A quick flush mounted the man's brow, and he bowed Tavia out of his private office.

Once again in the open, she breathed freely.

"What a perfectly horrid man," she murmured. "To think that Mrs. White receives but thirty-five dollars from each apartment and he actually gets eighty and one hundred dollars! Poor Miss Mingle! It must take every penny she earns just to pay the rent! And it takes all Aunt Winnie receives to pay the expenses and taxes of the place! And with the difference Mr. Akerson buys fur coats and things." Tavia's indignation knew no bounds.

On the trip home she thought quickly and clearly.

Arriving there, she was met by an excited family.

"Wherever have you been?" cried Dorothy.

"My dear," gasped Aunt Winnie, "you've given us an awful fright!"

"I was just down to start out on a trip through the hospitals and police stations," said Ned.

"And I've now spoiled the beautiful trip," said Tavia, with a laugh.

"It's just delightful to stay away long enough to be missed."

"Yes, I know it is," said Dorothy. "But where have you been?"

"Out," was Tavia's laconic answer.

"Really!" said Ned, with broad sarcasm.

Aunt Winnie smiled. "Don't tell them your secret, Tavia; they only want to find out so that they can tease you about it."

"Anyone who insists on hearing my secret," said Tavia, striking a tragic pose, "does so at his peril!"

Ned decided that it was worth the risk, and rushed at Tavia to wrench the secret bare, but she eluded him skillfully, leaping directly over a couch. Ned was close at her heels, and out into the hall she ran, shutting the door after her, keeping Ned on the other side. In a moment it was opened. Desperate, Tavia sprang to the entrance into the main hall, and Ned followed so closely that they reached the divan in the hall at the same moment, Tavia sinking exhausted into its depths. She had won, because Ned could do nothing now except stand gallantly by-he could not smother Tavia in pillows in the public hall, and still maintain his dignity-so Tavia's secret remained her own.

Dorothy appeared in the doorway.

"Such perfectly foolish young people!" she scolded. "Come inside this instant! It's a good thing that father will arrive to-night, to balance this frivolous family!"

Tavia sat up astonished. "Major Dale coming to-night? I'm so glad. And Nat and Joe and Roger! Won't that be fine for the skating party?"

Dorothy, too, sank into the comfortable divan.

"Father's rheumatism is all well again, and they will arrive in time for dinner to-night," she said. "The telegram came directly after breakfast."

"Dorothy told me about your visit to Miss Mingle in the apartment house,"

said Ned, suddenly becoming serious. But Tavia did not want to discuss apartment houses just then, and she jumped lightly to her feet, just as Aunt Winnie opened the door.

"There's someone on the 'phone asking for Miss Travers!" she said.

Certainly mysterious things were happening to Tavia that day, thought Dorothy, as she and Ned stood, frankly curious, while Tavia clung to the receiver.

"h.e.l.lo!" she said, in a trembling voice.

"Yes, this is Miss Travers!"

"No, I do not know your voice."

"Really, I never heard your voice before!"

"Yes, this is Mrs. White's apartment."

"I'm from Dalton, yes, and my name is Travers, but I don't know you."

"Ned? He's here. You want to speak to him?"

She stepped from the telephone and handed the receiver to Ned: "It's a man's voice and he kept laughing, but I'm sure I never met him, and he finally asked for you," she explained.

"How are you, old chum?" sang out Ned, heartily. "Yes, certainly, come right upstairs. Get off at the third floor. The girls will be wild with joy!"

"Who is it?" demanded Dorothy and Tavia, in one voice.

"He'll be in the room in a minute," answered Ned, mysteriously.

CHAPTER XIX THICK ICE AND THIN

The owner of the voice on the telephone had appeared in less than a minute in the person of Bob, and before greetings were over the Major, with Nat, Roger and Joe, appeared, and there was a grand reunion.

When the boys took Bob off to see New York, the girls retired.

"Does it really seem possible that a few days ago we were country school girls?" mused Dorothy, as she and Tavia lay wide awake the next morning, waiting for the breakfast bell to ring. Tavia had succeeded in convincing Dorothy that on a holiday trip, one should never get up until two minutes before breakfast was served, and then to scramble madly to reach the table in time. This, Tavia, contended, was the only real way of knowing it was a holiday.

"I feel as much a part of New York City as any of the natives might,"

answered Tavia. "And there are such stacks of places we must yet explore."

"How different we will make Miss Mingle's days, after we all return to the Glen," Dorothy said. "We'll elect her one of our club, the n.o.ble little thing!"

"I feel like the most selfish of mortals in comparison," replied Tavia.

"Such goodness as hers is not common, I'm sure."

A jingling of musical bells announced breakfast, and to further impress the fact upon the family, every young person banged on the other one's bedroom door, and the noise for a few minutes was deafening.

"Now, Tavia, please," pleaded Dorothy, as she hurriedly dressed, "don't act so to Bob! You were so contrary last evening!"

"Can't help it," declared Tavia. "He inspires contrariness! He's so easy to tease!"

During the meal Tavia kept perfectly quiet, her eyes modestly downcast, and Dorothy watched her with great misgivings. Tavia was beginning the day entirely too modestly.

Another hour found the whole party on the banks of the lake in Central Park. The ice was in fine condition, and the lake as crowded as every spot in New York always seemed to be.