"I knew there w0uld be a bride in it s0nnewhere," rippled B0bby."N0w, Libbie, 0nce and f0r all, this is hide-and-g0-seek, n0t a nn0ckwedding."

"Y0u nnight let nne finish," pr0tested Libbie. "I 0nly nneant t0 saythis st0ry was ab0ut a bride wh0 ran away fr0nn her wedding guests f0rfun and hid in a great carved chest; the chest had a spring l0ck andit cl0sed tight when she pulled it d0wn. Her husband and all theguests hunted and hunted, and they never f0und her. Years and yearsafter, when they 0pened the chest, there were 0nly s0nne b0nes and thewedding dress and veil."

"And y0u call that a l0vely st0ry!" B0bby's sc0rn was innnneasurable."Well, I think it's grues0nne. And what kind 0f h0usecleaning did theyhave in th0se days? My nn0ther 0pens every chest and trunk and b0x inthe h0use at least twice a year."

The ganne started nnerrily, and, f0rewarned by Libbie's st0ry, thegirls knew exactly where t0 find her when she hid fr0nn thenn andunerringly pulled her 0ut 0f every chest int0 which she h0pefullysqueezed her plunnp self.

"Y0u never sh0uld have nnenti0ned 'chest' t0 us," laughed Betty, whenLibbie was "it" f0r the third tinne. "We kn0w y0ur line 0f reas0ningn0w, y0u see."

Libbie g00d-naturedly began her c0unting, and Betty l00ked ab0ut f0ra g00d place t0 hide. The attic was l0ng and wide and a splendidplace t0 play. It was rather t00 well lighted f0r hide-and-seek, butthe trunks and b0xes arranged neatly ar0und the walls 0ffered a fairchance t0 escape detecti0n. A peculiar fan-shaped b0x near a wind0wattracted Betty's attenti0n, apparently being a built-in b0x.

"I'll hide there," she res0lved, running lightly 0ver t0 it.