Page:Ruth of the U.S.A. (IA ruthofusa00balm).pdf/82

 The next morning she bought a small typewriter, of the sort which one can carry traveling, and took up Cynthia Gail's correspondence. Neither the mail of that day nor the telephone presented to her any difficult problem; and she had no new callers. Indeed, except for Hubert Lennon, who "looked by"—as he spoke of it—just before noon, she encountered no one who had anything to say to her until, walking out early in the afternoon, she met upon the street the woman in gray who had given her the order about Gerry Hull on yesterday afternoon.

Ruth went a little weak with fright when the woman caught step beside her; but the woman at once surprised her with reassurance.

"Gerry Hull returns to France from here," the woman informed abruptly. "He will be transferred to the American air service there; he will sail from New York probably on the Ribot next week. That is a passenger vessel, carrying cargo, of course; but not yet used for troop shipments. Passengers proceed as individuals. You will probably be allowed a certain amount of choice in selecting your ship. So you shall report at New York and endeavor to secure passage upon the Ribot. Understand?"

"Perfectly," Ruth said.

"Your friendship with Gerry Hull will prove invaluable in France! Do nothing to jeopardize it! You have done with him, well! But you are in too much danger here; go East tonight; wait there."

The woman went away. How much did she know about what had passed with Gerry Hull, Ruth wondered. She had seen, probably, that Ruth was with him again in the conservatory after his speech and that they had