The Outdoor Girls in a Winter Camp / Or, Glorious Days on Skates and Ice Boats

gized Mr. Blackford, when he and Will called at

"Come in. We are planning a

uliarly involved in the five hundred dollar bill mystery. "You Out

mp!" they cr

sung Will, mockingly, as he

l proceeded to contort himself in various

coming in on you this way. I happened to have some business in town, and as I received a curious bit of news I thought you

ed me out so in the matter of that five hundred dollars, I have felt as though you did really take an interest in me, as

f Mr. Blackford having a sister of whom he had lost track. At one time he hoped it might develop that she was the strange girl who fell out o

ecialty of locating missing persons to look for

ations, as I call them, looking for clues," he went on. "They are getting all the old documents, bits of family history, descriptions, and so on, that they can la

ld 'make' this town to-night, I had all my mail sent here. Imagine my surprise

?" asked Be

d the young man, "and that is why I call

ed dad where, as the maid said you'd all been in the

She seemed to have forgotten

d, "I feared it was a sort o

asn't at all," i

proceeded the yo

clue?" asked Gr

took some papers from his poc

clue," pu

cau

off in th

u?" demanded Grace, impatiently. "We

the other day, wrote me that they were on the track of my sister.

attic of a house where some distant relatives live. They

me-stained and yellow papers,

er must be quite elderly to have s

in knowledge of that. Anyhow, this is part of a letter written about the girl whom

e--" beg

p still?" begg

tandy?" and he im

ed him a caramel. "Now, let's h

hich says this," went on Mr. Bla

e girl because she has a mos

sed re

requested Betty. "This

declared Mollie. "Go on, please, Mr. Blackford,

le," he remarked, ruef

Betty wan

-the letter is torn. A corner is gone. I have no more idea of what sort of identifying mark my sister

my sister; but how can I identify her, in case I meet her,

declared Will

even-that firm I spoke of-they even had located the part of the country w

say she might

ather vague. If only that piece was

Mollie. "Maybe in forwarding it the p

ot this letter, asking where the missing piece was

ent Mr. Blackford held up. It showed a tear across one corner, a tear that d

," spoke Amy, s

ray and rebellious lock of hair, "it spoil

they got this document from, and go there. It may have been in some old

d Will. "You don't know what sort of a

g all the girls he meets if they have p

I told you my troubles,"

, pleasantly. "We are interested

as gone for good," added Amy. "But if we hea

to hear of anyone who would fit what description I have of my sister-and it isn't much, to tell the truth-or if you think you see anyon

m to," agr

me know," finish

e that should provide for such a vital piece of the letter being missing. Then, afte

ure if you can go to the lumber camp; will you, Be

orning," promised Betty. "I'm pretty s

there?" asked

asked her father many questions ab

e boating?" i

father said, but not far away a man has a sort of winter

run it?" aske

and the wind blows it along. All yo

thority," declared Mollie. "Oh, b

times," put in Will. "That i

that the telephone ringing, Grace?"

said Amy. "Maybe they wan

of 'em-all taken

ed Amy, coming back. "It's your moth

Mollie's vo

crying!" and Amy's voice faltered

others listened anxiously for an i

must have gone out right after I did!

the receiver fall with a bang, "little Paul is missing-