Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: The Girls Sat On the Broad Piazza.] THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT PALM BEACH OR PROVING THEIR METTLE UNDER SOUTHERN SKIES By LAURA DENT CRANE Author of The Automobile Girls at Newport, The Automobile Girls in the Berkshires, The Automobile Girls Along the Hudson, The Automobile Girls at Chicago, etc. Illustrated PHILADELPHIA HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY Copyright, 1913, by Howard E. Altemius PRINTED IN U. S. A. CONTENTS I. The Land of Dreams 7 II. A West Indian Squall 21 III. The Fair Unknown 32 IV. The Compact 43 V. The Daughter of Mrs. De Lancey Smythe 51 VI. The Countess Sophia 64 VII. Tea in the Cocoanut Grove 75 VIII. The Warning 87 IX. A Case of Mistaken Identity 95 X. The Secret Signals 105 XI. Wheels Within Wheels 113 XII. Maud Refuses to Be Rescued 123 XIII. A Surprise Party 132 XIV. The Plot Thickens 147 XV. Caught Napping 154 XVI. Welcome and Unwelcome Guests 166 XVII. The Midnight Intruder 179 XVIII. The Water Fête 189 XIX. Red Dominos 200 XX. Conclusion 204 The Automobile Girls at Palm Beach CHAPTER I THE LAND OF DREAMS "I don't believe anything could be more lovely than this," exclaimed Mollie Thurston, leaning back in a wicker chair on the piazza of one of the largest hotels at Palm Beach. "Right you are!" replied her friend, Ruth Stuart, as she gazed across the still blue waters of Lake Worth dotted with pleasure boats. "I can't decide whether I should like to ride in the automobile, or sail, or just sit in the cocoanut grove and listen to the music. Life seems so easy under a blue sky like this, and there are so many things to do that it is hard to make a choice." "What do people usually do at this hour?" Grace Carter asked. "A woman I talked with on the train told me there was a programme of amusements for every hour at Palm Beach." "Well, my dear, you have only to gaze about you and see for yourself. It is now high noon," answered Ruth, consulting her watch. Grace glanced quickly about her. All along the broad piazza, and under awnings on the lawn, a gay company of men, women and young people were sipping delicious iced fruit drinks in tall, thin glasses.