The Auto Girls At Washington | Page 5

wealth and fashion could change.
Readers of the first volume in the "Automobile Girls Series," entitled
"The Automobile Girls At Newport," will recall how, nearly two years
ago, Ruth Stuart, with her father and her aunt, Miss Sallie Stuart, came
from their home in far away Chicago to spend the summer in
Kingsbridge, New Jersey. The day that Barbara Thurston stopped a pair
of runaway horses and saved Ruth Stuart from death she did not dream
that she had turned the first page in the history of the "Automobile
Girls." A warm friendship sprang up between Ruth and Bab, and a little
later Ruth Stuart invited Barbara, her younger sister, Mollie Thurston,
and their friend, Grace Carter, to take a trip to Newport in her own, red
automobile with Ruth herself as chauffeur and her aunt, Miss Sallie
Stuart, as chaperon.
Exciting days at Newport followed, and the four girls brought to bay
the "Boy Raffles," the cracksman, who had puzzled the fashionable
world! There were many thrilling adventures connected with the
discovery of this "society thief," and the "Automobile Girls" proved
themselves capable of meeting whatever emergencies sprang up in their
path.
In "The Automobile Girls in the Berkshires," the second volume of the
"Automobile Girls Series," the scene is laid in a little log cabin on top
of one of the highest peaks in the Berkshire hills, where the four girls
and Miss Sallie spent a happy period of time "roughing it." There it was
that they discovered an Indian Princess and laid the "Ghost of Lost
Man's Trail."
In the third volume of the series, "The Automobile Girls Along the

Hudson," the quartet of youthful travelers, accompanied by Miss Sallie
Stuart, motored through the beautiful Sleepy Hollow country, spending
several weeks at the home of Major Ted Eyck, an old friend of the
Stuarts. There many diverting experiences fell to their lot, and before
leaving the hospitable major's home they were instrumental in saving it
from destruction by forest fires.
The fourth volume of the series, "The Automobile Girls at Chicago,"
relates the adventures of the four friends during the Christmas holidays,
which Mollie, Grace and Bab spent with Ruth at Chicago and at
"Treasureholme," the country estate of the Presbys, who were cousins
of the Stuart family. While there, principally through the cleverness of
Barbara Thurston, the hiding place of a rich treasure buried by one of
The ancestors of the Presbys was discovered in time to prevent the
financial ruin of both Richard Presby and Robert Stuart, who had
become deeply involved through speculation in wheat.
Before Mollie, Grace and Barbara returned to Kingsbridge, Mr. Stuart
had promised that they should see Ruth again in March at Palm Beach,
where he had planned a happy reunion for the "Automobile Girls."
There it was that they had, through a series of happenings, formed the
acquaintance of a mysterious countess and become involved in the net
of circumstances that was woven about her. How they continued to be
her friend in spite of dark rumors afloat to the effect that she was an
impostor and how she afterwards turned out to be a princess, is fully set
forth in "The Automobile Girls at Palm Beach."
"Really, Bab," said Ruth, as the two girls went upstairs to their rooms
to dress for dinner, "I have not had a chance to talk to you, alone, since
we arrived in Washington. How is your mother?"
"As well as can be," Bab answered. "How is darling Aunt Sallie? I am
so sorry she did not come to Washington with you to chaperon us.
There is no telling what mischief we may get into without her."
Ruth laughed. "I have special instructions for the 'Automobile Girls'
from Aunt Sallie. We are to be particularly careful to mind our 'P's' and
'Q's' on this visit, for Aunt Sallie wishes us to make a good impression

in Washington."
Barbara sighed. "I'll try, Ruth," she declared, "but you know what
remarkable talent I have for getting into mischief."
"Then you are to be specially par-tic-u-lar, Mistress Bab!" Ruth said
teasingly. "For Aunt Sallie's last words to me were: 'Tell Barbara she is
to look before she leaps.'"
Barbara shook her brown head vigorously. "I am not the impetuous Bab
of other automobile days. But, just the same, I wish Aunt Sallie had
come along with you."
"Oh, she may join us later," Ruth returned. "To tell you the truth, Bab,
Aunt Sallie is not fond of Harriet. She thinks Harriet is clever and
pretty, but vain and spoiled. Here come Mollie and Grace. Home from
that reception at last!"
The other two girls burst into Ruth's room at this moment.
"Whom do you think we have seen?" called out Miss Mollie
rapturously. "Oh, Washington is the greatest