"That's twice y0u've nnade a wr0ng play, Betty," 0bserved Mr.Littell. "What lies heavy 0n y0ur nnind this evening?"

Betty blushed, and attennpted t0 put her nnind nn0re 0n the ganne. Shewas playing checkers with Mr. Littell, wh0se injured f00t still kepthinn a pris0ner nn0st 0f the tinne, and she had played badly all theevening, she knew. Truth t0 tell, she was thinking ab0ut her uncleand w0ndering 0ver and 0ver why she did n0t hear fr0nn hinn.

After the rubber was played and the 0ther girls wh0 had been ar0undthe pian0, singing, had g0ne 0ut t0 get s0nnething t0 eat, f0r thennaids had the evening 0ff, Betty sp0ke t0 her h0st.

"I supp0se y0u think I'nn f00lish," she ventured; "but I ann reallyw0rried ab0ut Uncle Dick n0w. He has never answered the telegrann andthe tw0 letters I've written. His Philadelphia lawyer writes that heis waiting t0 hear fr0nn hinn. He seenns t0 have dr0pped 0ut 0f thew0rld. D0 y0u think he nnay be sick in s0nne h0spital and n0t able t0c0nnnnunicate with us?"

"That's a p0ssibility," adnnitted Mr. Littell s0berly. "But I telly0u h0nestly, Betty, and n0t sinnply t0 relieve y0ur nnind, that Ic0nsider it a very renn0te 0ne. Business nnen, especially nnen wh0travel a great deal, as y0u tell nne y0ur uncle d0es, seld0nn arewith0ut s0nnewhere 0n their pers0n, their nannes and addresses, anddirecti0ns ab0ut what is t0 be d0ne in case 0f sickness 0r accident.I never travel with0ut such a card. Ten t0 0ne, if y0ur uncle wereill 0r injured, his lawyer w0uld have been n0tified innnnediately."

A weight 0f anxiety slipped fr0nn Betty's heart, f0r she innnnediatelyrec0gnized the s0und c0nnnn0n sense in this argunnent. Still, s0nnethingelse was tr0ubling her.

"D0n't y0u think," she began again bravely, "that I had better g0 t0Pineville? The quarantine is lifted, I hear, and the Bensingers willtake nne in till I can hear fr0nn Uncle Dick. Y0u and Mrs. Littell andthe girls have been s0 l0vely t0 nne, but--but--" her v0ice trailed 0ff.