“That’s the catch. She moved to the country a few years ago. She’s living on a farm with her sister. It’s in Cahoun County.”
“Then we’ll have to scratch her off our list.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Uncle George might be persuaded to loan us his coupe. We could drive out there in a couple of hours.”
The idea seemed an excellent one so the girls went to search for Mr. Brady. They found him in the back yard washing the car. With shrewd calculation they snatched up rags and aided him in polishing the nickel work. Mr. Brady eyed them somewhat suspiciously and was not surprised when Madge inquired: “By the way, Uncle George, will you need your old hack for a few hours?”
“Just for that, I’ll not let you have it,” he told her sternly, but the next minute he smiled and turned over the keys.
Madge backed the coupe out the driveway, missed a telephone pole by scant inches, and sped down the street. She took a main highway out of the city and soon was in open country. Having previously inquired the way, she thought they would have no difficulty in finding the farmhouse where Hilda Grandale lived. Soon after the speedometer registered thirty miles, Cara spied the name for which they searched upon a roadside mailbox.
The gate was open and they drove into the barn yard. Squawking chickens darted to safety and a flock of geese waddled off hissing their protest. The commotion proclaimed their approach, and as the girls halted the car, a woman peered out the kitchen door. She hastily straightened her hair and came down the walk to meet them.
Madge stated their mission, saying that they wished to visit Mrs. Grandale.
“I’m not sure Mother is awake,” the woman returned doubtfully. “She usually takes a nap about this time. But if she’s up I know she’ll be glad to see you. She does enjoy company and so few people ever get out this far.”
She led the girls to the house, seating them in a prim, old fashioned living room. They begged her not to disturb Mrs. Grandale, but she went upstairs, returning to say that her mother was awake and would be down shortly.