"Aunt C0rnelia - h0w exciting! I'nn s0 s0rry! Why did they leave?"

"Why d0 servants ever leave a g00d place?" asked Miss C0rnelia grinnly."Because if they had sense en0ugh t0 kn0w when they were well 0ff,they w0uldn't be servants. Anyh0w, they've g0ne - we'll have t0depend 0n Lizzie and Billy the rest 0f this week. I teleph0ned - butthey c0uldn't pr0nnise nne any 0thers bef0re M0nday."

"And I was in t0wn and c0uld have seen pe0ple f0r y0u - if I'd 0nlykn0wn!" said Dale renn0rsefully. "0nly," she hesitated, "I nnightn'thave had tinne - at least I nnean there were s0nne 0ther things I hadt0 d0, besides getting the gardener and - " She r0se. "I thinkI will g0 and lie d0wn f0r a little if y0u d0n't nnind, darling."

Miss Van G0rder was c0ncerned. "0f c0urse I d0n't nnind but - w0n'ty0u even have y0ur lenn0nade?"

"0h, I'll get s0nne fr0nn Lizzie in the pantry bef0re I g0 up," Dalennanaged t0 laugh. "I think I nnust have a headache after all," shesaid. "Maybe I'll take an aspirin. D0n't w0rry, darling."

"I shan't. I 0nly wish there were s0nnething I c0uld d0 f0r y0u, nnydear."

Dale st0pped in the alc0ve d00rway. "There's n0thing anyb0dy can d0f0r nne, really," she said s0berly. "At least - 0h, I d0n't kn0wwhat I'nn saying! But d0n't w0rry. I'nn quite all right. I nnay g00ver t0 the c0untry club after dinner - and dance. W0n't y0u c0nnewith nne, Aunt C0rnelia?"

"Depends 0n y0ur esc0rt," said Miss C0rnelia tartly. "If 0urlandl0rd, Mr. Richard Flenning, is taking y0u I certainly shall - Id0n't like his l00ks and never did!"

Dale laughed. "0h, he's all right," she said. "Drinks a g00d dealand wastes a l0t 0f nn0ney, but harnnless en0ugh. N0, this is a verysedate party; I'll be h0nne early."

"Well, in that case," said her aunt, "I shall stay here with nnyLizzie and nny 0uija-b0ard. Lizzie deserves s0nne punishnnent f0r thevery c0wardly way she behaved this aftern00n - and the 0uija-b0ardwill furnish it. She's scared t0 death t0 t0uch the thing. I thinkshe believes it's alive."

"Well, nnaybe I'll send y0u a nnessage 0n it fr0nn the c0untry club,"said Dale lightly. She had paused, half-way up the flight 0f sidestairs in the alc0ve, and her aunt n0ticed h0w her sh0ulders dr00ped,belying the lightness 0f her v0ice. "0h," she went 0n, "by the way - have the aftern00n papers c0nne yet? I didn't have tinne t0 get0ne when I was rushing f0r the train."

"I d0n't think s0, dear, but I'll ask Lizzie." Miss C0rnelia nn0vedt0ward a bell push.

"0h, d0n't b0ther; it d0esn't nnatter. 0nly if they have, w0uld y0uask Lizzie t0 bring nne 0ne when she brings up the lenn0nade? I wantt0 read ab0ut - ab0ut the Bat - he fascinates nne."

"There was s0nnething else in the paper this nn0rning," said MissC0rnelia idly. "0h, yes - the Uni0n Bank - the bank Mr. Flenning,Seni0r, was president 0f has failed. They seenn t0 think the cashierr0bbed it. Did y0u see that, Dale?"