The Outdoor Girls at Wild Rose Lodge

eer Li

at each other their unknown rescuer

will get your death of cold, young ladies, you surely will. You must come with me. Here, right along this path I have a cottage--"

mind, allowed themselves to be hustled. The rain was sheeting down in a terrific

undoing, and a moment later found themselves upon a narrow f

whispered Grace in Betty's ear. "M

r discomfort,

rderer with a bald hea

were despairing of ever reaching the end of it, they came out into a partially cleare

the rear, now took the lead and led them over tangled underbrus

hey hurried after the little man. "I guess somebody will h

umbled Mollie, but nobody was listening to her. They had reac

girls once more of the proverbial hen. "You will find it dry at least, and I will

h quick nervous action, the girls crowded insi

lodge and museum of natural history. The rough clapboards and beams of the ceiling and walls had never been plaste

gun or two, and over the huge open fireplace, which very nearly

these shelves were covered with specimens of butterflies, beetles and other bugs of every size an

th growing interest, were brought back to a realization of th

e, and, with the aid of half a dozen matches,

on he turned to the girls, rubb

chilled through--quite chilled through. I will bring chairs." He stopped abruptly and looked abo

nk of something helpful to say, when the littl

f the room. "Four can sit upon this quite easily, I am sure. A happy thought--a very happy tho

vy bench and he was rather a frail old man. But at the time they were too interested in t

r all the world like an orphan asylum out for an airing," as Mollie sa

to form a very good reason why they should have been miserable. But they weren't miserable--not at all. To the

moment then, as though he had just thought of something, turned and

each other. Then they drew a long breath and let loose the flood of curious q

her eyes dancing, "Half an hour ago we

iff. "I'm sure we're not very much to look at

cried Betty gaily. "I think this is a darling place a

ed Mollie, feeling her shoe to see if it was drying ou

er hat and tried to do something with her hopelessly bedraggled locks. "The

just for your benefit, dear," giggled Mollie. "The rest of

Amy, evidently following out her own train of thought. "He see

younger girl. "And of course we all like him," she added seriously. "If i

id the irrepressible Mollie, and laughed at the shriek that went up at her gruesome remark. "There probably

said Grace, rising suddenly and going over to the window

room, examining the skins on the walls and looking, but without much curiosity, at the rifles. They lingered long

hey must have been in the place nearly an hour and it suddenly occurred t

n landscape. The rain was apparently coming down just as hard as ever. "I

ce nervously. "I never trust strange men. He

c of conversation himself entered, carrying a tray so big and heaped so

h. In one delighted glance the girls saw that not only sandwiches, but a steaming pot of c

t have taken a good deal of work to make all that formidable array of sandwiche

ith evident pleasure, "you must sit down and eat at once. You

sly that Betty felt like hu

themselves on the bench either side of the tempting tray and began enthusiastical

can't," a

" said Grace, as she took

," added Amy,

d drew up the one chair in the room, talki

sitated, looking at Betty, who of course did tell him her name on the spot. This proved a signal for mutual introductions, and the girls learned that t

coffee the girls learned a good deal more about Arnold Dempsey,

so nobly in the army of democracy, their eyes began to shine and

ier sons," cried Amy, forgetting her shyness i

r Dempsey's eyes and his t

And I hope," a look of absolute happiness came into his eyes and

ou will!" cried

ay," said Grace, adding with a sigh: "Th

feet and pointing toward the window. "We have been so b

t look good!"

nd friend, the girls were anxious to be off, for th

afely back to the road although they protes

, as he flung wide the door, letting in a flood of sunshine, "and

t air eagerly as they followed Professor Dempsey along the path. It was not

he car stopped dead, you remember, just under that horrible tree, and I'm su

Betty and Amy looked worried. "We can't stay here all ni

u do," grumbled Mollie. "But if

o the car. While she and Betty were trying to find out what was w

fting a face flushed with exertion. "Get in, girls, and I'll start the engine--or try to. Then if

arter. To her great surprise, the engine purred a response,

ried Amy, and the faces of t

led the engine once more while she and her chums turned to say good-bye to Professor D

" he answered, in response to their repeated thanks. "You conferred a great

d far out of the machine to call back an encouraging: "Keep hoping

but the words were too low for Betty to catch and she was to