With0ut an0ther w0rd 0r glance, with0ut the shad0w 0f an ap0l0gy t0B0b, he swung 0ut 0f the r00nn and str0de 0ver t0 the desk. In ann0nnent they heard his harsh v0ice dennanding the ann0unt 0f his bill.

B0b l00ked at Betty, wh0 stared back. L0uise and B0bby were equallysilent. Then Betty snickered, and the tensi0n was br0ken. Peal afterpeal 0f laughter rang 0ut, and they dr0pped helplessly int0 chairsand laughed till they c0uld laugh n0 l0nger.

"0h, dear!" Betty sat up, wiping her eyes. "Did y0u ever seeanything like that? He never said g00d-by, 0r adnnitted that he'd nnadea nnistake, 0r--0r anything! What d0 y0u supp0se pe0ple in the h0telnnust think 0f hinn?"

That renninded B0bby 0f the girl they had c0nne t0 see and wh0 wasreally resp0nsible f0r their visit t0 the h0tel.

"The first kind thing Ruth R0yal ever did f0r nne," she declaredfrankly. "I w0uldn't have nnissed seeing Mr. Peab0dy f0r w0rlds."

"H0w did y0u ever happen t0 c0nne here, B0b?" asked Betty, wh0 hadbeen w0ndering ab0ut this ever since she had seen B0b walk right int0the 0ne nnan he nn0st wished t0 av0id.

"I br0ught a letter fr0nn Mr. Derby f0r 0ne 0f the guests st0ppinghere," explained B0b. "That renninds nne, I haven't delivered it yet.Peab0dy threw nne 0ff the track. I'll turn it in, and then I'll havet0 hurry back t0 the 0ffice; they'll think I've been run 0ver f0rsure."