"How splendid!" exclaimed Tillie, with that delightful German accent that defies letters and requires a pretty mouth to "exhale." "Darling!" went on Adele, with all the extravagance of schoolgirl enthusiasm. "You leave us no adjectives," remarked Cora. "I never saw anything so sweet. How ever did you get those vines to grow so promptly?" "Wild cucumber," said Adele with a laugh, "Why, you know, dear, wild cucumber can no more help growing than you can. Isn't she tall, Tillie? I do believe you have grown inches since school, Cora." "Yes, mother bemoans it. My duds are all getting away from me." "And we have been waiting lunch for you ladies. I did hope we would not have a single visitor to-day, so that we might entertain you properly," went on Adele, "but two horrid men called. Wanted 'tea'; but indeed I know what they wanted--just a quiet place to talk about their old patent papers." "Yes, and one broke a beautiful china cup," said Tillie. "But he had his thumb gone," Adele hurried to say. "I saw him directly I went to pick up the pieces. So I suppose we could not exactly blame the man for dropping Tillie's real German cup." "His thumb gone!" repeated Cora absently. "Oh!" exclaimed Hazel. "The man we met after Paul's hold-up had lost a joint of his thumb." "And papa said the papers stolen were patent papers!" exclaimed Bess, all excitement. "Hush!" whispered Belle. "Bess, you know father particularly said we were not to speak of that." If, as is claimed, the mature woman has the wonderful advantage of an instinct almost divine, then the growing girl has, undoubtedly, the advantage of intuitive shocks--flashes of wireless insight into threatening surroundings. Such a flash was distinctly felt now through the Grotto--even the two young proprietors, who were not supposed to be really concerned, felt distinctly that "something was doing somewhere." Cora sank down into a low wicker chair. Bess and Belle managed to both get upon a very small divan, while Daisy, Maud and Ray, the "three graces," stood over in the corner, where an open window let in just enough honeysuckle to sift the very softest possible sunshine about the group. But Hazel lingered near the telephone. She had confided to Cora that Paul was not at all well when he left home in the morning, and just now she was wondering if it would seem silly for her to call up the Whitehall Company and ask to speak with her brother. At that instant the telephone bell rang. It sent the expected shock through the little assemblage, and Cora jumped up as if she anticipated a message. Tillie took down the receiver. Presently she was saying "no" and "yes," and then she repeated Cora's name. She handed the receiver to Cora with a whispered word. Hazel's face went very white. "You little goose!" exclaimed Bess, who instantly noticed the change. "Is there no one here worth a telephone message but Hazel Hastings?"