“You must go!” insisted gentle Ruth, bursting into tears.  “Harriet does not even know that the papers she gave away were worthless.  If she has found out she has been duped she will be doubly desperate.”

At this instant the door bell rang loudly.  No one in the study appeared to hear it.  Mollie had crept slowly back upstairs to Grace.  Ruth, Mr. Hamlin and Bab were too wretched to stir.

A sound of hasty footsteps came down the hall, followed by a knock at the study door.  The door flew open of its own accord.  Like a vision straight from Heaven appeared the faces of Mr. Robert Stuart and his sister, Miss Sallie!

Ruth sprang into her father’s arms with a cry of joy.  And Bab, her eyes still streaming with tears, was caught up in the comforting arms of Miss Sallie.

CHAPTER XXII

OIL ON THE TROUBLED WATERS

“What does all this mean, William Hamlin?” Mr. Stuart inquired without ceremony.

With bowed head Mr. Hamlin told the whole story, not attempting to excuse himself, for Mr. Hamlin was a just man, though a severe one.  He declared that he had been influenced to suspect Barbara ever since her arrival in his home.  His enemies had also made a dupe of him, but his punishment had come upon him swiftly.  He had just discovered that his own daughter had tried to deliver into the hands of paid spies, state papers of the United States Government.

Mr. Stuart and Aunt Sallie looked extremely serious while Mr. Hamlin was telling his story.  But when Mr. Hamlin explained how Ruth and Bab had exchanged the valuable political documents for folded sheets of blank paper, Mr. Stuart burst into a loud laugh, and his expression changed as though by a miracle.  He patted his daughter’s shoulder to express his approval, while Miss Sallie kissed Bab with a sigh of relief.

Mr. Stuart and his sister had both been extremely uneasy since the arrival of Ruth’s singular telegram, not knowing what troubled waters might be surrounding their “Automobile Girls.”  Indeed Miss Sallie had insisted on accompanying her brother to Washington, as she felt sure her presence would help to set things right.

Mr. Stuart’s laugh cleared the sorrowful atmosphere of the study as though by magic.  Ruth and Barbara smiled through their tears.  They were now so sure that all would soon be well!

“It seems to me, William, that all this is ‘much ado about nothing,’” Mr. Stuart declared.  “Of course, I can see that the situation would have been pretty serious if poor Harriet had been deceived into giving up the real documents.  But Bab and Ruth have saved the day!  There is no harm done now.  You even know the names of the spies.  There is only one thing for us to consider at present, and that is—­where is Harriet?”

“Yes, Father,” Ruth pleaded.  “Do find Harriet.”

“The child was foolish, and she did wrong, of course,” Mr. Stuart went on.  “But, as Ruth tells me Harriet did not know the real papers were exchanged for false ones, she probably thinks she has disgraced you and she is too frightened to come home.  You must take steps to find her at once, and to let her know you forgive her.  It is a pity to lose any time.”