Part 25 (1/2)

”They do,” they heard Linda answer contemptuously, and with no attempt to lower her voice. ”But I prefer not to know them--especially that Sherwood girl.”

What the tall man said in answer, the girls could not hear, for they were once more engulfed in a sea of chattering humanity whose din swallowed up all individual sound.

Impulsive Bess wanted to turn back and tell ”that horrible Riggs girl”

what she thought of her, but Nan put an arm about her angry chum and hurried her on.

”But, Nan, I don't see how you can stand such things and never say a word,” cried Bess, indignantly. ”I do believe you haven't any spirit. I never could take an insult like that so calmly.”

”I'm not a bit calm,” replied Nan, gripping her bag fiercely. ”Right this minute, I'd like to get hold of Linda Riggs and tear her hair out by the roots.”

”Why didn't you do it then?” demanded excited Bess, and at this query even Walter, who had been more incensed than any of the girls at the insolent speech of Linda's, had to laugh.

”Yes, I would look pretty, wouldn't I?” laughed Nan, all her wrath vanis.h.i.+ng on the instant, although her dislike of purse-proud Linda was more real than ever, ”announcing my arrival in Jacksonville by a street fight?”

”You would look pretty any way--even pulling Linda's hair out,” laughed Walter in her ear.

”Please don't be foolish, Walter,” returned Nan loftily, at which, for some unaccountable reason, Walter only chuckled the more.

The speech and the chuckle troubled Nan. It seemed in some ridiculous fas.h.i.+on to bear out the silly things Bess had said about her and Walter earlier in the trip.

She forgot all about her perplexity a few moments later, however, when Walter helped Nan and Bess and Grace into the roomy tonneau of his big car, put Rhoda in the front seat, squeezed himself in behind the wheel, and started the motor.

”Well, how do you like Jacksonville, girls?” he called back to them as the machine glided easily forward. ”As good as Tillbury, is it?” he added, with a glance at Nan and Bess.

”Not nearly,” answered Bess loyally, although in her heart she knew that they could put two or three Tillburys in Jacksonville and never miss them.

The girls had known in a rather vague way that Jacksonville was a big place, but they had never expected to see anything like the bustling, thriving, wide-awake city they now drove through.

”Why, it is almost as noisy and crowded as New York,” said Bess, wide-eyed, as Walter skilfully threaded his way through the heavy traffic. ”And we thought that was simply awful. Walter, please be careful.”

”Don't worry,” Walter sang back, grazing the rear wheel of another machine by the very narrowest margin possible. ”If we did hit anything, we wouldn't be the ones to get hurt. This old bus could stop an express train.”

”Maybe it could,” retorted Bess. ”But please try it some time when you are alone.”

”Don't mind him,” said Grace, with her quiet smile. ”You know Walter never does all he says.”

”Don't I though----” Walter was beginning, when his sister cut him off by turning eagerly to Nan and Bess.

”We're stopping at the Hampton,” she said, the Hampton being one of the largest and most important of all the large and important hotels in Jacksonville. ”Mother has engaged a perfectly lovely room for you girls.

Rhoda and I room together. It is just for one night, you know, for we are going to take the train for Palm Beach to-morrow morning.”

”Then,” cried Nan, happily, ”we shall have all the rest of to-day to do as we please in.”

”What bliss,” breathed Bess. ”Walter, you are going to be a perfect angel, aren't you, and take us for a lovely long, long ride?”

”At your service, fair damsel,” said Walter gallantly. ”We were planning that anyway,” he went on to explain. ”Mother and dad thought they would like to come along, too.”

”More bliss,” cried Bess, adding, as a cloud suddenly darkened her face: ”I do hope we don't run across Linda any more. I declare, if I ever hear her say another word against you, Nancy Sherwood, I shall just have to kill her, that's all.”

”Well, I must say I do wish she would stay home where she belongs,” said Nan with a troubled frown. ”Wherever we go she seems sure to turn up and spoil everything--or try to. I wonder if Cora is with her,” she added.