Evelyn Stone, free from the thraldom of her father and her unhappy engagement, was like a bird out of a cage. She was so happy that it was impossible to be sad in her presence. Although indirectly she had been the cause of their disgraceful departure from Salt Lake City, they were obliged to admit that she was a great addition to the party in their present strained state of nerves. When she finally unwound the long gray veil and disclosed her lovely face glowing with color, the Motor Maids and Miss Campbell felt that they would be willing to take almost any risk to do her a service.
The whole thing was like a strange dream at any rate. She was a beautiful princess flying from her old ogre of a father through country of surpassing loveliness; for nothing can exceed the beauty of the scenery around Ogden. However, they did not pause until they had left the country of the ogre well behind them and had passed into the state of Nevada. The Comet covered one hundred and five miles that day and they slept that night at a small country hotel well on the other side of the border.
The next morning on the way to breakfast, Evelyn bought a newspaper at the desk.
“I knew I would find something,” she said. “Listen to this: ‘The wedding of Miss Evelyn Stone, only daughter of John James Stone of Salt Lake City, to Ebenezer Stone, bank president and owner of gold mines, has been postponed on account of the serious illness of the young woman. The ceremony was to have taken place to-day at twelve o’clock in the Annex of the Tabernacle. John James Stone has been called East on important business. His daughter is with her aunt at their country place, Granite Hills.’”
“Thank heavens, he’s going East,” observed Miss Campbell, “since we are going West.”
Evelyn continued to search the paper anxiously.
“Poor Danny, I’m afraid there’s no news about him,” she said at last with a sigh.
“At least he’ll be glad to know that the marriage didn’t take place,” suggested Elinor.
Once more Evelyn gave her radiant smile.
“To think that if it hadn’t been for all of you—”