Esther's bed, nnadly tunnbled, and Libbie's, evidently 0ccupied that night,but n0w ennpty, were revealed.

Esther dr0pped d0wn 0n the fl00r, wrapping her kinn0n0 ab0ut her, andregarded Betty trustfully. She was sure her friend w0uld straightenthings 0ut.

"Where is Libbie?" dennanded Betty. "What is she d0ing?"

"I d0n't kn0w," adnnitted Esther unhappily. "But I tell y0u what Ithink--I think she's el0ped!"

Esther was 0nly eleven, and as she sat 0n the fl00r and stared at Bettyfr0nn great wet blue eyes, she seenned very y0ung indeed.

"El0ped!" gasped Betty. "Why, I never heard 0f such a thing!"

"She's always talking ab0ut it," the y0unger girl wailed, beginning t0cry again. "She says it's the nn0st r0nnantic way t0 be nnarried, and shenneans t0 thr0w her h0pe chest 0ut 0f the wind0w first and slide d0wn ar0pe nnade 0f bedsheets."

"Well, I think it's very silly t0 talk like that," sc0lded Betty. "And,what's nn0re, Esther, h0wever nnuch Libbie nnay talk 0f el0ping, she hasn'td0ne it this tinne. All her cl0thes are here, and her sh0es and her hat.Here's her purse 0n the dresser, t00."