“I don’t believe I care to dance,” replied the girl icily—to Jane’s infinite delight. “Jane and I are going to stay with Mother this evening.”
The party moved on, and Jane reached for her chum’s hand under the table.
“That’s telling him!” she murmured in deep satisfaction.
CHAPTER X
The Visit with Rebecca
The following morning Mrs. Gay relented from her decision to pack up the family’s things and go home immediately. It was such a perfect day; the river sparkled beautifully in the sunlight, the birds sang sweetly in the trees beside the cottage, and her children seemed happy. Yes, it would be absurd to run away from all this beauty.
Mary Louise was overjoyed at her mother’s decision. Immediately she began to make important plans for the day. She would go over to Adams’ farm and find out where Rebecca was. If necessary, she could have the boys trail her during the day, in case the crazy woman might be planning another fire for tonight. Then she would call on the Ditmars and make it a point to talk to the man himself. Maybe she’d run over to Eberhardt’s store at Four Corners, later in the afternoon, just to check up on his business. Oh, it promised to be an interesting day for Mary Louise!
“Where will the ‘Wild Guys of the Road’ be today?” she asked her brother at breakfast.
“Over at our cabin, I guess,” replied Freckles. “Why?”
“I may want to call on you for some sleuthing,” explained Mary Louise. “I am a little suspicious about Rebecca Adams—that queer-looking woman you boys saw the night Flicks’ Inn burned down. Remember her?”
“Sure I do! Nobody’d forget a scarecrow like that!”