"Maybe she is so unused to it that she hasn't missed it," suggested
Ed.
"No girl is ever unused to her first engagement ring," declared
Paul. "Well, I'm going. Goodnight."
"This finding of things in pockets is growing interesting," remarked Ed when the door had closed on Paul. "I wonder if any of the girls found valuables in their costumes?"
"Hardly," declared Jack. "No one could ever find their pockets to drop anything in. But I'll put this in the safe and mark it `to be kept until called for.' Won't Cora and the other girls be surprised!" and he slammed the iron door shut, having, by an odd chance, dropped the diamond circlet into the very compartment that contained the bonds so strangely returned to Ed.
CHAPTER XXI
REAL MOTOR GIRLS
Cora was up early the next morning, and went out alone for a spin in her car. She wanted to think over the happenings at the lawn fete, to recall various matters, and to try to straighten out some tangles that confused her. It was delightful to skim along the quiet road, the powerful motor of her car singing a song of speed and progress.
"I suppose Jack and Ed are sleeping yet," she said to herself, "though how Ed can, after the strange recovery of his bonds, is more than I can understand."
Ed was gone when she returned, and Jack seemed surprised to see his sister returning from an early morning run.
"I thought you'd sleep for hours yet," he said "I've got something to tell you."