  “Big doings to-day, Amy!” announced Linda, cheerfully, as Ralph Clavering departed. “Come on—get ready!” “What?” demanded the girl, excitedly. “You haven’t heard from anybody who—wants—me?” Her eagerness was pathetic, and Linda stooped over and kissed her. “No, there is no news as yet. But we are going to try to make some. I’m going to take your picture and give it to the newspapers.” “Oh, I see!” Plainly, Amy was disappointed. “Do you really think it’s any use, Linda? If there were anybody to claim me, wouldn’t they have come three days ago?” “I don’t know—not necessarily. Suppose they didn’t read the newspapers?” “If they didn’t then, why should they now?” asked Amy, with keen logic. “Well, their friends might tell them. Besides, only our pictures—Dot’s and mine—were in before, and now we’re putting in yours. And we’re having it announced over the radio.” “What is a radio?” inquired Amy. “Come inside and I’ll show you. But wait, first let me get these snapshots of you. Stand over there, and look pretty!” The girl smiled and did as she was told. To her knowledge she had never seen a picture taken before. “It’s funny,” remarked Linda, as she took out her roll of films from the camera, “that you remember how to read. You didn’t have any trouble understanding that story, did you?” “Some,” confessed the girl. “There were lots of things I hadn’t heard of. But I don’t think it’s my memory, Linda—I think I just never did hear of those things.” “You must have lived in the country,” concluded the other. “Somewhere around where we picked you up. I think maybe the best idea of all would be to try to fly back to that spot, and hunt for a house. We’ll do that next week, if Aunt Emily is willing.” “Next week! Linda, I feel as if I had no right to stay on and on here——” “Of course, you have. And you’re going to have a wonderful time to-day. Aunt Emily is taking you into town to buy you some clothes.” “But I can’t pay for them!” “You’re not supposed to. They’re presents. Like Christmas presents. You’ve heard of them, I suppose?” “Yes! Yes!” cried Amy, excitedly. “You hang up your stocking—and—and—sometimes there are cookies——” Linda’s eyes shone. “You have a memory, Amy! You have! Think some more!” “I can’t,” sighed the girl. “That’s all.” “But something did come back! Run along and get ready now, for Aunt Emily’s waiting—and I must answer that telephone.” The caller proved to be Harriman Smith, and Linda immediately told him of her plans for the day, inviting him to go with her to Grand Rapids. Harry replied that he could be at the bungalow in five minutes, and he was punctual to the dot. He did not tell Linda that the Hulberts’ cars were both out, and that he had run the whole distance. “I sure am a lucky guy,” he said to Linda, as he got into the roadster beside her; “to get ahead of Ralph Clavering like this.” “Oh, Ralph’s busy planning the treasure hunt,” she replied. “And that reminds me, Harry, if I am allowed to take part in it, will you go as my passenger?” “I’d be thrilled!” he cried enthusiastically. “But why do you say ‘if,’ Linda? Surely after you flew the Atlantic Ocean alone, your Aunt Emily couldn’t object to a trifle like a treasure hunt?” “I know; it doesn’t seem logical. But don’t forget that I flew to Paris before I had all those disasters in the Okefenokee. She’s more timid than ever now. And besides, I guess she doesn’t like the idea of the hunt—all those planes going to the same place, with the danger of collisions. And some of the flyers are only beginners.” “Who are planning to enter?” “I haven’t heard definitely. But, of course, Ralph and Dot and I will all enter. And there are Tom Hulbert, and Madge Keen’s husband, and Frank Lawlor. That’s six, at least. I don’t know whether there’ll be any strangers or not. It’s just a Green Falls affair, but I suppose anybody that Mr. Clavering knew could get in all right. I’m going to be dreadfully disappointed if I can’t enter.” “You don’t really think there’s much chance?” “I’ll tell you what I’m counting on, Harry; that Daddy will come home, and he’ll tell Aunt Emily to let me go. You know he’s the best sport that ever was; he isn’t afraid of taking a few risks.” “And he has a lot of confidence in your flying,” added Harry. “That is the trouble with your aunt, I believe. If she had ever gone up with you, and had seen for herself what a marvelous pilot you are, she’d feel differently.” “Thanks, Harry,” said Linda, pleased at the compliment, for when Harriman Smith said anything, he meant it. He was not given to idle praise. “I do so wish I could get her to go.” There were so many things to talk about—Linda’s summer adventure and her new autogiro; Harry’s college course and the job he was holding on the side, that they reached Grand Rapids before they knew it. Harry insisted that they have the pictures developed while they ate their lunch, and wait until afterwards to visit the newspapers. It was with great difficulty that Linda convinced the city editors that they should publish Amy’s pictures instead of her own. But at last she succeeded, and added a description of the man who had been the cause of the accident. Harry visited a broadcasting station at the same time, that the news might be given out over the radio. By three o’clock they were ready to start back to Green Falls. Not satisfied with merely the day with Linda, Harry tried to date her for the evening. “Will you go to the tennis matches with me after dinner?” he asked. “At the Club, I mean. You’re not in them by any chance?” “Oh, no, I’m not nearly good enough. I was beaten early in the tournament. But Dot Crowley’s in the finals, and so is Jim Valier.” “They always were good. Well, how about it, Linda? I’ll get a taxi, if Tom doesn’t offer me his car. They’ll probably go over in Kit’s.” “Thank you, Harry, but I think I better not make any plans until I see what Aunt Emily and Amy are doing. I left them last night—and I want to be with them to-night. So you go with Tom and Kit, and if I can, I’ll see you there.” “And promise me at least two dances?” “Oh, certainly,” she agreed. Fifteen minutes later she parked her car in the garage behind the bungalow, and ran in to see what success Amy and her aunt had had. The girl was dressed in everything new from head to foot; her hair, too, had been cut and waved becomingly. She was dancing around the living room in excited happiness. All her cares were forgotten for the time being, in the joy her new clothing afforded her. “Don’t I look wonderful, Linda?” she cried. “Like a different girl? Miss Carlton has been a real fairy godmother!” “You certainly do, Amy! Oh, Aunt Emily always knows just the right things to buy!” The young girl’s eyes suddenly grew wistful, and she frowned. “I think, Linda, that I must have been very poor, because I am sure I never had clothes like this before.” “Your clothes were different, dear,” Linda admitted. “But you may not have been poor. Perhaps it was only because you lived far out in the country—away from the stores. And maybe your mother didn’t know how to sew, or was an invalid——” “I don’t believe I have a mother,” replied Amy. “You couldn’t forget a mother—like—like your Aunt Emily. No, I feel sure my mother is dead.” “Well, we’ll soon solve it all,” Linda reassured her, and proceeded to recount to her what she and Harry had accomplished that afternoon. “Would you like to go to the Club to the tennis matches after dinner, Amy?” she asked. “What kind of matches?” The girl looked inquiringly at an ash tray on the table. “Not that kind of matches!” laughed Linda, following her gaze. “You know what tennis is, don’t you?” Amy shook her head, and Linda explained as best she could. But though the girl knew nothing about the game, she was eager to go to the Club, so that she could display her new clothing. Miss Carlton arranged for an early dinner, and they all decided to drive over in Linda’s roadster. Green Falls was a small resort, and Linda and her aunt knew practically everyone there. As they seated themselves on the wide veranda which overlooked the tournament court, they nodded and smiled to the other spectators on all sides. Dot Crowley came out of the Clubhouse, and stopped to ask Linda to wish her luck, for she was playing against Sarah Wheeler in the girls’ finals. As she left them to take her place on the court, Lt. Hulbert came over to the Carltons, bringing a stranger with him. The visitor was an exceedingly attractive man of perhaps thirty-five, perfectly dressed, obviously a person of wealth and distinction. Linda thought he might be an ambassador, or perhaps a doctor or lawyer. “Linda,” said Tom Hulbert, “I want to present a gentleman who is very anxious to meet you, who has heard of your wonderful exploits, and who is something of a flyer himself. Miss Carlton, let me introduce Lord Dudley, of England.” Linda blushingly held out her hand, and Tom proceeded to introduce the titled foreigner to Miss Carlton. Not knowing Amy, he did not include her, but he noticed that the man was looking at her. “I hear your praises sung wherever I go, Miss Carlton,” Lord Dudley said, with an engaging smile. “Not only in your own country, but in England, France,—even Germany. You are a very famous person.” “It is very kind of you to say that,” replied Linda, embarrassed as usual at the praise. “But tell me about your own flying. Have you your plane here?” “No, it’s being repaired—I left it in England. I drove up here in a hired motor.” “It’s too bad you haven’t your plane,” said Linda. “For we are to have a treasure hunt by airplane on Saturday.” She glanced shyly at her aunt, who was frowning. “But you can use one of Mr. Clavering’s——” The tennis matches were to begin immediately, for Dot and Sarah were shaking hands with formality, and the umpire was mounting his stand. So Tom drew his friend away to the seats which Kitty was saving for them. “I’ve seen that man before!” cried Amy, excitedly. “Where? When?” demanded Linda, hopefully. Was another memory coming back? “I don’t know.” “But if he had known you, he would have said something,” remarked Miss Carlton. “I was going to introduce you, dear, but I didn’t get a chance.” “Oh, that’s all right!” “He looks like Ronald Colman,” remarked Linda, after some thought. “Yes, that’s it. You’ve seen him in the movies, Amy.” “What are movies?” asked the girl, to Linda’s and Miss Carlton’s amazement. There was no time to explain, for the tennis match had begun, and Linda was anxious not to miss a single play. But all the while she was thinking of the titled Englishman whom she had just met; later in the evening, when the dancing began, she unconsciously searched the room for him. But he had evidently left early, for she did not see him again. |
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