The Automobile Girls at Palm Beach Part 18

With this he grasped one of the men by the collar and dragging him to the open hall door, picked him up and threw him off the veranda onto the drive where he landed with a thud. A moment later his companion had disposed of the other offender in like manner.

"Watch them, Joe," ordered the taller of the two yachtsmen. "If they try to enter the house again, call me. I guess we can give them all they're looking for. I'm going inside to see if there are any more rascals who need attention."

"Oh you brave boys!" exclaimed Madame de Villiers as the young man entered the drawing-room where the women were huddled together talking excitedly.

"I think the credit belongs to the young woman who had the presence of mind to go for help," smiled the youth, bowing to Ruth.

"I had to do something!" exclaimed Ruth. "I saw your boat early in the evening, and when those two men came in here and began threatening the countess I felt that the only thing to do was to see if some one on the yacht would help us."

"Did you see the other man?" asked Barbara anxiously. "He was old and white-haired and looked exactly like an ape. He was upstairs on the balcony, while I was in the countess's room getting our wraps. Then I forgot my handkerchief. When I went back for it he was in the room. I frightened him away with a shoe horn. He thought it was a revolver. He dropped to the ground from the balcony and ran towards the yacht. I thought perhaps he belonged on the boat."

"Not with us," declared the yachtsman. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Tom Halstead and my friend out there on the veranda, is Joseph Dawson, engineer of the motor yacht 'Restless' which lies at anchor just off the sh.o.r.e. We belong to the 'Motor Boat Club' boys, but I doubt if you have ever heard of us before."

Although Tom Halstead and Joe Dawson were strangers to the "Automobile Girls" they are well known to the majority of our readers. Born and brought up on the Maine coast the ocean was their play ground from early boyhood and their fondness for the sea led them to later perfect themselves in the handling of motor boats. These two youths with a number of other st.u.r.dy young men comprised the famous club of young yacht skippers and engineers, organized by a Boston broker and headed by Halstead as fleet captain, with Dawson as fleet engineer.

The reason for the appearance of the yacht "Restless" at this particular place and time is set forth in "The Motor Boat Club in Florida," the fifth volume of the "Motor Boat Club Series." That the two young men had responded instantly to Ruth's call for help was in itself the best proof of the manliness and courage of the "Motor Boat" boys.

The countess who in the meantime had recovered from the first shock of the recent disturbance now presented Miss Stuart, Madame de Villiers and the "Automobile Girls" to Tom Halstead. A moment later Joe Dawson entered the room, and more introductions followed.

"Well, they've gone," declared Dawson. "They picked themselves up very slowly and painfully and fairly slunk down the drive. I don't imagine they will trouble you again to-night. However we'd better appoint ourselves as special watchmen about the grounds until morning. I do not wish to seem inquisitive but was the motive of these rascals common robbery?"

"The men did not wish money," replied the countess slowly. "They wished to steal a certain paper I have in my possession in order to destroy it.

That is why the old man was searching my writing case. But he did not find the paper, for I carry it about my person. Forgive me for being so mysterious, and believe that my reason for secrecy is one of grave importance."

"There is nothing to forgive, Madam," replied Captain Halstead courteously. "We are only too glad to have been of service to you and beg that you will continue to accept our services at least until to-morrow. Then I would advise you to procure a special officer to remain at the villa in case you should be annoyed further by these villains."

"Thank you," exclaimed the countess, with evident agitation. "I hardly think we shall be troubled again. I do not wish an officer to come here."

"We must return to the hotel, Countess," said Miss Stuart. "It is growing late and my brother will become uneasy about us."

This time the women were a.s.sisted with their cloaks by the "Motor Boat"

boys and no startling interruption occurred. Ruth ran down the drive a little ahead of the party to where her automobile stood. Then she uttered a sudden cry of dismay. All four tires had been cut.

"Oh the rascals!" she exclaimed. "How dared they do such a contemptible thing? We'll have to go back to the villa and telephone for another car.

Father will be so worried!"

An indignant babble of feminine voices ensued broken by the deeper tones of the two young men as the party turned to go back to the villa.

Just then a familiar sound was borne to their ears. It was the chug!

chug! of a rapidly approaching automobile. A moment later the car rolled up the drive. "It's Father!" Ruth exclaimed. "Oh, I'm so glad."

"What seems to be the trouble, Sallie?" queried Mr. Stuart, springing from the car. "It's after midnight. I grew worried when you didn't return to the hotel at eleven, so decided I had better come out after you. I rather think we exceeded the speed limit too," he laughed, turning to the chauffeur.

Then Ruth burst forth with an excited account of the night's adventure.

Mr. Stuart looked grave. "I shall send you an officer in the morning, Countess," he said.

"These are the two young men who came so gallantly to our rescue, Mr.

Stuart," said the countess, turning to the "Motor Boat" boys who stood modestly in the background.

Mr. Stuart shook hands with both young men, thanking them for their prompt response to the call for help. "We should be pleased to have you dine with us to-morrow evening," he said.

"Thank you," responded the young captain, "but we shall weigh anchor in the morning."

After bidding farewell to the two young men and good night to Madame de Villiers and the Countess Sophia, the "Automobile Girls" and Miss Sallie stepped into the car in which Mr. Stuart had driven to the villa.

"I'll send a man out to put that other car in shape to-morrow," he said to Ruth as they sped down the drive. "But, hereafter when this valiant band, known as the 'Automobile Girls' pays a visit to the Countess Sophia I shall insist upon accompanying them whether or not I am invited."

CHAPTER XIV

THE PLOT THICKENS

Maud Warren apologized to Miss Sallie. Mr. Warren had been greatly displeased when he heard of his daughter's disobedience, and had reprimanded her in such severe terms, that she anxiously endeavored to conciliate Miss Stuart at the earliest opportunity. Miss Sallie, however received her effusive apology very coldly, and it was some time before Maud felt in the least comfortable in her society.

One evening soon after the eventful dinner with the countess, the "Automobile Girls" started out for a moonlight stroll accompanied by Miss Stuart, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Warren and Maud. Just as they were leaving the hotel Marian Smythe appeared on the veranda and was asked to join them.

"Where have you been keeping yourself, Marian?" asked Ruth.

Marian flushed.

"I've been very busy," she said hastily. Then as if anxious to change the subject: "Have you been to the countess's villa lately?"

"No," replied Ruth quickly. "Not since the dinner there. Have you heard anything about her?"

"No," answered Marian shortly, and relapsed into moody silence.

As they strolled leisurely along Barbara who had been walking ahead with Miss Stuart, dropped behind with Marian.

"I want to ask you something, Marian," she began.

"Little girls should never ask questions," said Marian lightly, but Barbara felt that her apparent unconcern was forced.

"Have you heard about what happened at the villa the night we dined there?" persisted Bab.

"I have heard something about it," admitted Marian, in a low voice. "It was an attempt to rob the countess, was it not?"

"You could hardly call it robbery," replied Barbara. "The men took nothing. But they acted in a very mysterious manner, and there was one perfectly hideous old man who was a real burglar for I caught him going through the things in the countess's sleeping room, when I went up stairs after our wraps. I drove him from the room."

"How did you ever do it, Bab?" asked Marian. There was an expression of absolute terror in her eyes.

"You'll laugh when I tell you," replied Bab. "I drove him away with a shoe horn."

"A shoe horn?" repeated Marian questioningly. "I don't understand."

"He thought from the way I held it that I had a revolver in my hand,"

explained Barbara. "You see it was silver and as the light in the room was turned low it looked like polished steel. At any rate it answered the purpose."