Neither man made any attempt to answer this question, and Ethel left the porch to join Marjorie. Finding her up in her room, she settled herself to repeat the foregoing conversation.
“Marj!” she cried, her eyes still flashing with anger at the effrontery of the young men, “do you know that I almost believe those people are in league against us. They just seem bent on delaying us whenever it is possible!”
“Yes, indeed,” replied Marjorie, “I have been thinking that all along. Just wait till we get to San Francisco! Then I’m going to question Aunt Emeline pretty closely about it. If she has been mean enough to employ them—”
“Oh, well, we’ll win out anyhow, in spite of everything!” Ethel asserted triumphantly.
“And we won’t take their advice about roads, either!” said Marjorie. “We won’t repeat our experience in Chicago!”
There was no need, however, to worry about which road to take, for the Lincoln Highway was in the best condition and stretched before them straight to the coast. They travelled all day Sunday, taking the precaution to select a hotel before sun-down. One day only remained before the stipulated time should expire; yet the girls felt confident that they could reach Miss Vaughn’s house before midnight of the first of August.
They awoke early on the morning of their last day, eager to complete their long journey, and to receive their rewards. It was with a sinking sensation that they saw rain-drops on windows, and clouds in the sky, but they had no intention of allowing the weather to defeat them. Deciding to proceed cautiously rather than too speedily, they made their way across the country to the city that is the gateway of the west. The journey was tiresome and somewhat of a strain, in spite of the beautiful scenery, but it was successful. At six o’clock that evening they reached the center of the city.
“We can’t walk in at this time of the night and surprise Aunt Emeline,” said Marjorie. “So hadn’t we better go to a hotel for supper, freshen up a bit, and telephone to her that we are on our way?”
“Then she could give us explicit directions about how to get there,” put in Alice.
“Are you sure that we have time enough?” asked Ethel. “It takes a long time to eat dinner in a hotel. And midnight tonight—”