"Where's that Hulbert woman?" she asked Kitty Clavering, irritably. Louise just had to be frank; if she felt no respect for a person she made no effort to conceal her opinion.
Kitty flushed. She never could understand why her friends did not care for Bess Hulbert as she did. The young woman was getting to be very unpopular at the Flying Club, and Ralph positively detested her.
"Bess?" she stammered. "She's gone abroad."
"Abroad!" repeated Louise, aghast, wondering whether she and Linda could have been mistaken all along. "When did she go?"
"She's sailing today. She left here for New York yesterday."
"What for?" demanded Louise, bluntly. But already she had guessed the reason. They had not been mistaken at all: Bess Hulbert was fleeing from justice!
"She's English, you know," Kitty explained. "Her family—except her brother—are all in England."
"Has she given up the idea of competing for that prize?"
"I don't think so. Not if she can get a boat, as she calls it."
"Have her people money?"