"Not exactly rob, Cora. He says some one--" "Now don't go into details until you feel better. Come, get in the car with me," and Cora led Ida back to where the auto waited. "Oh; Cora! I--I can't get in your car with you--I--I can't accept any kindness from you--after--after what I've done. And to think that you should come to save me from him! I--I feel like a--a thief!" "But you're not!" declared Cora stoutly. "No, not exactly, but almost as bad. Oh, Cora, I--I wish I could tell you, but I--I daren't!" and again Ida sobbed hysterically. "Well, Ida, dear, you don't have to tell me now--maybe not at any time," spoke Cora soothingly as she placed her arm about the girl's waist. "Come along for a ride in the Whirlwind. That will settle your nerves." "Where are you going?" asked Ida as she noticed they were not heading for Chelton. "We'll go to New City, Ida," went on Cora with sudden resolve. "I want to ask you a question." "Yes," spoke Ida nervously. "Did you lose anything at my party?" and Cora's thoughts were on the diamond ring in the safe. "No," replied Ida firmly. "Didn't you, really?" insisted Cora, surprised that Ida would not admit ownership of the ring. "I--I didn't lose anything, Cora," and Cora wondered at the stress Ida placed on the word "lose." "Well, I have a secret to tell you. Jack did not want me to speak of it, but I'm going to, for I'm just consumed with curiosity. Paul Hastings found a beautiful diamond ring in his pocket after the fete, and your initials were engraved in the gold." Cora turned so as to look into Ida's face, and she could plainly see that a change came over her countenance. "Paul Hastings found it?" murmured Ida. "The ring with my initials in?" "Yes. Didn't you really lose it?" For a moment Ida did not speak. She was biting her lips, and her fingers were nervously playing with the fringe on the lap robe. "Cora," she exclaimed impulsively, "I have been mean--hateful to you--but--you have not deserved it. Sid Wilcox told me he had you out riding, and he said you spoke of a lot of things about me--" "What!" cried Cora. "He dared to say that?" "Yes; and people saw you out with him." "So they might have; but the truth was he jumped into my car and ran away with it without my permission. That's how I came to be in the motor with him." "He never told me that!" exclaimed Ida. "Well, that's just like him. Now I will tell you. It was he who forced that ring on me--and I would not take it at first. But he made me. Then I determined to get rid of it. I did not lose it, but I slipped it into Walter Pennington's pocket. Oh, Cora! You know I--I do like Walter, and I--I thought if he saw that I wouldn't keep some one else's engagement ring that--somehow--he might send it back where it came from, and--and--" Her tears interrupted her. Cora did not understand. "You put it in Walter Pennington's pocket?" she repeated slowly. "Why, it was found in Paul Hastings' pocket."