With a great effort she threw off the weakness that was overcoming her and looked out across the lawn.
During the early part of the evening a large motor boat cruiser, after having put her owner ashore at Palm Beach had dropped down and come to anchor for the night hard by the boathouse belonging to the villa occupied by Countess Sophia. Lights were twinkling from the port holes of the boat and her anchor light swayed listlessly at the stern. There were no other signs of life aboard the boat on the bow of which one at close range might have made out the word “Restless” in raised gold letters.
Barbara wondered if their terrible visitor had come from the boat lying there quietly on the moonlit waters.
Just then the buzz of excited voices was borne to her ears. She heard the Countess Sophia’s clear tones, then an excited little scream, mingled with the deep voice of Madame de Villiers raised in angry expostulation.
Still gripping her shoe horn Bab raced down the stairs, and parted the portières that hung between the drawing room and hall.
What she saw was like the tableau from a melodrama. Crowded close to the piano stood the Countess Sophia, while directly in front of her stood Madame de Villiers, thoroughly enraged and brandishing her gold-headed cane at two men who seemed about to seize the young countess. Clustered in a frightened group at one side of the room stood Miss Stuart, Mollie and Grace. Ruth was nowhere to be seen.
One of the men made a sudden stealthy move toward the countess.
“Stand back,” commanded Madame de Villiers.
Just then Ruth’s clear tones were heard outside the villa. “They’re in that room! Oh, hurry please!”
There was a sound of running feet and into the room darted two young men clad in white yachting clothes, and wearing officers’ caps.