The cablegram took the problem out of Laura's hands. It was dated from Saranac, in the Adirondacks, and read:
"Am ill. Come immediately. Mother."
Louise handed the message to Laura and rose at once. She found it very natural that, at such a moment, she should lean upon the resourcefulness of John Blythe.
"I suppose John can arrange for our passage?" she said to Laura.
"John," replied Laura, confidently, "can do anything, I think, even to obtaining accommodations on a New-York-bound steamer in July, which is next to impossible."
Laura immediately telephoned to Blythe at the Carlton, telling him of the summons Louise had received from her mother.
"Of course I am to go with her," said Laura, "and equally of course we shall have a dreadful time getting steamer accommodations at this season."
"Probably I can manage," was Blythe's prompt reply. "The Mauretania, which brought me over, is returning day after tomorrow. I know she is booked to the gun'ls—but I'll see what can be done. Of course I am going, too. I'll see you by noon and let you know."
Jermyn Scammel and his two companions who had been witnesses of Blythe's meeting with Jesse at the Curzon Street house were staying at the Carlton, and Blythe knew that they had reserved accommodations on the Mauretania. Blythe found them at breakfast in Scammel's rooms and he told them of the quandary in which two American ladies found themselves owing to the extreme difficulty of securing passage on board West-bound steamers at that season.
"Anybody I know, Blythe?" Scammel asked him.