“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” shouted the crowd.
Ruth and Hugh were standing near each other in front of the judges’ stand, where the prizes were awarded.
With a low bow, Mr. Cartwright presented Ruth with a beautiful silver cup and to Hugh another of the same kind. On the outside of each cup was engraved a design of two racquets crossing each other, with the word “champion” below.
Barbara and Ruth had given up all their interest and thought to the tennis match during the day; but Ruth having won her cup, both girls’ minds turned to the jewel robbery.
Except for the note Bab had received in the morning, she had had no sign nor signal from the two detectives. The Countess Bertouche, apparently as calm and undisturbed as any of the other guests, had been an interested watcher of the tournament.
The girls were late in arriving at the ball. Miss Stuart had insisted on their resting an hour after dinner, and the affair was in full swing when they entered the beautiful Casino ballroom.
“You’re just in time for the barn dance, all of you,” called Mrs. Cartwright. “We are going to be informal for the next half hour, at least. Come, Ruth, I insist on you and Hugh leading off. You are our special tennis champions. Wasn’t it hard luck that I didn’t win, when my husband was a judge?”
“Miss Thurston,” said Harry Townsend, turning suddenly to Barbara, “won’t you dance with me?”
Barbara’s hands turned cold as ice and her cheeks suddenly flamed. She hated to dance with a man whom she knew to be of the character of Harry Townsend. Yet how could she refuse?
He looked at her coolly, and Bab saw a mocking smile curl the corners of his lips. But he was as smooth and courteous as usual.