“There, now, my dear, never mind!” soothed Mrs. Newman. “We’ll help you all we can.”
“That’s the kind of people they are,” Sim told Arden, later. “They haven’t forgotten what it is to be young.”
It took some little time to get a telephone connection through to Cedar Ridge, and Sim lived years in moments, she thought, while waiting for Arden to come to the phone. Finally the voice came to her.
“Hello, Arden? Yes, I’m all right. I’m up at Larchmont with friends of Dad’s. Did they find out about me? No? Good! Listen! Here’s my plan. I’ll tell you all how it happened later. Someone might hear us if I talked too long now. I’m driving back—yes, driving. I’ll get there about midnight. Don’t fall asleep. When we get to the entrance—the outside gate, I mean—we’ll toot the horn three times. You and Terry slip down and let me in. Do you understand? Fine! I’m leaving right away. Good-bye, darling! I’ll explain everything later. I’m quite all right, and nothing has happened. Good-bye!”
She hung up and turned to her friends, murmuring:
“That’s over, thank goodness!”
“Well, let’s get going, Sim!” Mr. Newman was now almost as much excited as was Sim herself.
“Try to sleep on the way out, Sim dear,” advised Mrs. Newman. “I’m having robes and a soft cushion put in the car. You can snuggle up in a corner of the sedan.”
“I thought she was going to talk to me!” chuckled Mr. Newman.
“Of course I will—if I can find anything to talk about.”