“If it’s Lieberstein—” Mary was beginning when an exclamation of sheer joy from Ruth clipped the sentence short.
Ruth started running down the middle of the road toward the horsemen at the imminent peril of being run down by them.
“Tom! Chess!” she shrieked. “Oh, I never was so glad to see any one in my life!”
Tom and Chess reined in their horses sharply and swung to the ground. It was then that Ruth saw the identity of the third rider.
“Mr. Boardman!” she cried. “It was good of you to come! I suppose,” looking at Tom’s white, drawn face, “that this is a sort of rescue party?”
“Thank goodness it was successful,” said Tom, and took Ruth’s outstretched hand in a grip that hurt. “We’ve just about had heart failure!”
“Been standing on our heads for the last two hours,” Chess corroborated. “Thought you were gone for good this time, Ruth.”
“What happened?” asked Tom, regarding the girl closely. “Have you been running into danger again, Ruth?”
“I’ve been falling into holes—or rather a hole!” retorted Ruth, making light of her adventure. “But by good luck I managed to stumble out again. I’m all right now, thanks to that same good luck—and Mary Chase!”
Ruth turned to the two girls. They had retreated to the side of the road and were looking on, Mary gravely, Ellen with a shy interest at this meeting between Ruth and her friends.