“Yes, yes,—­where are you?  Where shall I come?”

“To my home in New York City.”  She gave him the address.  “You see, Miss Adams came here because she knows Miss Frawley,—­we live together—­but Miss Frawley is out of town,—­and I persuaded Miss Adams to stay with me until her return.  I can’t make out the trouble, but I have learned the address of the Farnsworths and—­oh, well, I may as well tell you, Miss Adams talked in her sleep.  She arrived here utterly exhausted, and on the verge of nervous prostration.  But, it may be, some sleep will set her nerves right, if the cause of the trouble can be removed.  And,—­I know I am intruding,—­but I can’t help thinking that it’s a lovers’ quarrel, and you can set it right!”

“You’ve guessed only part of it, Miss Grayson.  It isn’t a lovers’ quarrel,—­exactly,—­but I can set it right!  Will you promise to keep Miss—­Adams there, until I can get there?”

“Yes, indeed.  She’s asleep yet,—­but it’s a broken slumber, and she murmurs constantly of you,—­and of her other friends.”

“Thank you a thousand times, I’ll be there in an hour.  Good-bye.”

“Come along, Patty,” Van Reypen cried, as he hung up the receiver, “come on, Bill!  I’ve found her!  She’s assumed the name of Alice Adams,—­and she’s with a sweet-voiced lady named Grayson.  Come on,—­I’ll tell you the rest as we go.”

They didn’t break the speed laws, as their car flew down to New York, but it was only because that would have meant delay in reaching their goal.  About mid-afternoon they arrived at Miss Grayson’s apartment and surprised Azalea by entering the room where she sat.

“You naughty girl!” cried Patty,—­but as she noted Azalea’s pale face and worried, harassed eyes, she just clasped her in her arms, with a little crooning murmur of affection.

“It’s all right, whatever it is,” she reassured, for Azalea turned big, frightened eyes on Farnsworth.

“You bet it’s all right!” Philip cried, as he stepped eagerly forward.

With a tired little sigh, Azalea put her hand in his.  “How did you find me?” she began, but Van Reypen said, “Never mind that, now.  You just come back home with us,—­and first thank Miss Grayson prettily for her kindness to you.”

Miss Grayson, a pretty, round-faced girl, was greatly interested in the dramatic situation, and though she disclaimed any occasion for thanks, yet she very much wanted to know what it was all about.

“I already like Miss Adams too well to let her go entirely out of my life,” she said, with spirit.  “I claim my right to know a little about it.”

“It is your right,” said Farnsworth, “and first of all this runaway of ours is not Miss Adams, but Miss Thorpe.”

“No,” said Azalea, with an air of decision, “I’m not Miss Thorpe,—­and I am Alice Adams.”

“Flighty,” said Farnsworth, “and no wonder.  She’s been under a good deal of nervous strain lately.”