Chapter 30

THE GIRLS WIN.

Mrs. Graham looked uncomfortable--not ashamed or abashed. Doubtless the conflict within her was between the cruelty of her nature and the fear of financial reverses in consequence of that cruelty. She did not answer the rebuke of her confederate attorney.

The latter drew a knife from his pocket and in a moment was severing the rope that bound the child to the chair. After he had released the boy, who looked gratefully toward him as a protector, the man threw cold water on little Glen's natural feeling of confidence toward him by saying:

"Now, mind you, Mrs. Graham, my interference is not moved by any sentiment of sympathy for the kid. I merely want to inform you that things are coming to such a pass that I may be forced to drop out of this game purely as a move of self-salvation. For instance, it appears very unwise to make any further attempts to frighten that bunch of girls. They simply don't scare. See that?"

Langford indicated the object of his question by taking off his hat, which he had neglected to remove when he entered the house, and caressing gently with two or three fingers a badly swollen wound on the side of his head almost directly over his right ear. Mrs. Graham looked at it curiously, not sympathetically.

"Where did you get that?" she inquired.

"Those girls did it, or one of them, I presume. I thought my make-up would paralyze them, but instead they nearly paralyzed me. I think they fired some rocks at me, for something of that description struck my head, and you see the result.

"I drove my machine into the timber a little farther up the road and put on my ghost outfit. Then I walked through the woods to the girls' camp and stalked past them. You would have thought my appearance was enough to freeze their veins and arteries. Well, they pretty nearly put mine in cold storage for eternity. Now, what do you know about 'first aid to the injured?' Will you get some cold water and alcohol or liniment? I'm going to have a fierce swelling. I don't suppose I can keep it down much now, but I'm going to have an awful headache and I'd like to prevent that as much as possible. Let the kid go to bed, and do something for me."

Glen took advantage of this suggestion and went into another room. Mrs. Graham and the lawyer returned to the living room. Katherine and Hazel watched them for about twenty minutes, but heard little more conversation. Then Langford left the house and Mrs. Graham and her son prepared to retire. As it appeared that they would be able to get no further information of interest to them at the Graham cottage that night, Katherine and Hazel and the other two girls who waited at the edge of the clearing returned to their camp and reported the success of their expedition.

* * * * *

Early next day, Miss Ladd, Katherine, and Hazel went by boat to Twin Lakes and appeared before a magistrate and swore out a warrant for the arrest of Mrs. Graham on a charge of cruel and inhuman treatment of a child in her custody. Before leaving Fairberry she had been given authority to take this move if in her judgment such emergency action were advisable. She also asked that Glen Irving be removed from the custody of the Grahams. Then Miss Ladd sent a telegram to Mrs. Hutchins asking her to "come at once."

Mrs. Hutchins arrived at Twin Lakes next day. Meanwhile Mrs. Graham was arrested and the boy was taken temporarily as a ward of the court. When she was confronted with the charges against her and the evidence of the two Camp Fire Girls who had witnessed one instance of outrageous cruelty, her cold resistance was broken and she promised to accede to Mrs. Hutchins demands if the prosecution were dropped.

This seemed to be the best settlement of the whole affair, and it was accepted. By order of court Glen was turned over to Mrs. Hutchins who assumed the obligation of his care and custody.

Mrs. Hutchins remained with the girls a week at their camp at Stony Point, and then all returned to Fairberry, where the tents were pitched again in the broad and scenic ravine known as Fern Hollow. Here they camped again for another week, summarized, tabulated, and classified the achievements of the last few weeks, conferred honors, and finally adjourned to their several homes, there to remain until the autumn opening of school.

But the adventures of the year for this Camp Fire were not complete. More of equally stirring character were in store for three of the girls, and those who would follow these events should read the volume entitled:

CAMP FIRE GIRLS ON A HIKE; or, LOST IN THE GREAT NORTHERN WOODS.

MOTOR BOAT BOYS SERIES

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MOTOR MAID SERIES

By KATHERINE STOKES

1. Motor Maids' School Days 2. Motor Maids by Palm and Pine 3. Motor Maids Across the Continent 4. Motor Maids by Rose, Shamrock and Thistle. 5. Motor Maids in Fair Japan 6. Motor Maids at Sunrise Camp

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THE EDWARD S. ELLIS SERIES

STORIES OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN; MYSTERY, ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE

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Astray in the Forest River and Forest Lost in the Rockies Bear Cavern The Lost River Boy Hunters in Kentucky The Daughter of the Chieftain Captured by the Indians Princess of the Woods Wolf Ear: The Indian

Read every one of the above Titles

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Manufacturers and Publishers Since 1861

701-733 SOUTH DEARBORN STREET CHICAGO

THE AEROPLANE SERIES

By JOHN LUTHER LANGWORTHY

1. The Aeroplane Boys; or, The Young Pilots First Air Voyage 2. The Aeroplane Boys on the Wing; or, Aeroplane Chums in the Tropics 3. The Aeroplane Boys Among the Clouds; or, Young Aviators in a Wreck 4. The Aeroplane Boys' Flights; or, A Hydroplane Round-up 5. The Aeroplane Boys on a Cattle Ranch

THE GIRL AVIATOR SERIES

By MARGARET BURNHAM

Just the type of books that delight and fascinate the wide awake Girls of the present day who are between the ages of eight and fourteen years. The great author of these books regards them as the best products of her pen. Printed from large clear type on a superior quality of paper; attractive multi-color jacket wrapper around each book. Bound in cloth.

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For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of 75c.

M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY

701-733 S. DEARBORN STREET CHICAGO

[Transcriber's Note: At least four variations of the title of the book are present in the text: book cover: "Camp-Fire Girls at Twin Lake frontispiece: "Campfire Girls at Twin Lake" title page: "Campfire Girls at Twin Lakes" main text heading: "Camp Fire Girls at Twin Lakes" Distinct original spellings have been retained.]

End of Project Gutenberg's Campfire Girls at Twin Lakes, by Stella M. Francis