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III

Felix had no idea he'd got to scale a range of mountains to reach Avidon's. Something had gone wrong with the little car since he'd gotten up into the high altitude. Seemed to lose her vitality. Too rare air for her lungs, or something, he guessed.

Felix hadn't written Sheilah a word about the car. It had flashed over him about a week ago how wonderful it would be to get a few days off, and bring her down 'over the road' like other people. They might even camp out on the way home for a night if he managed to pick her up a day or two before she planned to leave. He had brought an auto tent and other camping equipment. Sheilah used to like to picnic. Gosh! He hoped he was on the right road. It was getting late. He'd better stop, he guessed, at the big hotel on the right up there and inquire.

He had no idea the big hotel on the right was Avidon's. He'd understood Avidon's was a sanitarium. He had pictured a small, sort of country boarding-house affair, like the sanitarium his mother had gone to in Vermont once, to get strong after her operation.

He didn't turn into the driveway that curved up to the front entrance of the hotel. The interested group on the verandah saw him bring his laboring little car to a standstill just beyond the clock golf-