“I should say it does!” exclaimed Mary Louise rapturously. “Thank you so much, Mr. Hayden!”
She was so happy that she executed a dance. Oh, how wonderful that piece of news was! Mrs. Ferguson! The woman who had helped—or pretended to help—Margaret Detweiler! The woman who lived at Center Square! Possibly—the same woman whom Pauline had called her aunt, by the name of Mrs. Brooks!
Everything seemed to be coming untangled all at once. If only Mary Louise could catch this Ferguson woman! But of course she could—with her father’s help. Thank heaven he would be coming soon! He could fly straight to Baltimore and accomplish her arrest. And the mystery—perhaps both mysteries—would be solved!
So Mary Louise went happily to sleep that night, little dreaming that the worst part of her experience lay ahead of her.
CHAPTER XII
Detective Gay Arrives
Mary Louise awakened the following morning with a delightful sense of expectancy. It was the day before Christmas! Surely her father would come; he would know how much she wanted him, and her mother would be unselfish enough to urge him to go. He would bring Mary Louise her Christmas presents and take her out to Christmas dinner.
She dressed quickly and hurried down to the lobby to ask the secretary whether there was any message for her. None had arrived as yet, but by the time she had finished her breakfast it came.
“Arrive about noon to stay over Christmas with you. Love—Dad,” were the precious words she read.
Her eyes sparkling with anticipation, Mary Louise ran to Mrs. Hilliard with her good news.
“So you see I don’t need to go home,” she said. “I can hardly wait till he comes!”