“Don’t say anything to anyone, will you, Mary?” Arden pleaded. “I don’t want Mrs. Malvern to know yet.”
“Of course not!” Mary answered. “But Sim will turn up. Don’t worry! ’Bye!” and she hung up.
“She isn’t there, either,” said Arden, turning to Terry. “What’s the next move?”
Terry considered. “Well, this is a pretty big place. Sim may be—”
The telephone jingled shrilly. Both girls sprang to answer, but Terry got there first.
“Yes, Mrs. Malvern,” she said sweetly. “We’re all ready, and we’ll be in the lobby in a few minutes. Yes. Good-bye!”
Quickly she turned from the telephone.
“Oh, what shall we do? Mrs. Malvern will see that Sim isn’t with us! Think of something, Arden! Quick!”
“We’ll have to go down, anyhow,” said Arden, pulling her dress over her head. “Maybe, in the crowd, she won’t notice that Sim is missing. Hurry, Terry, and change your dress.”
“I am hurrying. I’m as nearly ready as you are. We mustn’t show we are excited. She really could be—lots of places.”