never worked a day in his life!" exclaimed Ed.
"No knocking, old man!" laughed Jack. "I think I"d like to be in an office myself," he added. Mentally he decided that one where this girl was employed might not be a half-bad place.
"Yes, he"d want an office where the hours were from ten to twelve, with an hour for lunch," grunted Ed, as the car went over a b.u.mp, jolting him.
"I really liked the work," said the girl. "Of course there were some unpleasant features--in fact, that is why I left so suddenly. Now I am--free!"
She took a long breath of the night air rushing against her cheeks, as though the idea of being free was most delightful.
They talked of various subjects as the car shot along in the darkness.
Both Jack and Ed were quite curious to learn more about this stray girl, but they had the good sense not to ask leading questions. Nor did she volunteer much information.
Finally the lights of Hayden glimmered into view, and soon the car had stopped in front of the Y. W. C. A., which Jack had located through a policeman.
"Now I shall be all right," the girl exclaimed as Jack helped her out.
"Thank you a thousand times. I really--I don"t know what I should have done had I not met you. I--I was just beginning to--get afraid."
"Are you sure you will be all right now?" asked Ed.
"Can"t we do anything more for you?" Jack wanted to know. "I"m Jack Kimball, of Chelton, and this is Ed Foster. We are pretty well known in these parts, though we"ve never been in Hayden before. We auto around a good bit. If we can do anything----"
"Oh, no, thank you ever so much. I shall be all right." She gave Jack her hand, in a warm clasp, and then turned to Ed. "Thank you--so much!"
She smiled, showing her white, even teeth, and ran up the steps of the building--a place where a lone girl could always find a safe shelter.
She turned on the top step, waved a good-bye to them, and disappeared behind the doors.
CHAPTER IX
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
"What do you know about that?"
"It"s rather queer--all the way along."
Jack asked and Ed answered. They stood by the machine and looked up at the building into which the girl had gone.
"Well, I guess there"s nothing for us to do but to see if there isn"t some way to get to Fairport from here," remarked Jack, after a pause.
"That"s it--and telephone. There"s a drug-store across the street. It has a "phone sign."
"Come on, then."
Presently they had been connected with the Mansion House, and Cora was at the other end of the wire.
"Oh, Jack, what happened?"
"We got lost--on the wrong road--that"s all."
"Oh, Jack, I"ve been so worried!"
"Pshaw! What was the use? Didn"t I ever get lost before?"
"Yes, I know----"
"You"re too fussy, Sis. How"s everybody?"
"All right--but----"
"But them as is wrong; eh? Well, we"ll soon be with you. We had quite an adventure."
"You did? Were you hurt?"
"No, can"t a fellow have an adventure without getting hurt? We met a pretty girl, and gave her a ride--that"s all."
"Jack! You never did!"
"Oh, yes, we did. Ed"s here, and he"ll tell you all about it. It was a great time."