“I am sorry Miss Downs is away,” said Cora simply.  “I intended to take her on a little run with me.  She doesn’t get many chances to go out in a car.”

“No, I guess, not.  But don’t you think it—­er—­rather risky to take up with—­shop girls?”

“Shop girls?  Why, any girl is a lady, no matter what her position, as long as she conducts herself like one.  What do you mean by your insinuations?”

She almost detested herself for asking him this question, but she could not help it.

Sid laughed.

“What have you to say against her character?” demanded Cora again.

Sid seemed a bit uneasy.  He had hardly expected to be pinned down so directly.

“Oh, of course,” he finally answered, “if you feel that way about it, I—­er—­I suppose—­nothing.  I only wished to caution you.  That money matter is still in—­er—­well, let us say, in an awkward shape.”

“Does Mary Downs know anything about it?” asked Cora directly, determined to face Sid down.

“I’m sure I don’t know,” he drawled.  “But you know she was —­er—­there with the—­rest of us.”

CHAPTER XIV

JUST CORA AND PAUL

As if this had been the entire object of his peculiar actions, Sid suddenly stopped the car.

“This is as far as I care to go,” he said.  “I think I’ll leave you now.  I can’t thank you enough for the ride,” he added mockingly, and, with a bow that had much of irony in it, he walked down a side path of the park, into which he had directed the machine.

Cora did not answer him, but her look was sufficient to show what she thought.  And in spite of her contempt she felt an overwhelming desire to question him about what he had said of Mary Downs.

Did Sid Wilcox know anything about the robbery?

That was a question Cora asked herself as she took her place at the wheel, just vacated by the unmannerly youth.

“He certainly acts as though he did,” she reasoned to herself.  “And why should he make such an insinuation against Mary?”

She found no answer to her question.  Suddenly looking at her watch she noted that no train had departed from New City since she and Paul had reached there.  She was yet in time to give, him a ride home as she had planned.  Turning quickly she made the run back toward the bank building.

From behind a clump of bushes Sid Wilcox watched her.

“I wonder if you’ll tell your brother?” he mused, “If you do there may be a row over my kidnaping you.  But I couldn’t help it.  No, I don’t think you will tell Jack.  You don’t want to see us—­quarrel.”

He added the last word below his breath, and there was a mean smile on his face.  As he turned to continue his walk he met a man coming in the opposite direction.

“Lem Gildy!  What are you doing here?” he exclaimed.

“Why—­er—­I’m sort of lookin’ for work.”