"Why?" asked the housekeeper who, Jack learned, was Miss Turner. "Well, the girls I am searching for--ran away from their home," he blurted out. "Oh my!" exclaimed the woman. "I hope no such young ladies would present themselves at the Wayside Inn." "They might," ventured Jack. "You see, the girls were not altogether to blame. They were orphans, and did not have a good home." The woman looked puzzled. "I wonder if they could have been the two girls who were here yesterday?" she said. "They left early this morning, and I so much wanted them to stay to-day. Could you describe them?" "Well, I am afraid not," said Jack, "but my sister is a guest here, and it is she who is interested in these poor girls." Jack felt infinitely better now that he had, in a measure, cleared himself of a personal interest in the runaways. "If you will wait until I give a few dinner orders," said Miss Turner, "I will go with you and talk with your sister. I am always willing, and anxious, to assist needy young girls." This offer was accepted with thanks, and presently Jack conducted the matron to the private parlor, where he knew he would be able to arrange a quiet talk between her and Cora. CHAPTER XVIII LOOKOUT BEACH "Isn't it perfectly dreadful!" "Simply awful!" "It surely isn't true!" "But it's there--every word of it!" These exclamations burst from the lips of Belle and Bess Robinson, as the two sisters smoothed a newspaper out before their startled eyes. "And this paper was found at the Wayside," went on Bess. "No wonder the poor girls ran away again!" "When we get to the cottage I am going to ask Cora all about it," declared Belle. "It does not seem right that a newspaper should hint at anything that is not plainly stated! That about the young ladies from Chelton who rode in autos--every one will know means us." The girls were in the _Flyaway_, going along a sea cliff road, only a few miles outside of the pretty summer resort of Lookout Beach. The roaring of the ocean could be plainly heard now, the salt of the spray was in the air, and the sun glinted on the white roads. Bess and Belle, in their car, had gone on ahead, the others followed at a distance. "Isn't the air glorious!" cried Bess. "I am sure we are going to have a delightful time down here." "And wasn't it lovely of mamma to invite the boys?" added Belle. "Of course she felt perfectly helpless with just us girls; and Jack is so resourceful!" "Yes, I fancy it might have been rather lonely evenings without the boys. Of course we will have to stay around the cottage evenings, and with them we will have some opportunity for fun." "Ed says they are going to take a bungalow almost on the beach," remarked Belle. "It will be fun to see how they keep house."