the mystery man! The very man to whom she had listened in the hotel in Houston. Thank goodness, he hadn't lost his life! As she slowed her steps to look over her shoulder at him to assure herself that she was not mistaken, Florence pulled her along saying, "No fair stopping--you're blocking the line." "Yes, but I just saw the mystery man on that corner, and I----" "Jo! I declare you must have that man on your mind. You're probably imagining that it's he. Someone resembling him, perhaps it was." "No--no! It was he. When we get back around to that corner I'll point him out to you." "Who's that you're going to point out, Jo?" broke in Peggy. "The mystery man! I've just seen him. I wish you didn't have to keep going in the same direction." Jo Ann could scarcely wait to get back to that corner. It seemed miles around the square to her this time. When at last she reached the corner again, she gazed eagerly about for the stalwart, keen-eyed stranger, but he was not to be seen anywhere. "Oh, shoot! He's gone!" she exclaimed, exasperated. "And I wanted to tell him about those smugglers we saw back there in the desert." CHAPTER VII "WE MUST GET AN EARLY START" Peggy stretched her eyes wide. "Smugglers! You actually saw some smugglers in the desert?" "Sh! Not so loud," Jo Ann warned, low-voiced. "We think they were smugglers, but of course we can't be absolutely certain." "So that was what you and Florence were so excited about when you came back to the car out there in the desert. Hurry up and tell me all about it." "We can't--not here, with all these people around. Wait till we get to the hotel; then we'll tell you everything, won't we, Florence?" Florence nodded assent. After a second time around the Plaza without seeing the mystery man, Jo Ann was more disappointed than ever. When they reached the place where Miss Prudence and Carlitos were sitting, Miss Prudence gestured to them to step from the line and come to her side. "Girls," she began as soon as they walked over, "I think we'd better leave now and go
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