Dorothy Dale to the Rescue by Margaret Penrose

Dorothy's eyes followed the direction of Tavia's momentarily petrified stare and she suddenly and sharply drew in her breath. There seated side by side with their heads close together were Stanley Blake and the small black-eyed man whom he had called Gibbons.

Dorothy felt extremely uncomfortable, but she retained her presence of mind sufficiently to urge Tavia to go on as quickly as possible.

Tavia was quick to take the hint and, pretending they did not see the two men and hoping that the latter would not notice them, they hurried by. With relief they found themselves a moment later safe and unrecognized in the dining car.

There was a short line of passengers awaiting admission to the tables and Dorothy was greatly relieved when she and Tavia were finally beckoned to places at the front of the car.

Facing each other across the table, their eyes spoke volumes but their tongues were tied by the fact that they were not alone at the table, at which were already eating two men in loud, checked suits and flashy neckties.

Dorothy, facing the door of the dining car, watched it constantly in apprehension lest the two men appear. Tavia, watching the direction of her glance, understood her thought and spoke reassuringly.

"I don't imagine there is any danger of meeting them here now, Doro," she said. "You remember they were always the first in the dining car on the way out and probably their habits haven't changed much since then."

Dorothy nodded.

"Lucky for us we waited until the second call," she said.

After that they spoke only of trivial things until the two men at their table, traveling salesmen, by their conversation, got up and lumbered fatly off.

Tavia found herself wondering with an inward chuckle why men who indulged a passion for checked suits almost invariably were fat.

An anxious question from Dorothy brought her back to consideration of the immediate problem confronting them.

"Do you think they are going to Desert City? " asked Dorothy in a voice so low it could hardly be heard above the pounding of the train.

"I shouldn't wonder if that were their destination, Doro mia," agreed Tavia reluctantly. "Having mentioned Garry's ranch and being now bound in the general direction of Colorado and Desert City, it seems only fair to assume that their destination is more or less identical with ours."

"If I could only find out what they are up to! " cried Dorothy, adding, as her pretty mouth set itself firmly: "And I intend to find out, too, before I get through with those rascals."

"I have a shorter and uglier word for them," said Tavia. Then she leaned across the table toward her chum and asked with interest: "This begins to sound thrilling, Doro, do you mind telling an old friend-if not a trusted one-when and how you intend to start in the business of mind reading?"

"I am sure I don't know! " admitted Dorothy, as she stared absently at her practically untouched plate. "It is one thing to determine on an action and quite another to carry it out."

"There speaks great wisdom," gibed Tavia, in good-natured raillery, adding with genuine concern as her eyes also focused upon Dorothy's plate of untouched food: "But why don't you eat, Doro? One must, you know, to live -- "

Quite suddenly Dorothy's eyes filled with tears and her lip quivered. Tavia looked astonished and alarmed.

"Now what have I done? " she cried. "If I said anything -- "