[Transcriber's note: Extensive research found no evidence that the U. S. Copyright on this publication was renewed. ]

The Merriweather Girls

AND THE

MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN'S FAN

BY

LIZETTE M. EDHOLM

AUTHOR OF

"THE MERRIWEATHER GIRLS" SERIES

THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY

CHICAGO

COPYRIGHT 1932 BY

LIZETTE M. EDHOLM

Made in U. S. A. 

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

 I Private Property II The Picnic III The Merriweather Manor IV The Queen's Fan V Across the Hudson VI The Rescue VII Lady Betty's Adventure VIII The Thorn in the Flesh IX Shirley's Shop X Willing Helpers XI The First Customer XII A Merry Christmas XIII Bet's Party XIV The Lost Fan XV Under Suspicion XVI Hermit's Hut XVII On Guard XVIII Colonel Baxter Returns XIX The Reward

The Mystery of the Queen's Fan

CHAPTER I

PRIVATE PROPERTY

The broad Hudson shimmered gaily in the sunshine of late summer, tinyrippling splashes of white dotted its surface and some of the joy ofthe day was reflected in the faces of the three girls who sat on thehillside far above the river bank, each intent on her own thoughts. 

For a long time no one had spoken. Bet Baxter was watching a seagullrising, wheeling, soaring and settling again on the water, her blueeyes glowing as she followed the long sweeping lines of its flight andthe tilt of its wings. 

Joy Evans watched the gull with a different feeling. The thrill of itsmotion set every nerve in her body tingling with a desire to dance andskip or shout or laugh, while the quiet Shirley Williams did not see itat this moment; she was gazing into the finder of her camera as shepointed it toward the distant view of the Palisades. 

The girls were often to be found here under the big elm tree. It wastheir favorite spot in all that wide expanse of lawn and woodland thatmade up the Merriweather Estate, the home of Colonel Baxter. And hereit was that they always brought their picnic feast, and today thebasket reposed near by filled with surprises that Auntie Gibbs, theBaxter housekeeper loved to prepare for Bet and her friends. 

These girls had the run of the grounds, for Uncle Nat, the old gardenerwas as indulgent with this motherless girl as her easy-going father. What Bet wanted, she usually got, for no one could quite resist thecharm of her smile, least of all her two chums, Shirley Williams andJoy Evans. 

They made a lovely picture as they sat there with the sunlight pouringdown upon them. Bet's golden hair was rumpled by the wind--but thenBet's hair was mostly rumpled for one reason or another. Her face wasflushed, her eyes bright--just because she was happy and enjoyed life. 

Shirley's head was bent over her camera. She was the serious one ofthe group. Shirley could enter into the good times as well as theothers, but her smile came less quickly. And there were days, like thepresent, when her face would wrinkle with a frown as she tried to workout some problem in photography. Picture-taking was her hobby, andwhen the other girls skipped and danced about, Shirley would oftentrudge along burdened with a camera and tripod. 

Joy was all sunshine. It was just as impossible for her to keep stillas it would be for a dancing sunbeam to become motionless. Now, as shewatched the gull, she suddenly jumped to her feet, and poising ontiptoe, swayed her slender body in rhythm with the flight of the gull. 

Abruptly, a rustling sound, the breaking of a twig, disturbed the quietand Bet sat erect with a gasp of surprise. She caught Joy by the arm. "S-sh! Keep quiet!"

For a tall girl, slightly older than the three, had appeared on top ofthe stone wall that enclosed the estate and with a quick jump hadstraddled it. Whipping off her cap she twirled it around her head. "Whoopee!" she shouted, and her curly black locks bobbed in the breeze. Then beating her cap against the wall at her side she cried: "Go itPowder! Let's race! Faster! Faster! Good old pony!"

Bet and her friends might have laughed at this strange sight if theplay had continued a moment longer, but in the next second the girl hadthrown herself flat on the wall and had burst into tears. 

Bet reached her first, "What's the matter, dear?" she called. "Are youhurt? Let us help you!"

But the stranger had disappeared on the other side of the wall, orpartly disappeared, for her heavy skirt had caught on a barbed wirethat ran along the fence and held her suspended, head down. 

With a spring Bet was on the wall. Letting herself drop to the otherside, she caught the stranger's head in her arms and eased the fall, asthe dress ripped and gave way. 

The young girl's tears had vanished by the time she was once more in astanding position. Her face was red with embarrassment. 

"I'm so sorry. --I'm terribly ashamed. --I didn't know anyone was aroundhere. I thought I was miles in the country. " She hesitated a secondthen added: "Did you see my exciting horseback ride?"

"Yes, we saw it!" laughed Bet, but it was such a hearty, friendly laughthat the stranger could not be hurt by it. In fact she had to laughherself and was warmly drawn toward the girls as they pressed abouther, brushing the dust off her dress, rescuing her cap, and evenpinning the torn skirt. 

Then the newcomer started to explain things, hesitated and grewconfused, but Bet exclaimed: "Who are you and where did you come from?I thought I knew everybody in Lynnwood. "

"I only came yesterday. I'm from Arizona and my name is Kit Patten. "

"Oh, you're the girl Mrs. Stacey phoned me about. I told her I wouldbe over to see you when you came. But this is a much better way ofgetting acquainted, isn't it?"

"I didn't know how far away this place was from Arizona or I don'tbelieve I would ever have had the courage to come. I'm just plainhomesick!" and another burst of tears threatened to overflow. 

"You won't have a chance to be lonesome here, " exclaimed Betimpulsively. "Will she, girls?"

"I should say not!" chirruped Joy. "But did you say you came fromArizona? Oh I'd just love to live in Arizona, and I don't blame youone bit for being lonesome. Arizona must be simply grand. I thinkcowboys are swell! I saw one in the movies the other night, and oh, hewas handsome. Are all cowboys handsome?"

"Well no, not exactly!" laughed Kit. "--That is, I don't think so, Idon't believe I ever saw a real handsome cowboy. "

"You should go to the movies then. The one I saw the other day had theloveliest voice. Oh, I'd love to go to Arizona. "

"And do people go around shooting all the time?" asked Bet. "Do tellus about it. "

"Of course they don't shoot _all_ the time. But there's nothing acowboy likes better than to hear the noise of a gun, I do believe. "

"And are you a cowgirl?" asked Joy. "I'd love to be a cowgirl andswing a rope around my head. Kit, won't you teach me how to throw arope?"

Kit laughed in some confusion. The tears were not very far away. Asshe looked around her she said suddenly, "Well perhaps in time I'll getused to this. "

"Used to what?" asked Bet puzzled. 

"The houses and stores and no place big enough to stretch in! It'shorrible!"

The girls looked at each other in surprise. They did not know what shewas trying to say. Evidently Lynnwood did not please her. Indignationwas not far away from Bet, who thought her home town was the best placein all the world. 

Feeling that some explanation was necessary, Kit said: "I thought I'dchoke down there with all those houses around, then I came up herewhere I could breathe, and I bumped into that "Private Property"sign--and, oh, I'll never get used to it. Never! I want to go home. "

Bet's arm was around her. "Don't you mind, honey! You have us, andwe'll make up to you for a lot of things, ponies and everything. "

"Aw come on, cheer up!" sang Joy Evans. "It isn't so bad here as youmay think. As long as Bet and Shirley and I are around and take youunder our wings, you'll never miss what you left behind, because I'lltell you right now, we're a lively bunch. "

"Oh I know, " agreed Kit. "It's just because I'm disappointed in theplace. Mrs. Stacey, who is a girlhood friend of mother's, wrote thatshe had a lovely big yard for me to play in. And it is the biggestyard on that street, but after the desert and the mountains that go onfor miles and miles, why this is just nothing at all, and I feel as ifI were a wild bronco put out on a hobble. "

At which everybody laughed heartily and the ice was forever broken. 

"Come over on the other side of the wall, " invited Bet, and seeing thegirl hesitate with a glance at the sign she added: "Oh don't mind thatsign. That's only for tramps. This is my home, I'm Bet Baxter andthese are my two chums, Shirley Williams and Joy Evans. "

Kit hesitated once more. "Were you having a picnic or something?Perhaps I'm not wanted. "

"It's a picnic and you _are_ wanted, " cried Bet. "We all want her, don't we girls? All right, give her the welcome!"

Instantly the girls raised a chorus:

 "_Do_ we want her! _Do_ we want her! Yes, we _do, do, do_!"

This cheering call echoed through the woods and it filled the heart ofthe little mountain girl with happiness. 

It seemed to be Kit's unlucky day, for as she climbed down the wall herskirt caught once more on the wire and completed its destruction. 

"Now that dress is done for! What a clumsy colt I am! You'd think I'dnever been broken to saddle!" exclaimed Kit as her brown eyes snapped. "Don't I look a sight?"

The three girls were fascinated by the stranger. She walked with longswinging strides that she had learned in climbing hills from babyhood. Even the way she expressed herself was different from the girls in thevillage. 

"What a pity you've spoiled your dress, " said Bet. "I'll have thatwire taken off immediately!" she exclaimed in indignation. "That's fortramps too, but I've told Dad more than once that the wire must go. Now I'll just have to insist. "

It was Kit's turn to stare in amazement, for Bet's face was stern andreproving as she spoke of her father, much as if he were a small boywho had to be punished. 

"Now where I come from, fathers say what's what, and not daughters, "laughed Kit. Dad Patten was a pleasant man, quiet and given to fewwords, but he was the one who ruled, and no one else gave orders. 

"Bet is a lucky girl, Kit. She's an only child and I'll tell you asecret, she's frightfully spoiled. She does just as she pleases allthe time. " This was from Shirley, who had scarcely spoken before. Shewas not less friendly than the others but found it harder to expressherself freely. 

"Don't believe her, Kit, " laughed Bet Baxter. "There are lots ofthings I'm not allowed to do. Dad is one of the best and mostunderstanding Dads but I always do exactly as he tells me. "

"That's the joke, " laughed Shirley. "Her father never tells her to do_anything_!"

CHAPTER II

THE PICNIC

"Let's eat!" exclaimed Joy. "I'm almost starved!" She was twirling ontiptoe on the top of a flat stone. "Do let's unpack the basket!"

"And I must go. I told Mrs. Stacey I'd be back soon. If you'll justtell me which way to start out. I'm lost!" laughed Kit. 

"Oh you can't get lost in Lynnwood if you'd try. All roads lead toMain Street, " declared Bet. 

"Or away from Main Street, as I've found out this morning!"

"Oh but you must stay for the picnic; we wouldn't enjoy it now withoutyou, " urged Joy. 

"But Mrs. Stacey might worry. No, I won't start in by causing hertrouble. That wouldn't be right. "

"I'll tell you what I'll do, " exclaimed Bet. "You girls arrange thelunch under that tree and I'll run home and telephone Mrs. Stacey. She'll say yes, I know she will. "

Without waiting for Kit's assent, Bet raced up the path, her hairflying in disorder, then she disappeared in the shrubbery. In a shorttime she returned with the good news that Kit was to spend theafternoon and evening with the girls. Mrs. Stacey was more thandelighted that her young charge had found so congenial a group offriends. Not having children of her own, she hardly knew what to dowith Kit. And when Bet promised to look after her, she was greatlyrelieved, for everyone in Lynnwood knew the bright little daughter ofColonel Baxter and trusted her. 

When Bet returned with the good news, the lunch was already spread. 

"Why this isn't a lunch at all!" exclaimed Joy with enthusiasm. "It'sa banquet. And one of Auntie Gibbs' special ones. Isn't she a dear!She remembered that _I_ liked devilled eggs. "

"How you flatter yourself! Don't imagine for a minute that she madethose for you. They were for her own little angel, Bet, " said Shirleywith a quiet laugh. 

"An angel is the last thing she'd call _me_, Shirley. I know I've beenfrightfully contrary lately and I'm not in Auntie Gibbs' good graces. She said the other day she wished I had come a boy; that boys were lotsnicer. "

"The very idea!" cried the girls together. "Boys better than girls!That's silly!"

"Well if it's boys she likes, you certainly do your best to make herhappy, for you look like a boy--and act like one most of the time, "teased Joy. 

"Thanks for the flattery!" Bet tossed her head with a pretended air ofsuperiority. "I'd love to be a boy!"

"What would you do?" asked Joy. 

"I'd run away to sea!"

"Old stuff! Take a big jump and get up to date!" Joy came back at herwith a snap. 

"Why be so old fashioned?" laughed Shirley. "Do something modern!"

"Maybe I'd stow away on an airplane then, going to China. "

"That's more like you, Bet Baxter. That sea stuff never appealed tome. They always were made to work. And there isn't much work on anairplane, " said Joy helping herself to another devilled egg. 

"Do unwrap that package there, " cried Shirley. "Let's see what AuntieGibbs made for _me_. Chicken sandwiches, oh boy! And Auntie Gibbs'chicken sandwiches are the best ever, aren't they?"

"We ought to know, " laughed Bet. "We've eaten about a ton of them. --Here Kit, do help yourself. Have another egg. "

Kit had never tasted such a lunch. And it was all put up in such anappetizing way, it seemed a pity to disturb it. Everything was wrappedin wax paper or put up in small jars. There was actually a dish ofcrisp salad. There were stuffed olives and Bet grasped the jar with alittle cry:

"Let's see if it is Auntie Gibbs' special. Oh girls, it is, it is!Auntie Gibbs' stuffed olives!"

"Well she _has_ outdone herself!" Joy was munching an olive as sheshowered praise on the old housekeeper at the Manor. 

"You know, Kit, " explained Bet, "these stuffed olives are Auntie Gibbs'own invention and what goes into the filling of them, no one knows butherself. It's her secret!"

"And it's a secret to the death!" laughed Shirley. "She says she'llnever tell and when she dies she will bequeath the recipe to her bestfriend. Won't that sound funny in a will?"

Kit laughed heartily at these new friends and Bet continued: "Oh yes, Auntie Gibbs makes a sort of religion out of her cooking. And when shehits upon something especially good, she guards the recipe as if itwere a treasure and freezes up hard if anyone asks her how she made it. "

"I wonder why?" ventured Kit. 

"She says if everybody makes the same thing, it's no treat. "

"This is very different from an Arizona picnic, girls, " exclaimed Kitsuddenly. 

"Do tell us about it, Kit. What did you eat?"

"We mostly had Arizona strawberries and mountain trout, " chuckled Kitand was pleased to see Bet's face express disbelief. 

"Why, I didn't know you had strawberries in Arizona. "

"And where do you get trout in that hot desert country, when thestreams all go dry half the time?" asked Shirley. 

Kit laughed with all her might. "There I knew I'd get caught at thatold joke. Well you see it's this way. Arizona strawberries are thelittle red Mexican beans, which we pretty nearly live on out there. And the mountain trout are the strips of bacon that are fried to gowith them. "

"Oh you mean thing, trying to fool us like that!" shouted Joy, who hadbeen sitting still so long that she had grown tired. Now she dancedaway down the path with a sandwich held above her head. 

"What else would you have for a lunch?" asked Shirley. 

"Oh like as not we'd take a Dutch oven along and bake biscuit--and makecoffee. They are great on coffee in the desert. Sometimes we havegreat big picnics when people for miles around come. "

"And are there lots of cowboys there?" asked Joy. "Now I'm gettinginterested. Imagine a picnic with lots of handsome cowboys. Oh, Kityou should have seen the show the other night. It was simply grand!"

"Oh, Joy, do keep quiet! Kit was telling us about the big picnic. What do they have at that?" Bet was interested in the description ofthe country that was unknown to her. 

"That's when they have a barbecue. "

"What in the world is that?" demanded Joy. 

"The men dig great holes in the ground, and make a fire in it, and whenthere is a good bed of coals they hang a whole steer in it until it isroasted. "

"I don't see how they can do it, " said Bet. 

"Of course the men have to dig the big trench and get the fire goingthe night before in order to get the bed of coals. Then they put inthe sides of beef on iron rods, and cover it all over with greenboughs. --And when that meat is roasted, you never tasted anything sogood. "

"It must be nice to live out there, " mused Joy. 

"I'd like to go and take pictures sometime, " said Shirley. 

"Maybe you can someday. Wouldn't I love to show you my mountains anddesert!"

"And would you let me ride Powder?" asked Bet. 

"Yes, that is if you _wanted_ to after you'd see him buck. That horseis a rascal. And how he bucks! Even I have to hold on for dear life. "

The picnic lunch ended with iced orangeade and little tarts filled withraspberries. 

"Those must have been cooked for you, Kit, for we've never had any ofthem before, " laughed Bet. "And one thing sure, if Auntie Gibbs hadknown that there was to be a new girl with us, she would have made hersomething special. She's a dear!"

"This lunch was simply perfect, Bet. I've eaten too much, as usual. I'm a little piggy. But oh how happy I am!" sang Joy. 

Shirley had finished some time before and was setting the camera inplace for a picture, arranging the attachment that enabled her to be inthe group. 

"What's she doing?" asked Kit as Shirley announced that everything wasready. 

"It's this way, " replied the girl. "I'm the only one who knows how totake a decent picture, so I have always had to be left out. I gottired of it and bought an attachment so I can snap the thing and be init at the same time. "

"That's clever! I've read about it, but I've never seen it worked. "

Joy, who had been dancing around on one foot, suddenly came to a stop, munched the last of a raspberry tart and exclaimed: "Girls, I've got anidea!"

"Hooray!" cried Bet. "Joy has an idea, the first one today! Speak, child!"

"Wait a minute, girls, --now keep still just a second! There, okay!The picture is taken!" announced Shirley. 

"Now for that idea, Joy. Let's hear it. " The girls selected a shadyspot and seated themselves while Joy continued:

"Wouldn't it be nice to form a club of some sort and meet everySaturday?"

"And as many times during the week as possible, " readily agreed Bet. "What fun we can have!"

"But if we are a club, we should have a serious purpose. All clubsdo, " said Shirley. 

"We might even do things for other people, like the Camp Fire Girls orthe Girl Scouts, " suggested Kit. 

"Of course we wouldn't want to be selfish and think only of ourselves. We must stand for something. Honor, Loyalty and Friendship!" promptedShirley again. 

"Oh isn't that a good idea!" exclaimed Bet. "Let's do it. "

"And we must have a name for our club, " said Joy. "Bet, you think ofsomething nice. "

Bet buried her face in her two hands to shut out all the disturbingthings about her, the trees, the blue sky and the big dark cloud in thedistance. Usually she had ideas at the tip of her tongue, but it wasthe quiet Shirley who had an inspiration. 

"Let's call ourselves the Merriweather Girls! I do love the name ofColonel Baxter's estate. Merriweather Manor!"

"How lovely!" exclaimed Kit. "Merriweather, what a pretty name! I'dlove to be called a Merriweather Girl. --And wouldn't Mother be proud!"

"And we can take as our ideal the lovely Lady Betty Merriweather, theLady of the Manor, " said Bet thoughtfully. 

"Oh tell me about her!" begged Kit. 

"It's too long a story, Kit. When Bet gets talking about Lady Betty ofthe Manor, she keeps it up for the whole afternoon. Some rainy daywhen we have to stay in, she'll tell you the story, " replied Shirley. 

"Anyway now, we want to get this club started properly, " cried Joy. "Come on and join hands!" The girls formed a circle, pressed theirhands in a warm clasp and thus their club was formed and plans begunfor helpfulness, friendship and fun. 

They had hardly more than finished their lunch when the first cloudcame over their friendship, but as it was a cloud laden with rain, appearing just over the top of the Palisades, it did not hurt thegirls. With merry laughter they packed the basket, scattering crumbsand crusts over the grassy bank for the birds and squirrels. 

"We'll have to hurry and get home, it's going to rain!" urged Bet. "We'll continue the first meeting of our club in my room. "

"Oh I don't want to go to the Manor today, girls. My dress isn'tpresentable! I'll come some other time. "

"Indeed you won't; you'll come now. We'll fix you up with anotherdress, so don't worry!" promised Bet. 

Bet gave a loud, shrill whistle and stood waiting. Kit wondered whatwas coming now. Bet seemed to be waiting like a magician. Havingwhistled, it was time for the trick to appear. 

Something did come with a rush. A big brown animal, as big as amountain lion, leaped through the woods and rushed toward them. Although Kit was used to life in the open, she gasped for a moment, expecting to see the big creature spring upon them. 

It was Bet's big collie dog. She threw both arms around his neck as heran to her. "Come on Smiley Jim! You're a good boy! You did it justright that time, Smiley!" Then she turned to Kit and continued: "Youcan't imagine what a time I've had trying to teach that pup to obey. "

"He seems to be well trained now. I never saw an order obeyed anyquicker than that, " laughed Kit. 

"Smiley Jim, listen to me. This is our new chum, Kit Patten. I wantyou to be nice to her and welcome her in your best style!"

As if the dog understood what his mistress was saying, he gave a boundtoward Kit, almost upsetting her, as he jumped with extended tongue. His lips were drawn back over his teeth in a broad grin. 

"Shake hands, Smiley Jim, " called Bet. 

The dog put up his paw and Kit took it in her hand. 

"Well, that's the first time I ever saw a dog smile, " she exclaimed inastonishment. "Our mountain dogs are nothing much to look at. Dadcalls them curs, but I like any kind of a dog. And this one is abeauty, I love him already!"

Smiley Jim felt that he had been given charge of Kit, for he stayednear her and pawed at her dress, demanding attention. 

Shirley and Joy now finished the packing of the basket and werecovering it as if it were to be sent on a long journey, but the reasonwas soon apparent when Smiley Jim started toward it, and took thehandle in his mouth. He dropped it suddenly and gave several loudbarks, making sure that everyone had seen his deed of helpfulness, thenstarted toward the Manor. 

"You see, " laughed Shirley. "Even Smiley Jim wants to join our cluband help others. "

"And he wants the whole world to know that he's doing something noble. --But I don't blame him for that, " bubbled Joy. 

"That dog is strong for flattery, " laughed Bet. "He just eats it up. Scold him and he'll pout like a wee child; praise him and he thrills. "

"He's exactly like a human being, isn't he Bet?" remarked Shirley witha smile. 

"Half the time I pretend he is human. I tell him all my secrets andall my happy surprises and even my troubles. And when I'm blue, hedoes my howling for me. Truly he does. He can't bear to see me sad. "

"He's a wise dog. No one should be sad. I'm glad I'm alive! Rightnow I want to dance and shout, I'm so happy!"

"Go to it, Joy!" laughed Bet. "No one will stop you!"

The girl worked off her enthusiasm with a few well executed handspringsand cartwheels. "I'd better get rid of some of this energy or I maywreck the Manor!"

As they came in sight of the Manor, Auntie Gibbs, the housekeeper, waslooking anxiously from the kitchen door, for the cloud that had beenthreatening, now opened with a deluge of rain and peal after peal ofthunder sent the girls scurrying toward the side entrance. 

Smiley Jim was already on the veranda, having deposited his burden, hewas now barking excitedly, demanding the attention that he felt hemerited. 

CHAPTER III

THE MERRIWEATHER MANOR

Merriweather Manor dominated the hill, it occupied the very highestpoint of the estate and from its walls the ground sloped away, at oneside, straight down to the high bank above the river. Century-old elmsovershadowed the house and half hid the fine lines of the famousColonial structure. 

The Manor had been built by Lord Cecil Merriweather before theRevolution and had been kept up without being remodelled. It almostseemed as if its old timbers had retained the gay atmosphere that LordCecil and his lady had bequeathed it. 

The front of the house stood out boldly with its great pillars. Alongthe side, double verandas ran the length of the house. These were thedelight of Bet, for they had been her playground since babyhood. 

The interior was no less attractive. Colonel Baxter was a collector ofColonial antiques and knick-knacks and the house was furnished withgenuine old furniture that delighted his heart and kept the spirit ofColonial times in the mansion. 

If Bet had been given her way she might have chosen for her own suiteof rooms, something more modern, but even she had never dared tomention such a thing to the Colonel. 

But if Colonel Baxter leaned toward the old fashions in his furnishingof a home, his methods in training a daughter were modern to anextreme. Auntie Gibbs declared it was without "rhyme or reason. ""Letting a girl do as she pleases isn't bringing up at all. That childshould have a strong hand to guide her. Every child should. And me, who could do it, ain't allowed no say-so. "

"Well, Bet's all right, isn't she?" replied Uncle Nat to his wife'scomplaints. "She's a wise little thing and never goes far wrong. "Uncle Nat had been gardener on the estate before Bet was born. He andhis wife had known and loved the young wife of Colonel Baxter, andafter her death had taken charge of the household, caring for andloving the motherless little girl as if she were their own. 

"You're always taking her part, " exclaimed Auntie Gibbs. "It isn't histraining that makes Bet do the right thing. It's just because she's somuch like her father. As I've told him lots of times, with any othergirl it would be all wrong. "

"So as it doesn't change Bet, I have nothing to say. " The old manrubbed his hands together over the kitchen stove. Although autumn hadhardly begun, there was a hint of chill in the air. 

"Now, what are you doing, Nat Gibbs? Making a fire at this time ofyear! You aren't cold, are you? Lots of time to shiver and shake overa fire when the first snow comes. "

"I'm just burning a few papers and trash to get them out of the way, "said Uncle Nat quietly, with an elaborate wink at the ceiling. 

Auntie Gibbs was a manager by nature, and to rule over a house and yetnot have the final word in everything was very trying to her soul. Shebegan to scold again:

"And now she's brought a new girl home with her today. And heaven onlyknows who or what she is!"

"She looks all right, " said Nat. 

"Looks are very deceiving, as you ought to know at your time of life. Bet says she comes from Arizona, one of them half-civilized places likethey have in the movies. She doesn't like houses and yards and towns. Who ever heard of such a thing? Bet found her crying because shedidn't have room enough to breathe. Mark my words, she's not verybright. Something very queer about a girl who thinks like that. 'Tisn't natural. I really shouldn't allow her to stay and associatewith Bet. "

"We'll leave that to Colonel Baxter, he'll know what to do. "

"Him? He'll shake hands with that girl as if she were the Queen ofSheba or that Mary Antynetty he talks about. And after that she canhave the run of the house. "

"That's so, that's so!" agreed Nat Gibbs from long habit of agreeingwith his wife. But while Auntie Gibbs stormed, and at times, ragedover the way the Colonel was training his daughter, she never did tryto take matters into her own hands, as she often threatened to do. 

"'Tain't his system that's working, let me tell you. It just happens. "

Then after having had her say, the old woman dropped the subject tobustle about her kitchen and prepare a special supper for Bet and herchums, a thing she loved to do. 

When Kit was led into the great entrance hall, she could only stare inamazement. It was as grand as she had imagined the palace of a kingmight be. The stained-glass windows that usually sent shafts ofcolored light across the floor, now gave a somber effect as of adimly-lighted cathedral. A broad, winding stairway led to the floorabove. 

Kit stood in the center of the hall transfixed by what she saw. It wasnot the statue of Youth that held her attention. From a golden frameon the wall a face smiled down upon her and it was hard for the girl tobelieve that it was only a portrait. A fleeting smile seemed to playabout the mouth, the delicately curved lips almost quivered and thebrown eyes sparkled with joy. 

Kit's hands instinctively went out toward the beautiful woman. Shestood there smiling up at the portrait, and forgot the girls as theychattered about her. 

Bet, who had been watching her closely, ran impulsively to her andthrew both arms around the girl's neck. 

"Oh you dear, darling thing! I knew you would! You love her alreadyjust the same as Shirley and Joy and I do. "

"Who is she?" Kit's voice was hardly more than a whisper, she acted asif she had suddenly been brought back to earth after a flight in theclouds. 

"It's our Lady of the Manor, Lady Betty Merriweather!"

"O--oh!" gasped Kit, without taking her eyes from the smiling eyes inthe picture. 

"Come along upstairs, Kit, " called Joy as she took the steps two at atime. But the stranger felt that she was on sacred ground and couldnot have romped as Joy did. She lingered, looking up into thebeautiful face. 

"I feel just as if she wanted to say something to me, " Kit said, as shereluctantly followed Bet. 

"I think she does, probably. I know she tells _me_ things sometimes, "replied Bet seriously. "I love to lie on that divan in the hall andwatch her. And she tells me all about the good times they used to havein these very rooms. " Bet had dreamed so often beneath the vivacious, smiling face that she had come to believe that Lady Betty really didtalk to her. 

"It almost seems wicked to live in these rooms after her, " murmuredKit, as the two girls went up the stairs slowly, their arms around eachothers' waists. 

"I used to think that, too, until she laughed at me and said, 'Don't besilly, Bet. '"

Shirley and Joy's laughter floated down the stairway. "She reallybelieves all that, Kit. She thinks that Lady Betty comes alive andtalks to her. "

"Well, I used to think that when I was a little, little girl, " laughedBet. 

"And do you remember the day you told me she had called you Betty, andyou didn't know whether to be angry or not?" asked Joy. 

Bet turned to Kit. "You see I don't like to be called Betty. Thatname doesn't suit me at all. It's a lovely name for her, but for meit's ridiculous. "

"And you'd better remember that, Kit Patten, for she gets angry ifanyone calls her that, " said the quiet Shirley. 

"There's one girl who does it, and she's no friend of Bet's, " laughedJoy. 

"Oh, that Edith Whalen! She's always horrid, I wish she wouldn't callme anything. I get angry--so angry that I----"

"Ssh! I'll tell you what she does, " whispered Joy. "She scratches!"

"I really don't, but I'd like to. "

When the new friend was introduced to Auntie Gibbs she made such a goodimpression that the old lady's heart opened at once and took her in. But she wouldn't have told Uncle Nat or Bet that for the world. 

"Can't we help?" asked Kit. 

Bet was about to object but the old woman spoke up quickly. "Of courseyou can all help. Bet, you and your new friend set the table. AndI'll find something for Shirley and Joy to do. " Auntie Gibbs was neverso happy as she was at times when she had several people to keep busy. 

Kit was afraid to touch the exquisite glassware and silver andbeautiful dishes that Bet handled with unconcern. 

"Aren't you afraid you'll break them, Bet?" asked the girl. 

"I used to be terribly afraid, but now I am used to them and I'm verycareful. I just keep my mind on them until I get them on the table. Dad doesn't like to have anything broken, for all this table stuff isvery old. "

"Aren't the lights beautiful?" exclaimed Kit gazing up at the oldcandelabra. 

"These lights are the pride of Dad's heart. I have never seen a morebeautiful specimen. "

"Are they very old?" asked Kit. 

"As old as this house and then some, I guess. You see they used tohave candles in them for lighting and Dad had electric lights made tolook like the candles. I love them. Look at the ones on the walls. Those are old sconces. They match the chandelier. "

Kit looked at the wall brackets as Bet switched on the lights. 

"Oh, Bet, I've never seen anything so beautiful. See how that littlelight is reflected in the mirror behind it. "

Bet suddenly rushed to the door. "Oh, Auntie Gibbs, " she called. "HasDad telephoned today?"

"No, not a word. "

"Good! That means he'll come home to dinner. I just can't waitanother week to have him see Kit. "

"And I was mean enough to wish that he would be detained in the city. My dress looks so badly, I don't like to meet anyone. "

"Now never you mind, Kit, my Dad wouldn't care at all, " asserted Bet. 

"Isn't there a dress of yours she can wear?" asked Auntie Gibbs. 

"No, we've tried everything, she's about an inch broader than I am, andshe can't get into anything except my bathrobe. Her own dress willlook better than that, especially as Dad doesn't like to see girlssitting around in bath robes. "

"Oh that Dad of yours! If he had his way, women would always bedressed up in those crazy Colonial things he has. "

"That's a good idea! Kit, we're going to give you a gown from ahundred years ago and Dad will think you're marvelous. " Bet ran to alarge closet under the stairs and from an old chest brought out anarmful of dresses of antique pattern. "Come on, girls, help me get Kitfixed up before Dad comes. "

Kit's face was full of perplexity as the girls dragged her up thestairs and got her into a costume of pale yellow satin that set off herdark hair. It trailed behind her in a long sweeping train. 

"You look as if you had just stepped out of a picture frame, KitPatten!" exclaimed Joy with a curtsey. 

"I've never seen anything as lovely as this!" gasped Kit as shefingered the heavy silk. 

"Pooh! That's just one of the common dresses, " laughed Shirley. "Youshould see some of his real elaborate costumes in the attic. One dayhe showed them to us. They're wonderful!"

"What does he do with all of them?" asked the puzzled Kit. 

"Oh, Dad's a collector. Didn't you ever collect anything, Kit?"

"Oh, sure. I have a lot of birds' eggs and arrowheads and Indianbaskets. I have heaps of baskets at home. "

"Well, Dad collects Colonial dresses and everything else from thatperiod. Some of the gowns came from Europe at about that time and areof gold cloth. "

"Are they very valuable?" asked Kit. 

"Some are, and then others are not so costly. This one isn't. He toldus we could sometimes play with it. Probably it belonged to anordinary person. 

"How can he tell whether they are valuable or not, is what I'd like toknow, " said Shirley. "If I were going to buy anything, I'm sure I'dget cheated. "

"Well the best of them get fooled once in a while. Daddy bought animitation once. Can you imagine that? But only once, for my Dad ispretty smart. "

When Kit was arrayed in the satin gown she looked quite stately and thegirls escorted her down the winding stairs to the drawing room withgreat ceremony. By this time Kit was in a daze from all the unusualand extravagant things about her. She scarcely saw the furniture inthe drawing room, for at that moment Colonel Baxter arrived and wasbeing greeted by the girls. 

Kit's eyes rested on the man who had just opened the door. Bet'sfather! He was tall and slender, with hair that had just begun to turngray. His large hazel eyes were gentle and intense in their interest. 

There was something very boyish in the face that lit up with pleasureat sight of Bet and her chums, and his quick glance around seemed totake in everything. 

Kit saw the look of amused surprise on his face as he beheld her, butin a moment the amusement had been replaced by a very formal smile ofwelcome as Bet introduced her new friend. The stately bow as he kissedher finger tips quite startled Kit and made her flush withembarrassment. But this quickly passed as the girls laughed heartilyand gathered about him, treating him as if he were their own age. 

"Oh, what do you think, Dad! Kit has come all the way from Arizona. --And she has a cowpony. "

"And oh, Colonel Baxter, just think, " exclaimed Joy. "She knows a lotof cowboys and she can rope a wild steer just like they do in themovies! Don't you think she's wonderful!"

"Well that _is_ wonderful, Miss Kit. When I saw you I thought you hadcome straight from the 18th Century, and here you are quite modern andthrilling. "

The Colonel led the way again into the drawing room, placed a chair forKit and in a few moments her embarrassment was gone and she was talkingto him about her home in Arizona as if she had always known him. Heseemed interested in every detail of her life in the mountains andwould exclaim with pleasure over some of the commonplace things thatshe related, just as Bet and her chums had done. 

The three girls had left her alone with Colonel Baxter while they wentto help Auntie Gibbs, for the Manor was not over supplied withservants. Auntie Gibbs found it hard to get along with anyone andpreferred to do most of the work herself, having extra help come in asneeded. 

At dinner Kit would have felt out of place if Bet's father had not kepther talking about her life in Arizona. Kit's home had been one ofmakeshifts and to be seated at a table where the stateliness andformality of the old Colonial days was being retained, made her uneasyand anxious for fear she might make some blunder. 

But Bet and her father took her attention away from such details. 

"Are there any Indians left in your part of the country, Miss Kit?" theColonel asked graciously. 

"Not very many. They have died out pretty fast in the last fiftyyears. They are mostly on reservations. "

"What is the tribe called?" questioned Bet. 

"The Apaches live up in the hills and then down nearer the towns thereare Papagos. The latter have always been peaceful Indians and lived byfarming. "

"Ugh! I'd be frightened of an Indian. Aren't you, Kit?" asked Joy. 

"No, not a bit. They are perfectly friendly. Most of them are tooeasy-going to do any harm. "

"But I thought all Apaches were cruel. "

"Indeed they're not!" exclaimed Kit indignantly. "My father has hadold Apache Joe working for him ever since I can remember. He and hissquaw, Mary, pretty nearly brought me up. I love them both, and IndianMary is the kindest old thing in the world. Why Pa and Ma couldn't getalong without them!"

"Are there any other Indians near them?" asked Shirley. 

"No. They have company from the Reservation sometimes, but they seemperfectly happy with us. "

Kit could not help but notice how different this dinner was from herhastily-eaten meals in Arizona. Here there was no hurry, the desserthad been finished for some time, yet the Colonel lingered and chatted. In her own home, as soon as the last bite had been swallowed, they allarose and began to clear away. Kit liked the leisurely way in whichthings were done; it gave a peaceful atmosphere to the meal. 

At last the Colonel rose, and Bet and her chums followed him to thedrawing room. 

CHAPTER IV

THE QUEEN'S FAN

As Colonel Baxter led the way to the drawing room, he said: "Now girls, have you been real good, today?"

"Of course we have!" the girls exclaimed together. 

"We're always good!" said Joy. 

"All right then, I'll show you something nice. "

"What is it?" cried Bet clapping her hands. "Don't tell me it's an oldmusket or sword or anything warlike. I'm fed up on guns!"

"No, I think this treasure will bring a response from your hearts, ifyou are as feminine as I think you are. "

"It must be a ring!" exclaimed Joy. 

"Something far more exciting!" laughed Colonel Baxter. 

"Another gown!" suggested Shirley. 

"Never. He has too many of them already. It must be something veryspecial, for Dad's so excited. Has it jewels and everything?" laughedBet. 

"Guess!"

"Jewelled slippers?" said Kit. 

"That's old stuff. He has three pair of those already. I know Dadwouldn't enthuse over slippers. "

"What can it be? I'll guess that it's a necklace. "

"No, Kit, it's still more interesting than a necklace, " answered theColonel. 

"Oh, I know, " suddenly cried Shirley. "A musical snuff box!"

"He had several of those once, I know he wouldn't make a fuss overthem, they're not so valuable. "

"Then what is it? Tell us quickly, " pleaded Joy who never did like toplay the game of guessing. 

"Do you give up?"

"No, no, not yet!" pleaded Bet. "One more try. "

"All right, but only one more, remember, " laughed the Colonel. 

"I'll guess that it's one of those crystal flasks for smelling salts. "

"What were smelling salts for?" asked Kit. 

"Well, you see in those days it was the fashion for young ladies to befrail and delicate and the least noise was apt to startle them and makethem faint. "

"Oh ho, I see, " shouted Kit, "so they carried their restoratives aroundwith them. Some idea!"

"Think of it, " said Bet contemptuously. "Wanting to faint in order tolook interesting. "

"And is it a crystal flask?" asked Kit. 

"No. Come on upstairs and I'll show you what it is. "

They followed, laughing and chatting as they went. Kit had somedifficulty in handling her long skirts. Bet watched her with amusement. 

"Those gowns may be beautiful to look at, but for comfort, give me myshort dress with no flounces or trains. "

"That's what I say, too, Bet, but what can you expect from ladies wholiked to faint?" laughed Kit. 

"Did you ever think about it, Kit, how lucky we are to be born in thisage? Girls have such a good time. "

Their conversation was interrupted by Colonel Baxter calling, "Comealong, girls!"

As they entered the room he sat at his desk holding a small package inhis hand. 

"This is something I bought a few months ago, and I took it out of thevault to have a photograph made of it. I am not quite _sure_ that itis worth a lot of money, but I think it is. Here we are. "

The Colonel unfolded a piece of silk and placed the treasure on it. 

"A fan!" exclaimed Bet. "Oh, Daddy, what a beauty!" She held out herhand as if to take it, then hesitated. It seemed too pretty to touch. 

The sticks and guards of the fan were of ivory, elaborately carved andpierced. The raised figures and designs were gilded. The mount of thefan was of parchment, painted with a scene of the Luxembourg gardens inwhich a fête was taking place. Young lovers in the dim sunlight underthe trees, paid court to their ladies. There was flirting and teasingand romping play. Though gaiety and frivolity were expressed yet therewas a certain wistfulness as well, a little heart-throb of hauntingregret. 

"It seems as if the artist had told a whole story in that tinypicture, " said Kit quietly. 

"That's it, exactly, " exclaimed Colonel Baxter, bestowing a smile onKit. This young girl had caught the idea of the painting at a glance. 

"How can you tell whether it is valuable or not?" asked Shirley. 

"We know it is worth a lot of money, for Watteau, a famous painter ofthe 18th Century did this work. But there is another detail to bedecided before we can say how valuable it is. "

The four girls, sensing a romance, looked on with interest andpleasure. Colonel Baxter fingered the fan with the touch of one wholoved beautiful things. His hand caressed the carved ivory. 

"Whose was it, Dad?" begged Bet. "It couldn't have been an ordinaryperson's fan. "

"Of course it wasn't!" said Kit emphatically. 

"Did it belong to Martha Washington?" asked Bet suddenly. 

"We seem to be doing a lot of guessing today. "

"No, it did not belong to Martha Washington. A lot more interestingthan that!"

"Lady Betty Merriweather! I'm sure it was hers, " exclaimed Kit. 

"Wrong again! No, the fan once belonged to a queen, a beautiful, light-hearted queen of France, who came to a tragic end. "

"Marie Antoinette!" gasped Bet. "Oh, Daddy, think of it!"

"Yes. When she first came to France as the bride of the Dauphin, LouisXV admired her for her great beauty and showered her with gifts. Andwe believe this fan was given to her by the king. As soon as I hearfrom an expert who is working on the case, I will know for sure. "

"A queen's fan!" exclaimed Kit. "Doesn't it sound romantic?"

"And she would use it like this!" And Bet took the fan from herfather, flourished it back and forth coquettishly with a flippantsmile, half hidden by the fan. 

A chorus of laughter greeted Bet's imitation of a flirt. 

"Where did my daughter learn all those arts?" asked her father. 

"She didn't have to learn them. They came natural, " sang Joy, as shedanced out of the room. 

"Ladies used their fans to send messages to the lovers they preferredand to tease them with arch glances at other suitors, " explained Bet. "It was a gay life at Court!"

"And I can imagine that Marie Antoinette knew how to flirt with herfan. She was so gay and lighthearted, " mused Kit. 

"Poor Marie Antoinette! I've always pitied her, even if she wasthoughtless and spoiled. She didn't deserve to be punished as shewas!" Shirley said pensively. 

"I always like to think of her at Little Trianon, where she used toplay at being a farm girl and churn, and feed the chickens. She wasjust a child. --I do hope the fan was hers, " said Kit. 

"And I hope so for many reasons, " smiled Colonel Baxter. "It will beworth three times as much money if she owned it. "

"Wouldn't old Peter Gruff open his eyes wide if he could see it?"exclaimed Bet. "How that man loves antiques!"

Peter Gruff was a second-hand dealer in Lynnwood whose hobby waspicking up antiques at a ridiculously low price and selling them atfabulous sums. In a trade, he could stand watching. 

As the Colonel folded up the fan carefully and put it away, Betexclaimed: "Come on, girls, there's something in my room that I'd liketo show you. "

"Wait a minute, Shirley, " called the Colonel. "Do you want to take apicture of the queen's fan for me?"

"Oh, Colonel Baxter, do you suppose I can do it?"

"Certainly, there's no trick about it. Bring your camera the next timeyou come up. "

"That will be on Monday morning. "

"Good! I'll be home until noon. "

Half an hour later the toot of an auto horn sounded from the driveway. 

"Aw, that's Bob coming to take me home, " pouted Joy. "Wish he'd waituntil I telephone. He always comes before I'm half ready. "

The Colonel was at the door before the young man could ring the bell. Bob Evans and Phil Gordon were two boys that the Colonel admired andwas always glad to welcome to the Manor. 

Like his sister, Bob was light-hearted. Yet he could be serious attimes, and it is well that that was the case, for Joy's mother was agay, frivolous young woman, who loved to go to parties and there weretimes when Joy might have been neglected had it not been for herbrother's care. 

He was a slightly built boy with a head of curly blond locks that werethe envy of Joy, for her hair was neither blond nor dark and had nosign of curl. 

Phil was the opposite. He was almost as dark as Kit, a tall, handsomefellow whose dark eyes were sombre and gave the impression that he wasbrooding. 

Bob seemed to bring the breeze from outside in with him as he smiledand held out his hand to Colonel Baxter. 

"Joy would never come home if I didn't drag her away, Colonel. "

"That's because we are never quite willing to give up our littlesprite, " replied the Colonel with Old World courtesy. "We couldn't getalong without Joy's laughter. "

"Giggles, you mean, " answered her brother playfully. 

"Sounds just like a brother!" laughed Joy, looking up at thepleasant-faced boy beside her. 

Bob and Phil were introduced to Kit and were quite startled at thevision of the Colonial maid. 

"Having a masquerade?" asked Phil. 

"Nothing like that, " answered Bet. "Lady Betty Merriweather decided tocome out of her frame, and here she is. "

"She's much better looking than Lady Betty, if you ask me, " exclaimedBob, but if Kit liked the compliment she didn't show it. Lady Bettywas perfect and no one could outdo her in anything. 

"Come on, Joy, hurry up. Let's get started!" said Bob suddenly. 

"But we'll have to wait for Kit to get out of that dress and change toher own. "

"So Lady Merriweather isn't going to step back into the frame? Toobad!" laughed Phil. "It was very becoming!"

The girl who appeared a few moments later in torn skirt was no lessattractive than the Colonial maid. To the eyes of the modern youngpeople, she seemed far more human and companionable. 

As the automobile carried them away. Bet turned to her father:

"Did you ever see anyone who could choose such good friends as I can?"

"Never in this world, Bet!" laughed the Colonel as he pinched her cheek. 

CHAPTER V

ACROSS THE HUDSON

Before saying goodnight to her chums, Bet had made a plan for them tocome back early on Monday for another picnic. 

"When we get to studying, we just drop swimming and everything else. "

"I'll be most afraid to swim in a big river like the Hudson, " said Kitwith a shiver. "I learned to swim in a water hole in Indian Creek, andit wasn't much more than just deep enough to cover me. "

"You'll love the Hudson!" declared Joy. "At high tide it's great!"

"I didn't know that a river had a tide. "

"Close to the sea they do. The Hudson has, as you'll soon learn. Ithas a tide and even a good strong undertow in places. --Well, you justhave to know the Hudson to appreciate all its fine points, " Betexclaimed with enthusiasm. 

"Be sure and bring your camera, Miss Fixit, and take that picture ofthe queen's fan. I'll be home all morning. " Because Shirley wasalways tinkering with her camera, the Colonel had playfully given herthe name of Miss Fixit. 

So the girls had agreed to come early and have a long day at the beachthat belonged to the Merriweather estate. 

"I don't hear any invitations for us to come along. Don't you thinkboys enjoy picnics as well as girls?" protested Bob Evans. 

"Boys spoil all the fun, " said Joy contemptuously, but with mischief inher eyes. 

"No, they don't, Joy!" Bet disagreed. "Sometimes they are very useful. --To build picnic fires and keep them going. "

"Oh, yes, you're always glad to make use of us. But you never inviteus to any of your good times. Never!"

"If big brothers wouldn't tease so much, they might get invited once ina while, " laughed Joy as she looked up at her tall brother, who hadalways been her protector and hero as long as she could remember. 

"Do come, " shouted Bet as they got into the car. "Even if we didn'tthink to invite you, we'll be mighty glad to see you when you getthere. " As she turned and linked her arm in her father's, she littledreamed that her last remark would be remembered by all four girls as astrange prophecy. 

The girls saw each other only for a moment at church the next day. Betleft immediately after the service, as the Colonel was expecting guestsfor dinner. She gave her friends a smile, a wave of the hand and afunny pantomime which they understood. They were to be at the Manorthe next morning, early. 

And early it was. Bet had been up for hours but Colonel Baxter had notfinished his breakfast when the girls came in like shafts of sunlightthrough shutters. 

Shirley was loaded down with two cameras and a tripod, her face glowingwith the pleasure she felt in being able to do a favor for Bet's father. 

Shirley was the only one of the group whose parents were not well offfinancially. She was the oldest of four children and lived in a smallhouse on the main street of the village. She had done all sorts of oddjobs in order to earn her longed-for cameras, and had studied them well. 

Sometimes when the girls talked of the future when they would go tocollege, Shirley's face became clouded, for her father's poor healthmade it impossible for him to be steadily employed. Shirley's chancesof college seemed very slim. The Colonel often called upon Shirley totake pictures of Bet on the grounds of the estate, as an excuse to givethe girl a chance to earn a few dollars. 

"Do hurry, Dad, and finish your breakfast! We're anxious to be off. Couldn't the pictures wait?"

"No, Bet, I want to take them now, " replied Shirley. "You can go alongif you want to and I'll come later. "

"We'll wait, " answered Bet cheerfully. 

The Colonel rose and saluted, "I am at your service!"

Shirley arranged the lighting like an expert and took several poses ofthe little fan against a background of black velvet, placing it indifferent degrees of light. The other girls were not particularlyinterested. Shirley's hobby was all right, when she took pictures ofthem, but just now they were impatient to be off. 

Then Shirley had to waste more time showing the Colonel about thelatest self-photography attachment that she had recently bought. 

"I got tired always being left out of the group. And the other girlscan't take pictures to suit me. "

"Is this the same idea that is used in photographing wild animals?"asked Colonel Baxter. 

"It's the same principle, but a little wire or spring is touched by theanimal and this releases the shutter and for night pictures sets off aflash powder as well. I'm going to get one of those attachments bywinter time, as the camera company has offered a prize for wild animalpictures. "

"Aw, come on, Shirley, " called Joy. "You're an old slow poke. Youfinished that picture long ago. "

But Shirley delayed still longer to put her large camera carefullyaway. The small one she tucked under her arm to take with her to theriver. 

It was Kit's first trip to the little beach belonging to Bet's father. The bath house with its tiny dressing rooms pleased her immensely. "Imagine, " she exclaimed, "building a house to dress and undress in. Aclump of mesquite bushes always served my purpose. "

Kit could not pretend to be other than she was. Fearing that thesegirls, whose homes were so elegant, might look down upon her, she hadplanned to keep her affairs to herself, but whenever anything unusualcame up, she was startled by the contrast and blurted out the queermakeshifts that they had in her crude home in the desert. 

She had no need to fear. The girls were as interested in Kit'sdescription of her home life as they were in the exploits of thecowboys that she loved to talk about. 

"I'd just love to eat out under a cotton-wood tree by the stream. Thatmust be a lovely way to live, " exclaimed Bet. 

"I don't think you'd enjoy it for long, after what you're used to. You'd want to get back to all that lovely glassware and beautifuldishes. You'd miss your Manor. "

"Of course I'd miss the Manor if I was away from it, but I'd love theother, too, I know I would. "

They had just come in sight of the broad Hudson and Kit stopped shortto gaze upon that wide flow of water. 

"And oh, look at that lovely boat out there! Whose is it?"

"That's Dad's motor boat. I'm not allowed to run it, although I know Icould just as well as not. Dad seems to think I'm still a baby and agirl baby at that. "

They had reached the beach and Bet was opening the door of the boathouse as she spoke and when Kit saw the little green canoe, she wasspeechless. She looked at it with glowing eyes. 

"Isn't it a dear? It's mine!" said Bet. 

"Can you go out with it whenever you want to?"

"Yes, any time. "

"I've never been in a boat in my life!" Kit's breath came in excitedlittle gasps. "Could we go out in it today?"

"Never had a boat ride!" exclaimed Joy. "How funny! What did you dowith yourself?"

"Well, mostly I rode Powder, my cowpony. That was fun. Horsebackriding is great sport!"

"You're the lucky one! I've never had a horseback ride in my life. "

"What!" cried Kit. "Never had a horseback ride? How funny!"

And everybody laughed, for what was a common-place happening for onewas in the nature of an adventure for the other. 

"After lunch we'll go out in the canoe!" declared Bet. "I'll be mightyproud to give you your first boat ride. "

Kit looked at the brightly-painted little canoe many times before thelunch was finished and Bet declared herself ready to go. 

The egg sandwiches and stuffed olives were eaten without much thoughtby Kit. Apple turnovers and fudge slipped down as if she were in adream, for Kit's mind was racing ahead to the thrill of getting out onthe Hudson in a boat. 

The girls helped Bet to drag the canoe out of the boat house and to theedge of the water. Joy and Shirley decided not to go. Shirley wastrying to get some good pictures of the gulls today and Joy wasn't inthe mood. 

"Anyway, " laughed Joy, "in a canoe, two is company, three's a crowd. Trot along and enjoy yourselves. "

Kit took her place in the boat and Bet shoved it off the sandy beachwith her paddle, and in a moment Kit felt it bobbing on the water. Living up to its name, "_The Arrow_, " it shot gracefully out to thestream, guided by Bet's capable hands. 

Kit held on to both sides of the boat at first. She felt quivery andhalf frightened. 

Bet was using the paddle vigorously. She wore no hat and her blondhair was tousled as usual. It seemed impossible for Bet to keep herunruly locks in order at any time, but now as the breeze ruffled it, she looked like some half-wild elfin creature. 

She was tall for her age but slender and her pink and white coloringgave her an appearance of frailty, but when she used her paddle, Kitwas fascinated to watch the swelling of the muscles of her arms. Sheseemed made of springs as she plied the paddle first at one side thenthe other, with quick, sure, strokes. 

"Have you ever been across the Hudson?" asked Kit. "Across the Hudson!Doesn't that sound romantic? It's a long way, isn't it?"

"Only about a mile, I think. "

"And have you ever paddled over there?"

"Heaps of times! We've been everywhere on this river. We used to goout and get in the wash of the river steamers. That was lots of fun. Once we almost got upset and Dad made me promise I'd never do thatagain. "

"Well, if you don't mind, Bet, you can dispense with all the extrathrills today. For this is giving me heart trouble as it is. "

"Why, what's the matter? You're not frightened, are you?"

"Of course I'm frightened. Scared stiff!"

Bet stopped paddling to laugh at her friend. "Kit Patten, you're thefunniest girl I've ever seen. "

Then with long sweeping strokes, _The Arrow_ shot out into the channel, sending sparkling drops into the air as it cut its way through thecurrent. 

Kit's brown eyes were shining with excitement and the sense of dangerthat she imagined was there. "Why, Bet Baxter, this is the mostthrilling thing I've ever done in my life. It's more fun thanhorseback riding. It's a perfect day. It was good of you to take me. "

The canoe was now headed toward the beach, having reached the quieterwaters of the farther shore, and as soon as the boat touched the sand, Bet sprang out and with practised hand drew the bow up on the beach. 

"Here you are, Kit. Now you've been across the Hudson. It's not oftena person has a chance to have her wishes granted so quickly. "

"Isn't it wonderful!" gasped Kit. "I've never had such a gorgeous timein my life. "

The girls stretched themselves out on the sand for a few minutes. 

"Doesn't Lynnwood look beautiful over there? And just see how veryromantic the Manor is from here. "

"I think we'd better start back at once, " exclaimed Bet suddenly. "It's getting cloudy over that way again, and as we've had a thunderstorm every day for a week, we may have another this afternoon. "

They lost no time in getting into the boat, for already there was adistant peal of thunder. It was miles and miles away, but Bet didn'tintend to take chances. Her hand worked in a steady rhythm that sentthe boat ahead like a flat stone skimming the water. 

But as they reached the middle of the river, the wind struck themsuddenly and with violence. It seemed to the girls as if the canoe hadbeen lifted and turned over. Kit gave a little cry of terror, butBet's look of reproach was sufficient. At a signal from Bet, the girlslid to the bottom of the boat, and remained still. 

The storm was upon them. A fierce wind shook the little craft as if ahand had clutched it. 

Bet kept the bow of the boat head-on to the heavy rollers thatthreatened to capsize it. The quiet river had suddenly become aregular sea, choppy and vicious, and Bet strained at the paddle, herface white and tense. 

Kit crouched in the bottom of the boat. She was anxious to help butdid not know what to do. During a little lull she cried: "Oh, Bet, can't I help? You must be tired. Let me try to paddle, I think I can. "

"_No_, " screamed Bet to make herself heard. "Just keep still and don'teven speak to me. I need every breath to work with. "

The boat tossed and plunged. "It acts like a bucking horse when theyput on a saddle for the first time, " thought Kit. The bow of the canoewas lifted straight up and then lowered on a wave. For a second itrested only to meet another swell. 

Sometimes Bet raised her eyes and looked anxiously down the river. Thesquall was coming straight toward them; travelling with the wind, itwas racing over the water. 

The little boat rolled and plunged as the blinding sheet of rainenveloped it, shutting out for a moment the shore on both sides of theriver. 

Spray broke over the sides and soaked the girls to the skin. 

"There's a can there, Kit. Try to keep the water baled out. " It wasall she could do to make Kit hear, even when she screamed with all hermight. 

Bet's arms were aching, her eyes strained with the nerve tension andthe strength that she was giving out to keep the boat from beingengulfed. 

While Kit would have gladly relieved her, she had never handled apaddle in her life and now was not the time to experiment. 

"It can't be far now, " muttered Bet between her clenched teeth. Itseemed to the girl that she had been paddling for hours. 

Bet spoke again: "Scream for help, Kit! Someone may hear, but it's notlikely. Scream anyway!"

And Kit shouted until she was hoarse but the wind stopped the sound. Even Bet, close beside her, could hardly hear and made a sign for herto stop. 

"If I can only get across the channel, " thought Bet, as she struggledto keep the canoe balanced. 

But all her efforts seemed not to send the canoe ahead even a foot. Buffeted by the angry waves, it was all she could do to keep it afloat. 

"Hold on to it, Bet! That's it! Keep it up!" cried Kit. "I think Isee a boat coming!"

For a brief moment darkness settled down upon Bet. Her head swam. Herstrength was about gone. 

There was a violent jar on the canoe that brought her back to hersenses. If they were to be saved, she must keep on. 

Another wave dashed over them, and Kit's arm was kept busy scooping upthe water and throwing it back to the river. Never had she worked sodesperately in her life. 

At intervals she glanced up at Bet, but the girl's white face was nocomfort to her. 

Her eyes searched the river again. "It is a boat, Bet! Help iscoming!" and as another dash of water struck them she screamed: "Holdit, Bet! Don't let go!"

CHAPTER VI

THE RESCUE

After the canoe had started on its voyage that was to prove soterrifying to the girls, Joy had stretched herself at full length inthe sand preparing for a lazy afternoon. She was content just to letthe sand sift through her fingers. Mostly she liked to dance or sing, but today she was too indolent. Shirley busied herself as usual, directing her camera this time toward some gulls that flew above herhead. 

"Now I'm going to fix the camera ready to get a good snap of the girlsin the canoe. Kit wants one to send to her mother. "

"I do believe they've gone clear over to the other side, haven't they, Shirley?" said Joy jumping to her feet. 

"There they are, they look like a little speck over there. "

But as soon as they saw the first sign of a storm, they grew restless. "I do wish those girls would get back! It's not safe to be out in acanoe in any kind of a storm. "

The cloud grew bigger and bigger and was turning black and menacing. Astorm was coming. "I know what I'm going to do, " declared Joy. "Thatrain isn't far off. I'm going for help before it's needed. "

Just what she intended to do, she hardly knew. She had made no plan. She would go to the Manor and tell Uncle Nat. 

A few rods up the path she met Bob Evans and Phil Gordon. 

"Here we are!" Bob shouted. "We've come without an invitation fromyou, Joy Evans. Where's the eats? We're starved. "

"Bet said she'd be glad to see us, " laughed Phil, pretendingdispleasure with Joy. 

"Oh Bob, quick!" cried Joy. "Do something! Bet and Kit are out in thecanoe, just started back from the other side. It looks terribly mean, I think there is going to be a bad storm. "

"Oh you needn't worry if Bet is paddling. You can trust her. She canpaddle a canoe better than any man. I wouldn't be afraid for her evenin a storm, " said Phil unconcernedly. "Anyway I don't think it willamount to anything!"

"You're wrong, Phil, " exclaimed Bob as they neared the beach. "Thatcloud certainly looks like a storm. " The first gust of wind struckthem. 

"It's coming, all right!" Phil looked anxiously toward the canoe. "Andwhen it comes it's going to be a hum-dinger!"

"Let's get the motor boat into action, " cried Bob. "If it blows up anasty squall, Kit may get panicky. You can trust Bet in a tight place, but Kit is a new-comer. "

"Can Kit swim?" asked Phil. 

"A little, " answered Shirley, "But I know she could never get along inrough water. "

"Do hurry boys, we're terribly worried, " urged Joy. 

The boys were wearing bathing suits under their clothes and it onlytook a moment for them to strip. 

To add to the distress of the girls, Smiley Jim had arrived and wasracing up and down the sand barking in a long-drawn-out, mournful howltoward the river. Shirley caught him by the collar. 

"That's no way to do, Smiley. You can't help Bet that way! Quietdown!" The dog was trembling in every limb. He'd ceased his howlingwhen the boys started out into the water. 

With long-reaching arm strokes they cut the waves and sped toward thelaunch that was moored a short distance from the shore. 

It took only a few minutes to start the motor and as it headed towardthe channel, Phil said, "There they are, they're all right. "

Then the rain came up the river as if it were a great grey curtainshutting out the river and shore. 

"Hurry Bob!" shouted Phil. "They're gone. "

A moment later, he called again: "No, there they are. Go down stream alittle Bob, the current is running so strong that Bet can't keep it ona straight course. "

"We'll never get them in this storm!" groaned Bob, as the rain againshut out the sight of the canoe. Drifting downward with the current, they worked outward toward the middle of the river. 

A flash of lightning pierced the grey sheet. 

"I see them, Bob! Straight ahead!"

The canoe rose on a huge wave, seemed to stand on end, then disappeared. 

"They're gone!" Phil closed his eyes to shut out the sight that hefeared he might have to see, two struggling figures in the water. 

And at that same moment Bet thought that the canoe would never rightitself. Yet she held on, stubbornly. Her arms ached and every movewas agony. At times she thought that all her strength was gone andthat she would have to give up. 

Help was coming! But would she be able to hold out until that boatcame? She was doing things mechanically now, without thought, andinstinct seemed to guide her to do the right thing. 

"I think I see some one, Bet. Hold on for dear life! We'll winyet!--There they are. Someone is coming, Bet!"

Bet did not raise her eyes from her work. She heard Kit's assurancethat help was near and for a second she felt faint again and giddy. 

Even when she could hear the chug-chug of the motor, she realized thatit was not going to be an easy job to be transferred from the canoe. There was still greater danger ahead than anything they had yetexperienced. The approach of the launch in the rough sea would almostsurely upset the canoe. The boys realized that too. They slowed upand circled the boat, gradually coming closer. It took all of Bet'sstrength to hold it. 

Phil knew that to try to swim toward them would be foolish in thestorm. Then an idea came to him. He spoke to Bob and he brought thelaunch near the canoe again. 

Kit was bailing water for all she was worth, but keeping her eyes onthe motor boat at the same time. Then as the boat came near she sawsomething flung toward her, something that the mountain girl understoodand knew how to handle. A rope! With quick practiced reach, shecaught it. 

"Put it around your waist, Kit. They can never tow us in this storm. "Bet's teeth were chattering now. 

Kit quickly made a loop and fastened it around Bet's waist. "Now Bet, you're safe, " she cried. "And I'll hold on to you. "

The motor boat had drifted away from them but again Bob brought italongside. Another rope was flung toward them, but the wind sent itflying backward. 

"If I could only have jumped for it!" thought Kit, but she knew thatany movement might mean destruction. 

Four times Phil threw the rope before Kit caught it and fastened itabout herself. 

Bet, knowing that they were safe, may have relaxed her efforts, orperhaps the very end of her strength had been reached. The canoe tooka wave side-on and turned completely over. 

Kit struggled, gulped and swallowed as the cold water covered her andshe felt herself being drawn toward the boat. But Bet did not rememberanything of the plunge. 

They were still in danger, for it needed Bob and Phil to raise the twogirls over the side of the launch, and it looked at times as if themotorboat would be swallowed up. The little canoe was left, to betossed about on the waves. 

When the motor again purred and the boat had headed toward the shore, the two girls were in the bottom of the launch. Bet lay there deathlywhite and showed no sign of life. Kit was sobbing and shaking and wasno possible help to the boy, who was trying to revive the still figureof the plucky girl. 

The wind subsided as quickly as it had come and by the time the motorreached the dock, the storm was over. Phil lifted Bet in his arms andcarried her to the sand. Uncle Nat and Auntie Gibbs had been calledand were there to help. 

"Get her to the house at once, " exclaimed Uncle Nat, as he half carriedKit ashore. She was trembling so violently that she could not stand. "I telephoned Dr. Snow what was happening and he said he would come atonce. "

Auntie Gibbs stood there wringing her hands and calling on Bet to speakto her. Smiley Jim snuggled up to the still form of Bet and howledfuriously when she did not call to him. 

Phil and Bob carried Bet up the hill to the Manor. At the door theymet Dr. Snow, who without a word began working over the unconsciousgirl. 

"She'll be all right!" He finally spoke to Auntie Gibbs who was almostbeside herself with fear. "I don't think she's swallowed much water. It's probably exhaustion more than anything else. Better get her tobed. "

A stimulant injected in Bet's arm soon brought her back to life, andwhen Auntie Gibbs had wrapped her in blankets and given her a hotdrink, the blood began to circulate once more and she smiled up at theold housekeeper. 

"Don't worry, Auntie Gibbs, I'm tough!"

And strange to say it was Kit and not Bet who was the more seriouslyaffected by the accident. 

As Doctor Snow relaxed his efforts over Bet, Shirley touched him on thearm. "Come and see Kit, Doctor. She's sick. Terribly sick, I'mafraid. She wouldn't let me come any sooner until she knew that Betwas better. "

The doctor hastened after Shirley and found Kit shaking with chills. 

"Get a bed ready in a hurry, " commanded the doctor and as Auntie Gibbsflew up stairs, he said:

"Help me here, Phil. We'll carry her right up. "

Kit tried to speak but her voice was only a wheezing rasp and ended ina groan. 

When Mrs. Stacey arrived, having been called by Shirley, she wasanxious to get Kit to the hospital, but the doctor refused to have hermoved. "Everything depends on keeping her quiet and warm during thenext few hours. "

At six o'clock when Colonel Baxter arrived, he rushed into the houselike a man whose reason had left him. He had heard of the accident andhad been told that Bet was dying, if not already dead. 

"Bet! Oh Bet!" he moaned. His face was deadly white. "Bet! Where isshe?"

Shirley was at his side in a moment. "Bet is all right, ColonelBaxter. She's sound asleep now and seems comfortable. It's Kit we'reworried about. "

Colonel Baxter's face looked relieved for a second, then he realizedthat if anything happened to Kit some other father would feel as hefelt on that ride from the station. 

He slipped into Bet's room and looked at her for a moment as if toassure himself that she was safe, then went to Kit. The doctor wasalone at the bedside. 

"Will she live, Doctor?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion. 

"It will be a hard pull tonight to keep this from developing intopneumonia. She's strong and ought to pull through--but one never cantell. She's a sick girl. "

Mrs. Stacey spoke:

"I do not see how I can impose on you in this way, Colonel Baxter. Ifeel as if we should get the child to the hospital. "

"Please don't say that, Mrs. Stacey. Consider the Manor your home andKit's until she is perfectly well again. Get the best nurse you knowof, Doctor. "

"She will need watching every hour tonight if we are to prevent aserious illness. I will remain here, and I've already called up a goodnurse. "

In the morning Kit was resting quietly. The terrible wheezing hadceased and the fever was coming down. 

In her delirium, Kit had cried, "Help, help!" until Bet, awakened byher cries, wrapped herself up and crept into the room. 

"Go back to bed, " ordered the doctor. "You'll be sick next. "

"No, I won't, Doctor Snow. Kit needs me, I must help her. Please letme speak to her. I'm sure I can quiet her. "

Bet knelt by the bed and clasped Kit's hand. "Listen Kit, " she saidquietly but firmly. "This is Bet; I'm all right. We're both safe athome. "

Kit started up, "No, no. Bet is drowned! I saw her so white. "

"Kit dear, listen to me. This is Bet. I'm right here beside you!"Bet repeated the sentence over and over until at last the sick brainseemed to grasp the idea and the girl quieted down, and even slept fora few minutes. 

"She'll be all right now, " the doctor announced to Colonel Baxter, whohad come in to inquire how Kit was. "And you'd better get yourdaughter back to bed. She's been under a strain and needs rest. "

The Colonel lifted Bet tenderly in his arms and carried her to her room. 

"Sit by me, Dad, I'm frightened, " she sighed. "It's so comfortable tohave you. I want to hold on to you, then I don't think about thatstorm. "

The Colonel took the little hand in his and held it until she finallyrelaxed and fell asleep. Not until the lines of strain had left herface, to be replaced by a peaceful expression, did he go back to hisown room. 

Even then he could not sleep. The details of the storm were picturedin his mind and kept him awake. Adding horror upon horror, he tossedfrom side to side. 

"What if Bet had been drowned!"

Again and again he arose and tiptoed into Bet's room to make sure thatshe was resting, and that he still had her! Without Bet, life would beunbearable!

CHAPTER VII

LADY BETTY'S ADVENTURE

It was a week before Kit was allowed to see all her friends. Bet wasgiven permission to slip in once in a while, just to reassure the sickgirl that she was all right. Kit kept worrying and would wake upterrified, believing that Bet had been drowned. 

Shirley and Joy made daily visits to the Manor. They helped AuntieGibbs in the kitchen; they did everything they could for the nurse andeven helped Mrs. Stacey so she could come and sit with Kit. 

Bet was not allowed to get up, as the exposure and strain had made herheart play strange tricks. 

"She's just tired, that's all, " said the doctor. "Nothing to worryabout, " he assured Colonel Baxter, who was anxious as he looked at thepale face of his daughter. 

"Tired and half frightened to death, " laughed Bet as she pressed herfather's hand. "It's good to be near you, Dad. "

At first the doctor had forbidden anyone to mention the accident toKit, but as she seemed to be worrying over something he finally toldBet to go and talk the matter over with her. 

"Oh Bet, what do you think of me? It was all my fault!" exclaimed thesick girl, as she raised herself on her elbow. 

"That's all nonsense. It was every bit mine. Dad says so and he oughtto know. "

"But I coaxed you to go across the river, " moaned Kit. "I'll neverforgive myself!"

"Of course you coaxed me to go across the river, but I should haveknown what to expect with a sky like that. I just didn't think. Dadsays that's no excuse at all. "

"Bet, dear, it was terrible sitting there in the bottom of the boat andbeing too stupid to help any. " Kit shuddered at the remembrance. 

"Why, Kit Patten! You think you didn't do anything! In the firstplace you kept the boat baled out as well as anyone could. If youhadn't, we'd have been swamped. "

"That wasn't anything, Bet. "

"If it hadn't been for you we would both have been drowned. If you hadbeen paddling, you couldn't have caught the rope and tied the loops. And I wouldn't have known how to tie a loop so it would hold. Yousaved our lives! Dad and I will never forget it. "

"Bet, you're silly! You know Bob and Phil came. "

"They couldn't have done anything. If they had come any nearer, thecanoe would have capsized. "

"Did I really do my part? I've been worried about it. "

"And then some!" laughed Bet. "You're the heroine of the occasion. Now let's forget it!"

It seemed as if Kit had only been waiting to get the burden off hermind before recovering completely. Within a few days she was sittingup, receiving her friends and was planning on going back to Mrs. Stacey's. 

Colonel Baxter wanted to keep her with them for a while, promising herall sorts of good times to make up for the unhappiness she had had, butMrs. Stacey thought it wiser to take her home. 

"Never mind, Kit, we'll have that good time before long. We'll have abig party and ask all our friends, " comforted Bet. 

"That sounds splendid, " exclaimed the Colonel. "We'll do it as soon asyou get acquainted and find out what young people you like. "

"But I don't want you to go home tomorrow, " pleaded Bet. "Coax Mrs. Stacey to leave you another day. "

Kit laughed: "Well you know we've coaxed for one more day and then onemore day and got them. No, I think we'd better not say a word. AnywayI do rather want to get back there. "

"I know how you feel, of course. Home is home. "

"I tell you what I'd like to do this last afternoon, Bet. I'd like togo down in the big hall so I can see Lady Betty Merriweather. Let'sspend my last afternoon with her. "

Helped by Bet, Kit descended the winding stairway and lay on the couchwhere she could see the portrait that she loved. The sun was shiningbrightly now and shafts of colored lights, from the stained glass, madebeautiful patterns on the rug. It seemed to give the room just theromantic setting that belonged to Lady Betty. 

The girls liked to imagine sometimes that they had really known thelady. 

"She used to be so gay and happy that everyone loved her, " Bet's voicewas dreamy and seemed to come from far away. "And in these very roomsshe held parties that were the talk of the Colonies, for all the greatpeople here knew her and felt proud to be her guest. "

"I should think she must have been the most popular woman in America atthat time. "

"I'm sure of it. And she was hardly more than a girl. Only twenty-twowhen Lord Cecil brought her here as a bride, to be mistress of theManor. "

"He must have been terribly proud of her!"

"I read a story about her once, how when the Revolution started, shefelt that it was something that did not concern her at all. Shewouldn't consent to have Lord Cecil mix into the trouble at all, forthey had so many friends on both sides. "

"I know just how she felt, don't you, Bet?"

"Of course! Lady Betty didn't want to think about wars and fighting. She wanted to have parties and make people happy. But of course theestate and everything they had, was from the English Crown, for hisservices here. "

"I should think she would rather have given it up than get into thequarrel. "

"And that's exactly how she felt about it, " exclaimed Bet. "And whilethey made up their minds not to take sides, it wasn't easy to do. Alltheir friends had made a decision, some on the English side and some onthe American. And after a while, Lord Cecil and Lady Betty got intoit, too. "

"And I know which side they chose, " cried Kit excitedly. "They decidedto fight for America. "

"Yes, think of it!" cried Bet. "At that time Washington's forces werebeing defeated all around here, and it must have seemed to them thatthey were giving up their lovely home. "

"And did Lord Cecil go to the war and fight?" asked Kit. 

"Yes. And Lady Betty smiled as he rode away. That is until he was outof sight. "

"She must have been very unhappy without her husband, " whispered Kit. 

"Then after Lord Cecil had been fighting for about two months, LadyBetty received a message from him, telling her to get to the Americanlines, down near King's Bridge, just as soon as possible. The Englishwere advancing and if they found her at the Manor they would make heranswer all kinds of questions and perhaps keep her a prisoner, hopingto get information. " Bet paused for a moment and gazed up at theportrait. 

"Go on Bet! What did she do?"

"She left an old servant in charge at the Manor and started out onhorseback with just a small colored boy to carry her portmanteau. Andjust imagine, Lady Betty had never before been out after nightfallwithout an escort. She must have been terribly frightened. "

"But that wouldn't stop her, I know!"

"No. She galloped along the Post Road. --And Kit, doesn't it give you alittle thrill to know it's the very same road that runs past the housenow?--And pretty soon she saw some riders coming toward her in thedistance. So she turned off on another road that was not used much. It would lead her to King's Bridge but was a longer way there. Butthey hadn't gone far when she again saw a rider, this time ahead ofthem. The man looked as if he couldn't sit straight in his saddle. Heseemed to sway. 

"Then Lady Betty recognized the horse. It was Monarch, Lord Cecil'sown mount. 'Hurry Sam!' she cried fearfully, 'It's Monarch!'"

"And was it Lord Cecil?"

"Yes, he had been wounded but had escaped from his enemies. And it isa good thing he did, for he was carrying a message to his own army. But when he saw Lady Betty, he almost fell from his horse, and wouldhave, if she had not supported him. "

"Oh the poor man!" murmured Kit. 

"But just in a minute Lord Cecil recovered himself. 'I've got to getthrough, ' he whispered. 'They are depending on me!' But he had lostso much blood from the wound in his leg that he was too weak. And thena wonderful thing happened. Lady Betty supported him until they cameto an old hut where Martha Sikes lived. She was an aged servant of theManor and was pensioned by Lord Cecil. 

"And here Lady Betty, after assuring herself that the wound was notdangerous, left her husband in the care of Sam and the old woman androde away with the message. Lord Cecil was too weak and tired toobject. "

"My! That was a brave thing to do! I don't believe I would have hadthe courage to do it. "

"Not many of us would, but Lady Betty Merriweather never hesitated. She started out all alone, when every shadow of the night terrifiedher. And she rode furiously with no thought of the accidents thatmight occur on the rough road. She kept right on and delivered themessage into the hands of the General in charge. And the paper shecarried was a warning that the enemy would attack that night. "

"Think of it!" mused Kit. "Wasn't that wonderful. She saved the army, I'm sure. "

"Yes. The General wanted to send an escort back with her but LadyBetty refused, saying that he would need all his men for the battlethat would be sure to come. 

"Once on her return trip she saw riders coming and quickly drew herpony to the side of the road and hid behind a clump of bushes. Andalthough her horse was fiery and never stood quietly before, now it wasperfectly still. Wasn't that wonderful!"

"I think, " said Kit with a slight quiver in her voice, "that horsesknow everything that is going on. "

"That one must have, for it stood motionless. And Lady Betty scarcelybreathed. She heard the two riders talking! And she heard herhusband's name! And until that minute she thought perhaps they wereher friends. 

"'Lord Cecil is a traitor! He deserves to be hung!' exclaimed onevoice in angry, excited tones. 'And he will be before many days go by. I've never yet missed a man I've been sent out to get. '

"'And if we capture him alive, we'll get double pay, is that it?' askedthe second voice. 

"'And not only that but I am to have his estate. I'll be the next Lordof the Manor!'"

"Poor Lady Betty! It's a wonder she didn't scream!" exclaimed Kit. 

"She was too wise to do that. Everything depended on her being braveand not losing her head. At this very moment someone might be at oldMartha's cabin to take away Lord Cecil. If a price was on his head, hewas not safe for a second. "

"And then what?" asked Kit excitedly. "What did she do then?"

"She waited until the riders were out of sight again and then went on. Then at a turn in the road, she came face to face with another man onhorseback. Lady Betty was sure now that it was the end. She would beimprisoned or held and not allowed to warn her husband. But her horsewhinnied and trotted beside the other horse and she saw the face of theman. It was Denby, her old servant, whom she had left in charge at theManor. "

"And what was he doing there?" exclaimed Kit impatiently. "I thoughtshe told him to guard the Manor. "

"No, Denby was true. He noticed after she left that in her excitementshe had forgotten her bag of money, and he was on his way to King'sBridge with it. So he turned and rode back with her toward OldMartha's cabin. "

"It was good he came, wasn't it?"

"Yes, for a few minutes after that, the old servant touched her sleeve. 'I hear distant riders, it must be soldiers! Let us take to the woodshere until they pass. '

"It seemed almost impossible, they thought, that the soldiers did notsee them, for they had not been concealed when the British troop rodeby on the way to the attack at King's Bridge. Lady Betty was tremblingwith fright, as the officer in command called, 'Halt!'"

"O--ooh!" exclaimed Kit. "I would have died of fright, I know I would!"

"But Lady Betty didn't. She held on to the bridle with a firm graspand hardly breathed. You see she had to save not only her husband butthe Manor as well. Everything depended on her. Every moment sheexpected to see the troops following them and the call to fire, butafter a short rest, the order to march was given and Lady Betty drew asigh of relief. 

"They kept to the fields from then on, and in an hour saw the littlecabin dark, gloomy and poverty-stricken, in front of them. 

"At the first sound of horses stopping, old Martha came to the door, ready to put up a fight if need be, but when she recognized Lady Bettyshe shouted with joy, 'Sam, brisk up that fire a bit, it's yourmistress returned. '"

"I know Lady Betty went straight to her wounded husband, " said Kittriumphantly. 

"Of course, " exclaimed Bet. "She wouldn't wait a second. He wastossing about on the bed, anxious about the safety of his wife. Andwhen he saw her coming into the room, he held out his hands to her, andthere were tears in his eyes. After he had held her in his arms toassure himself that she was safe, he said, 'Betty, the message?' Shehastened to reply: 'I delivered it right into General Brock's hands. Do not worry, the message went through. '

"Lord Cecil didn't get well quickly. The wound in his leg was worsethan they thought at first. And he was weak from loss of blood. Thelittle cabin afforded so few of the comforts of life that she decidedto get Lord Cecil back to the Manor as soon as possible. "

"But wasn't there greater danger there?"

"No, that is Lady Betty didn't think so. At the Manor were stores offood hidden away, and here they were half starved. That's why she gotword to the old servant, to come and help her take the master home. And when they got him home, they hid him away. "

"Oh Bet, where did they hide him?" asked Kit. 

"In that long tunnel, in the arched room. "

"The one you showed me the other day, is that it?"

"Yes, that's the one. Lady Betty moved down all the comfortable thingshe needed, and she stayed there with him, living in the tunnel. "

"And did people guess it, the enemy I mean?"

"No, they had good luck that way. The old servant took charge of thehouse and cooked the food for them. They were not disturbed often, butthey could never be sure when a company of soldiers might come by andstay for the night. 

"And once the very men who were looking for Lord Cecil, stayed a dayand a half. Old Denby had a hard time keeping his temper, for theyransacked the house. Only the fact that one of the men hoped somedayto be in possession of the estate, kept them from destroying the place. 

"Lady Betty used to go back and forth through the Manor, alwayslistening for footsteps outside. And one night she got caught. Shecame face to face with an officer of the British army, Colonel Webb. The man was an intimate friend of Lord Cecil's and had been entertainedin the Manor many times. "

"O--oh Bet! What happened?"

"Lady Betty gave a little gasp of dismay. 'Arthur Webb! You here!'she exclaimed. 

"'Yes, Betty, but do not fear, I will not harm you or give away yoursecret. I thought you were miles from here. ' You know, Kit, I alwayslike to think that Colonel Webb was half in love with her, for he cameand kissed her hand over and over again. Wasn't that lovely?"

The girls gave themselves up to their dreams for a little while, then Kit said, "And did Colonel Webbfind out that Lord Cecil was there, too?"

"He suspected it after a while, for he knew that Lord Cecil had beenwounded and was ill. So he begged her to let him see his friend. Butit was only after much pleading that she finally allowed him to descendthe steps that led to the tunnel. Colonel Webb waited until late inthe night to be sure that his men were asleep. 

"The three friends spent the rest of the night talking of the happinessthey had had together, and the sorrow and tragedy that the war hadbrought to all of them. Lady Betty must have been glad that she hadallowed Colonel Webb to come and spend those hours with them, for lateron he was killed in an engagement and they never saw him again. "

"How sad they must have felt, " whispered Kit. 

"Yes. Lady Betty was never as gay again. You couldn't expect her tobe: she had seen and heard of so much suffering and disappointments. "

"And did Lord Cecil ever go back to the war?"

"He was in the last campaign that meant victory for the Americans. Bythe time the war was over, Lord Cecil was a poor man. He had theManor, of course, but there was little money and they had few luxuries. "

"But I'm sure Lady Betty didn't care about that! She still had LordCecil!"

"You know, Kit, I don't believe people have a chance now-a-days to showso much courage. In those stirring times, one had to do daring things. "

"If Lady Betty were alive now, I think she'd do something wonderful. It was her nature. "

"I think she'd be pleased if she knew about our club, don't you? _TheMerriweather Girls_! I half fancy her smile is sweeter since wethought of it, " smiled Bet. "She's the dearest thing, isn't she?"

"It's the most beautiful picture I've ever seen, Bet. Where did itcome from. Was it in the Manor when your father bought the place?"

"No, the picture was painted by Gilbert Stuart, the artist who made somany pictures of Washington, and it was handed down by several peopleand finally sold at auction. "

"Think of anyone who owned it being willing to sell it at auction!"

"I'm glad they did, because that was how Dad got it. A number ofpeople wanted it. That's the time Peter Gruff bid against Dad andfinally had to give up, as Dad ran the price up too high for him. Hestormed and raved. But my mother had said she would like to have itfor her reception hall and after that, Dad insisted on having it. Andyou know he usually gets what he wants. Don't you think he'swonderful, Kit?"

"Indeed he is, Bet. Your father has been so good to me that I'd be avery ungrateful girl if I didn't think he's the best ever. "

There was a scratching at the door and Bet ran to open it. "Wellhere's old Smiley Jim, come to see Kit! Nice old Smiley!"

The dog came in with a bound, switching his bushy tail about andsmiling up at his friends. Then after he had received their petting, he went as he always did, directly under the portrait of Lady Bettyand, raising his head, barked three short, joyous barks. 

"He always does that, Kit, always, just as if he knew her and had togreet her. "

"I think it's the finest thing I've ever seen a dog do. "

"I really believe he thinks she's alive, for he's done that ever sincehe was a tiny pup. "

That afternoon Joy and Shirley came. "Hurry up and come back toschool, it's frightfully lonely without you, " exclaimed Shirley. "Halfthe life is gone from the class. "

"For which the teachers consider themselves lucky. "

"Maybe so, " laughed Joy. "Oh dear, I've only been back for a few daysand I've been in trouble twice. "

"What did you do?" laughed Bet. "Tell me about it. "

"It wasn't much. Miss Owens sent me to the board with half a dozenothers and I was working the problem all right, but I forgot and beganto twirl on my toes. Just a few innocent dance steps, you know itmakes me think better. "

"I was wondering how she ever kept still in school, " said Kit, drawingthe girl to her. 

"She doesn't, " whispered Bet. "Between Joy's dancing and my dreaming, those poor teachers have a time of it. We've been telling each otherall summer, that we were going to turn over a new leaf. "

"And I've broken all my resolutions already. "

"We'll have to remember that we are the Merriweather Girls and havesomething to live up to. That's the trouble with having a club withambitions and aims and all the rest of it. We have to make good. " Itwas Shirley's quiet counsel. 

"Lady Betty would never have danced in school, I'm sure of it!" Joykissed her finger tips to the portrait. 

Bet and Kit both glanced up at the smiling face on the wall and italmost seemed as if the lips twitched with amusement. 

"I'm not so sure about that, Joy. Anyone with as much gaiety andspirit as she had must have gotten into plenty of trouble in school, "laughed Bet. 

"Then I'm sure she tried not to, " smiled Shirley, trying to encourageJoy in her resolution. She was always unhappy when any of the girlsgot into trouble. 

"Is Miss Elder as sweet as she was last year?" asked Bet. 

"Oh, she's sweeter than ever, " exclaimed Joy. 

"And Edith?"

"Oh that girl is always with us, to keep us from enjoying life toomuch. Why don't they send her away to Boarding School or something?She has already gotten two people into trouble by tattling. "

"That girl's a pest!" Bet frowned with indignation. 

"Lady Betty Merriweather would have won her friendship and changed herwhole character, " said Kit, gazing into the smiling eyes. 

Joy laughed. "You wait until you know Edith Whalen. Then you will seeif there is anything that can change her character. "

"I must say I feel a little discouraged myself, " said Bet, shaking herhead. 

CHAPTER VIII

THE THORN IN THE FLESH

School had been in session for two weeks before Bet and Kit wereallowed to go. Although Kit was a year and a half older than herfriends, she was in the same grade. The little mountain school whichshe had attended in Arizona, had not been of the best. Her friendshipfor her chums made up to her for the fact that she was taller than anyother girl in the class and for that reason had to bear many tauntsfrom spiteful and thoughtless schoolmates. Kit became a favorite withmost of the class, her quaint sayings amused them. But Edith Whalentook a violent dislike to her, as she was apt to do when she sawanother girl made much of. 

"Isn't she terribly crude!" exclaimed Edith with curled lips. "I don'tsee why she had to be in our class. I know mother wouldn't want me toassociate with her. "

"Bet Baxter seems to like her, " said Vivian Long, who was always to beseen at Edith's heels. 

"Well her taste isn't to be imitated. I think she's horrid. "

"Why Edith Whalen, how can you say a thing like that? We all think Kitis so pretty and sweet. And she's very clever!" exclaimed ShirleyWilliams, coming to the defense of her chum. 

"But who is she? The daughter of a cowboy or a miner! She's justcommon white trash!"

Bet was coming toward Edith, her eyes blazing. "Why Edith Whalen youare nothing but a horrid snob. I hate you!"

This was what Miss Elder heard as she came quietly into the class room. 

"Bet!" Miss Elder's voice was stern. "I'll see you after schooltonight. I'm surprised to hear you talk like that to anyone. "

Bet was overcome with shame and anger. She went to her place at onceand bent over her books, knowing that Edith was preening herself overher success in getting others into trouble. It seemed as if Edithcould always do something mean and get away with it. 

"And if I so much as, --well lose my temper a wee little bit like I didthis morning--I get punished. " Bet was receiving the sympathy of herchums at noon. 

From a distance Bet heard Edith talking to a group of girls about her, "Miss Elder will make her apologize to me, and I hope it will be beforethe whole school. Bet thinks she can say anything, just becauseColonel Baxter is rich and popular. "

Bet had started toward the corner of the room where Edith was standing, but Shirley laid her hand on her shoulder. 

"Come on, Bet, " coaxed Shirley. "Don't listen to her. You'll only getinto more trouble. "

"I don't care, I'm going to tell her what I think of her. "

"Aw forget it, Bet!" exclaimed Joy. "What's the matter with you today, anyway? Usually you can laugh at anything mean Edith has a mind to sayto you. "

"If it were about me, I could stand it. But I'll fight to the deathfor Kit!"

Luckily the bell rang at that moment and Bet was restrained fromfurther quarreling. 

Bet was not asked to make a public apology, as Edith had hoped. MissElder in her kindly way talked to the girl and made her see that tolose her temper and say unkind things was not living up to the bestthat was in her. 

"And why did you get angry? What did Edith do?"

"Miss Elder, don't ask me to tell on her. I've never told on anyone inmy life. I'll take all the punishment. "

"I'm not going to punish you, Bet. I think by the looks of yourunhappy face this afternoon that you have been punished enough. "

"I always get sick when I get angry, " said Bet shamefacedly. 

"Then my advice to you is, don't get angry any more. " Miss Elder hadher arm about the girl and was half laughing at the serious face of thechild. "Now run along home, Bet, and don't let me ever hear of yougetting angry again. Promise!"

"Oh Miss Elder, I couldn't promise that. You know I get cross over theslightest thing. Dad says so! But I'll promise to try hard. Willthat do? Besides I'll never be able to keep good natured when Edith isaround. "

"Dear girl, you must get over your habit of becoming so tense overunimportant matters. If you can't learn to like Edith, learn to beindifferent. "

"I'll try ever so hard, Miss Elder but just now she's a thorn in myflesh, and oh, how she hurts!"

And Bet did try in the weeks that followed to be indifferent to Edith, but it seemed to her as if Edith went out of her way to say and dounkind things. 

"It's no use, " Bet often said to herself. "I'm as indifferent as I canbe, but oh! how I despise that girl!"

Antagonism against Kit Patten grew daily in the heart of Edith Whalen. That Kit could come into Lynnwood and immediately get into the set thatshe would like to be in, was sufficient reason for Edith's enmity. 

Kit was liked by all the girls and boys. Her ready smile, a knack ofgetting a quick and appropriate answer back when they tried to teaseher, made her a popular girl. In the class club she was appointed oncommittees and soon was taking an active part in the organization. Andwhat Kit did, she did well and her natural charm made new friends forher daily. 

Then when Kit suddenly pushed ahead in her studies and became a leader, this seemed the spur that made Edith display her enmity toward thegirl. For Edith was so self-centered that any charm she might havepossessed was being smothered and her sly and treacherous ways, kepther acquaintances either indifferent to her or decidedly against her. 

Kit seemed to have a natural talent for languages. From the first sheexcelled in Latin. Her translations were being held up as examples inclass work and she was receiving praise from Miss Owens, the Latinteacher, and even from the principal. 

"Oh Bet, think of me leading in anything! I don't know half as much asthe rest of you girls!"

"Why shouldn't you lead? We know you're just as clever as you can be. "

"No, it's not that, Bet. It's just because I have mastered onelanguage besides my own. I've spoken Spanish ever since I canremember, first with the little Mexican children around the ranch, andlater I learned it properly with a teacher who wanted to pick it up. And I think it makes it easier now in Latin. "

"Which shows you're clever just the same, " laughed Shirley. "Imaginebeing able to speak in Spanish and knowing some of the Indian dialectsas well. "

"Huh! I'd call that smart, " exclaimed Joy. "I'll never be able to doanything in languages. Why can't they have dancing and givescholarships for that?"

"Never mind, Joy, " soothed Bet. "Maybe they'll invent a way to studyLatin on tiptoe, then you'll be at the head of the class. "

"Those examinations next week give me heart trouble, " shivered Joy. "Ijust hate exams!"

The dreaded quarterly examinations came, however. The Latin test washard: most of the pupils sighed, bit their pencils and the ones whowere unprepared, gave up in despair. 

But Kit turned in a paper that afterwards proved to be almost perfect. Just at the close of the test when Miss Owens was picking up the testpapers, she passed Kit's seat and saw a book protruding from her desk. 

The order had been that all books were to be turned in and anyone foundpossessing a book would be given zero in the test. 

Miss Owens stopped short. "Why Kit Patten!" she exclaimed inamazement. "Give me the book that you have in your desk!"

Kit started in surprise looking in her desk and handed the book to theteacher, her face white. 

"Where did you get that book?" exclaimed Miss Owens. Raising the bookabove her head she announced to the class. "This book is a Latin Key. I'm surprised Kit Patten, that a girl like you could do such a thing. "

Kit sprang to her feet. "Miss Owens, I never saw that book before. "Her voice was clear and strong, no sign of guilt or embarrassment. "There must be some mistake. "

"Come with me!" ordered Miss Owens, hastily picking up the rest of thetest papers, and led the way to the office. 

Miss Owens blurted out the story to Principal Sills. She was toooutraged to be just to anyone at the moment and even the principal feltno inclination to be lenient. 

"You know, " said Mr. Sills, facing the girl, "that this is a seriousthing you have done. It means only one thing, that is expulsion fromthe school. No pupil is allowed to have a key. "

It was some time before Bet had a chance to state her case. Then shesaid quietly, "Mr. Sills, I have heard of key books but I have neverseen one. "

"Then how did the book get into your desk! Don't make matters worse bytrying to lie out of it. Make a full confession and take thepunishment. Since you are away from your parents, we will make anexception in your case and not expel you if you say you did it. "

"Mr. Sills, I cannot make a confession of something that I never did. I tell you I never saw that book until Miss Owens took it from my desk. "

"Let me see her test paper, Miss Owens. Then you may go back anddismiss your class, but come here again. "

The principal took the test paper in his hand and commenced to gothrough it. He did not look surprised when he came across sentencesthat usually proved stumbling blocks to the pupils, to find themperfectly translated by Kit. He tapped the paper as if he were sayingto himself, "I told you so!"

"Have you ever studied Latin before?" he asked her just as Miss Owensreturned. 

"No sir, this is my first year. "

"Then I do not believe that you could have turned in such a good paperwithout help. It has never been done before and we do not expectanyone to answer more than half of the questions. Your mistakes are soslight that the paper may be counted perfect. That seems to meevidence enough of your guilt. "

Kit did not answer for a moment, but her eyes were blazing. "Youaccuse me of copying without real proof! How dare you!"

The principal flushed. "Don't you think the fact that you had a keybook in your desk during examination period is proof enough?"

"I know it looks bad, Mr. Sills, but it isn't proof. It can't be proofbecause I never saw the book before. "

"Yet where the name is erased, it looks strangely like your initials. "

Mr. Sills passed the book to Kit. The tracings of the first letteralthough dim, certainly looked like a "K. "

"It doesn't make any difference. Even if my name was written in fullon that page, I still tell you I never saw the book before. "

And through all the questioning, Kit remained firm. Every moment MissOwens became more excited and indignant against Kit. She felt that thegood papers the girl had passed in daily, had been copied, and shedisliked the idea of having had such a thing put over in the class. 

Kit stood the grilling with patience for a long time, then suddenly shejumped to her feet:

"I have a right to have a friendly person to defend me, " she exclaimed. "I want Miss Elder to come in!"

"We are both your friends, " said Principal Sills. 

Miss Owens' face flushed at the criticism. "And you know Kit, I havealways been friendly. "

"You are not being friendly now and you are not being just, that iscertain. I need someone who will believe me in spite of this, and willhelp to straighten it out. "

Miss Elder was sent for and came in, her eyes smouldering with sympathyfor the girl. And right behind her came Bet. The three girls had goneto Miss Elder as soon as class was dismissed, Joy and Shirley in tears, but Bet, stamping up and down the room in a rage. 

"Let me go to Mr. Sills!" she cried. "I'll tell him something. WhyKit wouldn't cheat. She just couldn't!"

"Now Bet, keep calm. If you want to help Kit, you must. "

So when the call came from the office, Bet begged to be allowed toaccompany Miss Elder. 

Kit smiled when she saw Bet's troubled face. Stepping forward, shegrasped the hand of her friend. "Don't you worry, Bet. I didn't do itand just as long as you and Miss Elder believe in me, I'll win out. "

Mr. Sills handed the test paper to Miss Elder. "I have marked the fewtrifling errors on the margin. Do you think it possible that a girlwho has studied Latin only a few months could write such a paper? Doeither of you believe it?" he asked, looking toward Bet. 

Bet was about to deliver a speech in defense of her friend, but Kitfrowned and put her finger to her lips and Bet kept quiet. 

Miss Elder spoke: "I have taken a particular interest in Kit Patten andI do not believe it possible that she would cheat in any way!"

Bet's eyes were shining: "Why not give her another chance? Keep herright here in the office and let her do another exam. Then you canwatch her every second. "

Mr. Sills went quietly toward a filing cabinet and selected an oldexamination paper. "Here is one that is almost as difficult. Sit overthere and begin. "

Miss Elder looked her sympathy. "Do you think it quite fair? After ahard day at the examinations and then all this emotional strain of thelast hour, how can she do her best now?"

"Oh please, Miss Elder, don't stop me, " cried Kit. "I feel sure I cando it. Yes, I can do it better than the other, for now I'm fightingfor my very life. "

"Dear old Kit! You show them!" said Bet with a smile of encouragement. 

In a few moments Kit had a place at the long library table and waswriting for all she was worth. Miss Owens and Mr. Sills never left theroom while Kit's pen flew over the paper. Spurred on by theexcitement, the girl never seemed to hesitate even for a word. 

Miss Elder and Bet met the girls outside. "Oh I think Miss Owens isterrible!" exclaimed Joy. 

"Why no, Joy. Miss Owens looks heart-broken. She is harder hit thanany of us. She had taken such pride in Kit's work. Then to find thekey in her desk! You know that's a terrible shock. " Miss Elder triedto soothe the girls. 

"But just the same she ought to know that Kit couldn't do it, "protested Shirley. 

"Whose book is it, anyway? Who put it in Kit's desk?" asked Joy. 

"No one seems to know or if they do, they won't tell, " said Bet. "Butit's up to the Merriweather Girls to find out. "

"Let's go into the club meeting, we almost forgot it!" Shirley led theway. 

The three girls arrived just in time to hear a discussion regarding KitPatten's behavior. Vivian Long, Edith Whalen's friend, was talking. 

"I think after such a disgraceful thing, Kit Patten should be asked toresign from the club. "

"Don't you think she should be allowed to defend herself?" askedShirley, not waiting to be seated. 

At a nudge from Edith, Vivian was again on her feet. "If we are tokeep up the standards of our class club, we should not overlook thisfor a minute. The book was found in Kit's desk and that is enough. "

Bet somehow got to the middle of the room, her face red and her hairtousled. 

She frowned on Vivian, and the girl dropped to her seat without anotherword. 

"That must not be put to a motion. Nothing has been proved and I donot believe Kit did anything wrong. Mr. Sills is giving her a new testnow and I'm sure she'll prove that she didn't get any help anywhere. "

"But if a girl had such a book in her possession! You don't want us tolet a thing like that go by without notice. The club is for questionsof this kind. "

Bet's quick glance seemed to take in everything. She knew just theattitude that each girl was taking. Some were against Kit, and otherswere willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. 

Bet caught a look of triumph on Edith's face and in a burst of temperexclaimed: "Someone planted that book there to get Kit into trouble. Ihave my suspicions as to who did it. "

"Then you had better speak out, " exclaimed Vivian Long after a nudgefrom Edith. 

"I will accuse no one--that is at present, " answered Bet. 

"You are accusing someone, and unless you give names, you have no rightto make that statement. Now you are accusing everyone about us, afterwhat you just said. " It was Edith's sneering voice. 

"Then Edith, for the present I apologize. " She looked the girlstraight in the eyes. "But you will hear from me later. --And what'smore, if I am mistaken about it and have made this accusation falsely, then I'll send in my resignation as well. "

Even Joy and Shirley had to laugh at Bet's apology. One minute shetook back her accusation and the next made it stronger than ever. 

The result of Kit's test in the office was even better than the otherone had been. Mr. Sills put out his hand and said, "At least you haveproven that you did not need a key to do your work. " He hesitated asecond: "But we will have to find out who put the book there before youare entirely free from suspicion with the class. "

Miss Owens threw her arms about the girl. "Forgive me for doubting youfor a moment. I know you didn't do it. "

And when Kit heard of the loyalty of her chums in the club she washappy. "But you shouldn't have done it, Bet, you'll only get yourselfin bad. "

"Right-O!" cried Joy. "If you're in bad, Kit, then all theMerriweather Girls are in bad. We stick together. "

"In sunshine and storm! Isn't that right, Shirley!" exclaimed Betimpulsively. 

Shirley answered by putting her arm around Kit. 

And when Bob and Phil heard of the trouble they were indignant. "There's only one girl in that class mean enough to do it, " said Bob. "I wonder if she would!"

"I'm not only wondering, but I'm going to find out!" snapped Betvindictively. 

"We're on her trail!" laughed Joy. 

"And remember if there is anything we can do, let us know. We believein Kit!" declared Phil. 

The next morning Miss Owens made a point of meeting Kit outside thedoor and bringing her into the room. After the class had assembled, Miss Owens said simply: "I want you all to know that Kit Patten hasproved to me and to Mr. Sills that she did not use a key in herexaminations. Just how the book got into her desk, we do not know, butwe are making every effort to find out. "

"The idea!" whispered Edith Whalen to the girl ahead of her. "Howbeautifully they shield her!"

"They would!" agreed Vivian Long. "It does seem as if Bet Baxter andher crowd can do anything they like. "

"I never did believe Kit did it, " said little Annie Randall, a meektimid child who rarely took a stand in anything. 

"What do you know about it?" asked Edith contemptuously. And AnnieRandall was subdued. 

Although most of the class received Kit back with kindly thoughts, still the girl felt the humiliation of being doubted by others. Ratherpointed jokes were flung out in her hearing occasionally. Kit waseven-tempered and therefore able to endure it, but to Bet it was like alighted match to tinder. Sparks flew and sputtered while Bet told theannoyers that Kit was worth a dozen of them, which only urged them onto further annoyance. 

But Bet's heart ached for Kit, who felt these slights more than shewould own. In the club, although someone would propose her name forcommittee work, there was always a protest, until Kit begged herfriends to cease their efforts, for it only embarrassed her and keptthe subject before the class all the time. 

"If we could only find the one who did it!" It was on Bet's mindcontinually and finally she went to Principal Sills and talked thematter over with him. What she suggested was a trap to catch the onewho had played such a mean trick on her friend. 

"Whoever owns that book wants it back worst way or she would never havebought it. If we put it on Miss Owens' desk, sooner or later theguilty one will try to get it. No one else will want to touch it. "

Mr. Sills was rather skeptical about the success of the plan. 

"We can try it, anyway. I'm always here until after the school islocked at night. "

Miss Owens was taken into the secret between Mr. Sills and Bet, but noone else was told about it. 

"I can't even tell you Merriweather Girls, " confided Bet. "But I'msure I'll be able to tell the whole story before long, and you'll allbe glad. "

And the girls feeling sure that it had something to do with Kit'strouble, did not urge her to confide in them. 

Bet, in a quiet way, saw to it that everyone in the class knew that thekey book was on Miss Owens' desk. 

And her three chums found Bet a very unsatisfactory companion for thenext few days. Every night after school she excused herself by sayingthat she had to see Mr. Sills. If they could have seen her hiding awayin one of the lower grade rooms where she could see the only unlockeddoor of the building they would have wondered what she was up to. 

On the third afternoon she was rewarded. Just as she was about to giveup and go home, she saw a figure dart around the building and come inthe door. 

It was Edith Whalen. 

Bet wanted to go herself and confront the girl, but thought better ofit and kept to the plan she and Mr. Sills had made. She ran to theoffice and called the principal. 

Edith had tiptoed into the classroom, selected the book she wanted andturned to go. At the door she met Mr. Sills. 

"I would like to see you in the office, Edith, " he said quietly. 

Edith clutched the book and quickly hid it under her coat, wishing shecould find a place to drop it when Mr. Sills was not looking. Butthere was no chance to get rid of it. 

When they reached the office, the principal said quietly, "Edith, giveme the book you have there. "

The girl hesitated. He extended his hand. 

"It's the Latin key from Miss Owens' desk. I want it. " Then as Edithhesitated still, he demanded: "Pass it over at once. "

"Now sit down here and tell me the whole story. Why did you put thatbook in Kit Patten's desk?"

Edith started to deny that she had done so, then decided to beperfectly silent. 

Finally after an hour, during which time the principal made threats ofexpulsion, the girl finally broke down and confessed. 

In the meantime Bet had gone to the phone and called Miss Owens andKit, according to the understanding with Mr. Sills. 

It was Kit who begged for Edith. "Don't expel her, Mr. Sills. I'msure she won't do such a thing again. " Kit even objected to a classapology for the girl but Mr. Sills was firm in this. 

And when school opened the next day Edith had to face the class and saythat she had put the book into Kit's desk in order to get her intotrouble. 

Kit was thankful that the suspicion against her was gone, but shepitied Edith. 

"I don't understand her!" exclaimed the girl to her friends later. "I'm anxious to be friends and she won't let me. "

Several days later when she met Edith face to face in the dressingroom, Edith exclaimed: "Get out of my sight, I hate you!"

CHAPTER IX

SHIRLEY'S SHOP

Although Kit made every effort to be friendly with Edith Whalen, shehad to acknowledge herself beaten. As Merriweather Girls, the fourchums felt that they should be able to win her, but Edith refused tonotice any advances made by the girls and while she was notaggressively unpleasant, they felt her smoldering dislike. 

"We'll just have to give up and let her alone, " advised Bet. "If weappear too anxious, she may break out again and do something else. Onecan never be sure of Edith. "

"It does seem a shame, " sighed Kit. "I'd truly love to be friends inspite of what she did. I want everybody to like me. "

"And she probably would have liked you, too, if you hadn't been afriend of mine. She has always disliked me. "

"Well girls, let us console ourselves with some of Auntie Gibbs' fudge. She just made it on purpose for us, " cried Joy, dancing into the bigentrance hall where Shirley, Bet and Kit were curled up on the divan. Shirley had brought a box of prints that she had promised to show Kit, and today was a rainy Saturday afternoon and just the time to do it. 

The Merriweather Girls were having their weekly meeting at the Manor. 

A little later Colonel Baxter joined them and demanded the right to beincluded in the club. 

"Here you are having a good time, and I'm out of it. "

"But Dad, you can't be a Merriweather Girl, you know that. "

"Well I might be Legal Advisor or something of the sort. Give me afancy title and I'll be happy. "

"All right, " exclaimed Kit, clapping her hands. "Legal Advisor it is, and we'll ask your advice right this minute on a very importantproblem. How do you make people like you? Turn hatred into love orsomething like that?"

"One way is to shut your eyes to the hatred, forget it's there andeverything will come out all right in the end. "

"And that's that, " said Bet. "Dad knows. "

"All right Shirley, he's given us his first valuable legal advice. Nowhe might be permitted to have some fudge and also look at yoursnapshots. He's getting impatient, " pleaded Kit, as she and Betwandered away into the drawing room and Joy danced out to the kitchenfor more fudge. 

The Colonel was always interested in the progress Shirley was making inphotography. She seemed to have a decided talent for taking pictures. Every print was looked at carefully and praised and sometimescriticized by the Colonel as they talked of the methods of taking, thestyle of finish and all the other details of the work. 

"Some of these days you'll be having a gallery of your own and hangingout your sign. " The Colonel smiled and patted the little hand ofShirley. His daughter's chums were very dear to him. 

"I'm afraid I'm not clever enough for that. There is a lot to learnabout taking pictures. I've always been glad I had some training withMr. Colby before he retired. You know I just love photography, I couldtake pictures from morning till night and never be tired. "

"What's that one in the envelope over there? You didn't show me thatone. "

Shirley flushed. "Well that's an experiment. I had the nerve to tryan art print. I wanted to see what I could do. "

Colonel Baxter gave a low whistle when Shirley held up the print. "Nowyou have done something, Miss Fixit. That's very good. " He held it atarm's length. "I should say it's very good! And these others arefine, too. "

"Now you're teasing me. I know you are. "

"No of course I'm not teasing. They're lovely. I don't know which Ilike best, the gulls, or the Palisades and that tree with the river inthe background. They are all very pretty. "

Shirley had taken six different views and the Colonel now advised herto make some prints of each and he would send them to an art shop inNew York where he was acquainted. "We'll fix them up in a narrow giltframe and they'll make a very nice gift. "

"Oh, do you really think so? Why I'll be so proud just to have themexhibited I'll pretty nearly blow up even if I don't sell any at all. "

"I've an idea, Shirley. You are always anxious to earn money and dothings, why don't you start a shop of your own?"

"You're funny, Colonel Baxter. How would I start a shop? Bet, comehere and listen to your father. "

"What's he planning now, Shirley, " exclaimed Bet as she threw her armaround her father's neck. "Don't oppose my Dad in anything he wants todo. I found that out years and years ago when I was young. Whateverhe says, do it. "

"But this is impossible!"

"Not if Dad says it's possible, " she laughed. "Oh Dad, you are a mostwonderful man!"

"And you are a most wonderful daughter, Bet!"

"And here comes old Smiley Jim for his share, " exclaimed Bet pattingthe dog's head. "Yes Smiley Jim, you are a most wonderful dog!"

"It's a wonderful family!" announced Joy with a dance. 

"And if no one else believes it, we do!" said the Colonel. "But comenow Merriweather Girls, call a council or a pow-wow or what ever youcall it! Blow your horn and get the clan together. "

"Toot--toot--t-o-o-o-o-o-t!" Joy blew on an imaginary bugle and atthat moment Kit came into the room from the kitchen where she had goneto ask Auntie Gibbs a question. 

"Auntie Gibbs says----" Kit started to tell something. 

But Bet interrupted: "We don't want to hear what Auntie Gibbs says. The Merriweather Girls are in council. Grave matters are about to bediscussed. The Legal Advisor is present and all members are called foran immediate consultation. "

Kit dropped into a chair laughing. "Proceed!" she announced. 

"The Legal Advisor has the chair!" laughed Shirley. 

"The question under consideration, " began the Colonel, "is one of verygreat importance. It is that Shirley Williams should open an art andphotographic shop right here in Lynnwood!"

"Whoopee!" shouted Kit, swinging her arm around her head as if she werewaving a sombrero. 

"Why of course, " said Bet. "I'm surprised that we didn't think of thatourselves. I move that the shop be opened at once, immediately! Whereis it to be?"

"Well I was thinking, " said the Colonel. 

"But listen. To run a shop a person must have money and must know howto sell things and I don't know how or anything. " The prospect wasalluring to Shirley, but the difficulties seemed too great. 

"She has to go to school, " Joy reminded them. 

"You leave it to Dad. He's thinking of something, I can see that. "'

"Yes, I have a plan and we will want to talk it over with Shirley'smother before we do anything. Now if you girls will keep quiet, I'lltell you my plan. "

"Do let us hear it, " cried Joy. 

"Hurry, Dad, we can't wait! Please don't be so slow, say it right thisminute!"

"Suppose you keep quiet long enough for your father to say a word, "suggested Kit. "Let the poor man have a chance!"

"What I was trying to say is that I have that little corner store nextto old Peter Gruff's place. Supposing I give that to Shirley for ayear and let her open a Saturday Shop; that means that it would only beopen on Saturdays. "

"Dad, you're a wonder! I'm proud of you!"

Colonel Baxter shook his head at his daughter. 

"No interruptions!" Then he continued: "With the Christmas seasonahead, I'm sure that Shirley could sell plenty of these art printsalone to make it worth while. I'll get her the frames in New York at awholesale place where I've dealt for years. "

"But Colonel, I haven't any money to start things. "

Again the man put up his hand for silence. "Now I believe this isgoing to be a good business proposition for anyone who goes into it, soI am going to back you. It will not take much money. For furnishingsfor the shop I would refer you to our attic. Auntie Gibbs hates tothrow anything away, or give it away for that matter, and you will findchairs and tables and that sort of thing. You girls can decorate theplace to suit yourselves. Now what do you think about it? Don't allspeak at once. "

For a moment no one spoke. The prospect that spread out before them, leading them on into future joys, left the girls quite overcome. Eventhe lighthearted Joy, who usually had a song or dance for everyoccasion, was silent and thoughtful. 

"It's too good to be true!" laughed Kit. "I can see all sorts ofwonderful adventures in Shirley's Shop. " Kit's eyes were sparkling asshe thought of all the fun ahead. 

"And that's a good name for it, " cried Bet. "We'll paint a sign forthe window:

 'SHIRLEY'S SHOP MARVELOUS PICTURES AT A BIG PRICE. '"

"Oh no, Bet, that won't do! That would frighten people away, "exclaimed Shirley. 

"Well, we'd get rid of the people who want a picture for two cents, anyway. "

The Colonel laughed heartily at his young friends. "Miss Fixit has theright idea. You're developing a real business head already. "

"Couldn't we go down and look at the shop this afternoon so we couldmake plans and have something to dream about next week?"

"I think we might. Let's stop in and see if Mrs. Williams won't comewith us. We'll need her advice on lots of things. " And thus didColonel Baxter enlist the co-operation of Shirley's mother. 

"The possibilities of this place are simply uncountable, " cried Betenthusiastically. 

"And say, Shirley, any time you want a little exhibition dancing foryour afternoon callers, I'm at your service, " and Joy Evans made a fewfancy spins on the tips of her toes, in the center of the room. 

"Not a bad idea! Keep that in the back of your heads, " advised theColonel. "In fact, never throw an idea away. Keep it in storage whereyou can bring it out if needed. "

The store contained two rooms. The large one in the rear started aplan in Shirley's head. "Wouldn't this make a dandy place for aphotographic studio. And here is a lovely big closet which will be agood dark room. And there is running water in that corner. Whyeverything is complete. "

"It's just made to order, Shirley, " exclaimed Kit. "Really you are alucky girl!"

"There you are, young lady! Appointments made every Saturday morning!"

"The first thing to do is to decide on the color scheme for the shop, "said Mrs. Williams who was noted as a good manager. 

"Let's have plenty of orange. Gold always means success, doesn't it?"

"Maybe so, " laughed the woman, enjoying the enthusiasm of the girls. The years seemed to slip away when Shirley brought her friends near. 

A large bay window covered almost all the front of the store. 

"That's a good show window you have there, " observed Colonel Baxter. "Already I can see Shirley's photographs on display?"

"And those blue and gold drapes in the attic will just be fine for aback curtain, " suggested Bet. 

"That is, if they are not dropping apart from age, " replied the Colonel. 

"They'll probably do us for a while until we make our fortune. "

"_Our_ fortune! Since when do you own the shop, Bet Baxter?" teasedJoy. "Is this Shirley _and company_?"

"Of course not. It's Shirley's. But we're all going to help her toget started, " promised Bet. 

"What is Shirley's good luck is ours. We're all Merriweather Girls, "said Kit quietly. 

Shirley was in a happy daze and hardly heard her mother's plans. "Youcan bring down that large blue rug in your room, Shirley, and I'll putsomething else in there. "

"That's just the thing, it has lots of orange in it, " exclaimed Bet. 

"And as a name for the shop, I'll suggest 'Fixit's Factory, '" teasedColonel Baxter. 

"Oh no! That wouldn't sound nice. I don't like factories. " Shirleylooked troubled. 

"Of course it wouldn't and Daddy knows it, too. He's just a big tease!"

Shirley laughed now with the others. She was inclined to be seriousand never quite knew when the Colonel was in fun. 

"'Shirley's Shop' sounds much nicer. It's aristocratic!"

Suddenly Kit saw two boys coming down the street and she had the dooropen in a flash: "Come right in, Bob and Phil. The Merriweather Girlsare in council and having decided some very important matters, theywant your approval. "

"Flattery, you mean! You girls just feed on flattery, and you expectus to supply it like boxes of candy. "

"Candy makes me think that we might have homemade candy here. Joycould do that and Kit and I will paint some boxes for it! That's thefirst idea supplied by the Consulting Advisers, Bob and Phil!"

"And where does the boss come in, and what is left for her to do?"laughed Shirley. 

"Oh you are to supply the art. We will do the things that appeal tothe common people. "

"Say, Colonel, what's the matter with these girls? Are they crazy?"

"Not any more than usual I think. "

"Why Daddy Baxter, if you talk like that you just won't be allowed totake part in our plans at all. We'll discharge you as Legal Adviser. "

"Oh then I'll be good! I'll be good! I could never stand that. "

"So it's secrets and things!" suggested Phil. 

"Just the opposite of that! It's something we want you to shout fromthe house tops. "

Bob gave a bound to the seat of an old chair and flapping his arms upand down wildly he crowed, "Cock-a-doodle-doo! Don't know what I'mcrowing about, but I'm crowing!"

"And that's what we want you to do. The Merriweather Girls arestarting in business!" announced Kit. 

"You don't say so!"

"It's to be known as Shirley's Shop!" Kit exclaimed. 

"Oh you mean Shirley is going into business. That sounds more sane. Shirley has some sense, " laughed Bob. 

"Out you go, Bob Evans!" and without giving him time to catch hisbreath the girls shoved him outside the door. 

"When you promise to be good, you may come back, Bob, and not until, "threatened Joy. 

Finally after many promises to be good, they opened the door and letBob come in. The boys got a somewhat jumbled account of the businessventure of the Merriweather Girls and they approved to such an extentthat they rolled up their sleeves and wanted to get to work at once. 

"Where's a broom and we'll sweep the place out for you, " suggested Phil. 

Shirley objected, saying that the following Saturday morning would betime enough, then if they wanted to, the girls would be glad of theirhelp. 

"And they'll want flattery before they start the work and flatteryafter it's done just the way Smiley Jim does, " said Kit with a laugh. 

"Why Kit Patten!" exclaimed Bob. "And we thought you were our friend!"

"Meow, meow! What a kitten to scratch!" teased Phil. 

"Deny it, if you can, " said Bet. 

Colonel Baxter looked from one young face to the other, enjoying thefriendly bickering and feeling happy that he was no dampener to theirfun, for they accepted him as one of themselves. Mrs. Williams' heartylaugh urged them on to further efforts at cleverness. 

"Wish we had a broom, I'd really like to see this place swept out!"Bet was impatient to see results. 

"Why not go over and borrow one from your neighbor, Peter Gruff? He'sso friendly he'll give you the shop. "

As old Peter Gruff was notoriously stingy, everybody laughed at thejoke. 

"We'll do better than that, " exclaimed Bet. "Come on Kit, let's goover and buy a broom. We'll need it!"

In a few minutes Bet and Kit came running back, each with a large broom. 

"And here's where we are supposed to shine!" laughed Phil, as eachcaptured a broom and started right in where they were standing. 

"Not that way!" shouted Kit, for a cloud of dust rose about their heads. 

"This way!" suggested Shirley and the boys stopped and paid attentionto her, as they usually did. "Stand on those old chairs and sweep offthe ceilings and walls and in that show window while the brooms arenice and clean; then you can do the floors. "

"That tan shade of the walls isn't bad at all. I think we can makethat do, don't you, Shirley?" asked Bet. 

"Yes. We don't want to do any more than we have to, " Shirley answered. 

"I don't like those high walls, " pouted Bet. 

"We'll have them lowered, " teased Bob. 

"If I may be allowed to suggest, Miss Fixit, " said Colonel Baxter, addressing Shirley with great ceremony, "I would say that a band ofcontrasting color could be painted around the walls just about at theheight of your head. That will give the effect of a lower ceiling atonce. "

"Oh yes, Dad, the way you had it done in your den! And that roomalways looks so cozy. "

"After a while when the shop begins to pay, you could buy burlap andrun that around under your border. That would make a backing fordisplaying your pictures. "

Everybody liked that idea. 

The girls felt at home in Shirley's Shop even before it was cleaned up. And they closed it reluctantly until Friday afternoon when they were tomeet and clean the windows and wood work. 

It was hard for the girls to keep their minds on their school workduring the next week. Visions of the shop, as it was to look some day, filled their thoughts to the exclusion of history dates and right angletriangles. 

Shirley had to be industrious. After her home work was finished shedonned her old smock and made her art prints, enough for the gift shopin New York and for her own place as well. 

Her mother remonstrated at the late hours, but Shirley said, "OhMother, it won't be this way often. And I do want to get started soon. "

"It may develop into something worth while, " said her mother. "Whoknows but this may be the open door that leads to college?"

"Oh, if only it is! How I wish it! I'll be willing to work hard ifonly I can help you and Dad, and get a good education at the same time. "

"The future can always be bright with our hopes and plans for success, "replied the mother as she clasped Shirley's hand understandingly. 

CHAPTER X

WILLING HELPERS

"Thump, thump, thump!" a thunderous rap at the door of Shirley's shopbrought the four girls on the run from the back room, where they hadbeen doing the last of the window cleaning. 

"It's Bob and Phil! Good for them!" shouted Bet. "Let them in, you'renearest, Kit!"

The two boys entered the doorway in a very supplicating manner, theirhats held humbly in their hands. 

"We want work, ladies! Can we get something to eat?" begged Bobwithout a smile. 

"You _would_, Bob Evans! Thinking of food the first thing!" scoldedJoy. 

"Been out of a job for two months, " added Phil. 

"Then I suppose you want something to eat, too?"

"Yes ma'am, I'd like nothing better than a handout. "

"You'll earn it first, you lazy things, " exclaimed Kit. 

"Always taking the joy out of life, isn't she?" Bob pretended to be sad. 

"Now what do you boys want to do?" Bet was in her snappiest form, business-like and full of energy. "You can paint that strip around thewall where we've marked it, or you can paint the window, or you canpaint chairs or tables. Now just take your choice of work, I don'tcare what you do, as long as you paint. "

"But I wanted to do basketry or clay figures, " teased Bob. "Didn'tyou, Phil?"

"No indeed. I wanted to paint. I'm a noble soul. I'm just dying topaint, in fact I _must_ paint!"

"Then get to work!" cried Kit. "And don't waste so much time! This isour busy day. No parking here!"

"Slave drivers! No hand-out, and not a minute to collect our thoughts!"

"You don't need to worry, Bob, it won't take you that long to collectyour thoughts! One second will be enough, " retorted Joy. 

"And we don't get anything to eat?" asked Phil. 

But while the merry nonsense went on the two boys were preparing thepaint and getting ready to work. Phil took a step ladder and began onthe outside of the store, painting the frame of the window in brightorange. 

"There now that stands out, all right, " he exclaimed as he finished thejob. "You can see that a mile off. "

Bob finished the frame on the inside, about the same time and togetherthey started on the broad strip that was marked off around the walls. 

"Say lady, it's eleven o'clock. Can't we have that hand-out?" criedBob Evans. 

"Not yet. Why you've only been working an hour!" exclaimed Betindignantly. "Who ever heard of such a thing!"

"Let's strike!" Phil dropped his paint brush and settled himself in aneasy chair. "No hand-out, no more work!"

"That's right!" agreed Bob, capturing another chair. 

"Oh you terrible boys! We might as well do it ourselves if we've gotto stop every hour and feed you. There's nothing ready yet anyway. "Bet frowned on her friends. 

But just at that moment Uncle Nat appeared with two very large hampersand Bob and Phil each secured a basket. 

"Now who's to say when?" laughed Bob. "Who's boss now, answer me that?"

"We are in the power of two tyrants who won't work!" said Kitdramatically. 

"Take that back, Kit Patten, or you'll not get a bite of lunch. Sayyou're sorry!" teased Phil. 

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll take it back!" laughed Kit. 

"I'll tell you what, boys. " It was Shirley's voice from the rear room, where she was cleaning out the big closet for a dark room. "We do wantthat strip painted before lunch. It won't take you more than tenminutes. While we are fixing up this table and unpacking the baskets, you finish that. "

"Right-O, Shirley!" The boys were on their feet instantly and theywent to work without another word. 

"Oh girls, doesn't it look perfectly wonderful!" exclaimed Bet, cominginto the room just as the two boys laid aside their brushes. "Now youshall eat!"

"A crust of bread and a glass of water, I suppose!"

"You suppose nothing of the sort. You know Auntie Gibbs put it up andtherefore it has to be good!" exclaimed Kit. "But you boys won't get abite to eat until you've washed your faces. "

"Now we rebel! This is the limit. The worm turns at last. We'regoing to eat this way. " And they did. 

Auntie Gibbs had outdone herself on the lunch. There was fried chickenand apple fritters, still piping hot. There was jelly and hotbiscuits. The table was loaded. 

"Here Kit, open up that box of marshmallows. And put one in each cupof cocoa. "

"One! Why you stingy thing. I'll not drink it unless I have three!"exclaimed Bob. 

"All right, give the child what he wants!" Bet agreed. 

"Auntie Gibbs must have thought we were going to feed all of Lynnwood. Sending down a lunch this size!" laughed Shirley. 

"But that's so much better than not having enough. Wait until we'vefinished it, there won't be much left. I know what kind of an appetiteI have, and when Bob gets to work he'll eat about half of what's here. "

"Aren't you going to wash that orange streak off your face, Phil?"asked Bet. 

"No. It's a beauty mark. "

While the young people were making merry over their lunch, the door ofthe shop opened and shuffling feet were heard outside in the front room. 

Bet jumped up excitedly, "Maybe it's a customer! Oh girls!"

"Oh, I hope it isn't!" exclaimed Shirley. "We haven't got anything forsale yet. "

"Oh, how do you do, Mr. Gruff, " Bet's voice was heard from the backroom. "You are our first visitor. "

"What you doing here?" Peter asked abruptly. 

"Listen to the old grouch, " whispered Joy to Shirley. "One would thinkhe owned this store. "

"Ssh! Keep quiet, Joy. Let's hear what he's saying. "

Bet answered the old man in her sweetest manner. "We're opening an artshop. We'll be your next door neighbor, Mr. Gruff. "

"What are you going to sell? Antiques?"

"Not just at present. Perhaps later we may, " answered Bet. 

"Don't do it. There's no money in antiques! Not a penny. Of courseif you want them, I'll be able to get them for you. I go to all theauctions. I went away out to Connecticut the other day to get some oldlamps. "

"And did you get them? What were they like?" questioned Bet. 

"I didn't get them. They went too high. That's the reason I saythere's no money in antiques. It used to be one could pick up thingsfor almost nothing. "

"Yes people learned to value their old things. "

"Are you Colonel Baxter's girl? I thought so! Now there's a man whoknows antiques. Can't get ahead of him on a buy. He knows just what athing should sell for and half the time he can tell me to a penny whatI paid for it. "

Bet laughed heartily at this, for she remembered her father telling herhow old Peter had tried to sell him some candlesticks at an exorbitantprice. 

"Seein' as it's you, Colonel Baxter, " he had said, "You can have thispair of candlesticks for fifteen dollars. "

"Too much, Mr. Gruff, " the Colonel answered emphatically. 

"Ten dollars then, Colonel Baxter. I won't be making a penny on them, not one. "

"No, Peter, I'll be going to an auction myself soon, and I can pick upcandlesticks anytime. "

"Now Colonel Baxter, bein' as it's you, I don't mind losing a littlemoney on those sticks. Ain't they beauties now? You can have the pairof them for seven dollars. Will you take them with you or shall I sendthem up to the Manor?"

"That's too much, Peter. You know you got those candlesticks thrown inwhen you bought that highboy and the gate-leg table. "

Peter Gruff had been so thunderstruck at the Colonel's correct guessthat he had stood open-mouthed, staring, and without a word he hadplaced the candlesticks on the shelf and began rubbing his handstogether in great agitation. 

The old furniture dealer was tricky, and Bet wondered now what he wasprying around the shop for. 

"You won't need that back room, will you? Maybe you'll let me storesome things here. " He started toward the rear. 

"Oh, we are going to use all the rooms. Shirley Williams is going tohave a photographic shop in the back room. Maybe you'll want yourpicture taken when we open for business. "

The old man started and a look of fear came into his eyes. "What wouldI want a picture for?" he snarled, watching Bet anxiously, for the lasttime that Peter Gruff had been photographed was by the police, and thatepisode he wished forgotten. 

"Come in and have a cup of cocoa with us, Mr. Gruff, " invited Shirley. 

"Oh yes, " insisted Bet. "Here take this chair!" The girls had led himinto the back room, where the young people greeted the old man joyously. 

He took the proffered cup, accepted sandwiches and a good helping ofchicken and didn't stop until he had eaten greedily all that was passedhim, smacking his lips at each bite. 

Joy and Kit got to laughing at the shocking table manners of the oldman and had to leave the room. 

When he was finally satisfied he began, "Don't think of handlingantiques. No money in them. Once upon a time, " the old man startedagain, "one could buy a wagon load of them for a dollar and sell maybeone old chair for fifty dollars. Then it was worth while to handleantiques. Why many a time I've started out with my wagon full of potsand pans and dishes, and exchanged a new platter that cost metwenty-five cents for a dish that I finally sold for twenty-fivedollars. "

No one spoke for a moment. They felt shocked at the old man's methodof working. But he did not notice and went on. 

"All the old farmers' wives wanted things up to date and so they justgave away the old things that had been in the family for a hundredyears and got some shiny new stuff. "

Joy and Kit interrupted the conversation by exclaiming: "Oh Bet I thinkthat paint is dry enough so we can put the covering in the show window. Come and see!"

And old Peter Gruff rose with the others, after helping himself tothree more sandwiches which he put in his pocket. 

Bet and Shirley decided to frame some of the prints in the narrow giltframes that Colonel Baxter had purchased for them. And in a fewminutes they had them in the window. 

"Let's go outside and see what it looks like!" exclaimed Bet excitedly. 

The girls walked up and down in front of the store. 

"Let's pretend we're just walking by on our way down town. Would itattract your eye?" asked Shirley, seriously. 

"Not exactly attract, " laughed Bet. "I should say it _hits_ the eye. You can't pass up that orange window. "

The girls placed their window display very carefully, putting only afew prints in so that they would show up. 

"What we should have is a pretty vase or a vanity box or something ofthat sort to put in with these prints. "

It looked to the girls as if old Peter had come to stay. As Shirleywas going through her prints, he noticed the picture of the queen's fanand became quite excited. "That's an antique, isn't it?" he asked. 

"Yes, it is a fan that belongs to my father, " answered Bet, annoyed atthe old man for interrupting their work. 

"Let's see the fan, " he begged, as if the girls had refused. 

"We haven't got it here; it belongs to Colonel Baxter, " Shirleyanswered. 

But the old man didn't seem to believe them, for he poked his way intoevery corner of the shop, and in the dark-room he made a carefulsearch, much to the amusement of the girls. 

Then he sat down near Shirley and Bet as they framed more art prints. 

"Now what's them for?" he asked. "Them pictures of birds?"

"Oh we expect to sell them to someone. Don't you think they're pretty?"

"Maybe, " said old Pete. "That is somebody might like them. It's funnywhat people will buy. "

But Peter Gruff was restless. He had hoped to find the fan and as hesaw another print he picked it up and studied it carefully. 

"Where did Colonel Baxter get the fan?" he asked. 

"I don't know, " answered Bet. "He has it, that's all I know. "

Old Peter arose and once more started in a search of the rooms, unwilling to believe that the fan was not hidden in the shop. Whereverthe girls wanted to work they stumbled into him. 

At last Kit had an idea. "See this lovely picture, Mr. Gruff. It'sonly five dollars. Don't you think you'd like to buy it?"

The old man stammered, "No, no!" but Kit interrupted:

"And even if you don't want it for yourself, it would make a splendidChristmas present for some of your friends. "

"Pay five dollars for a picture! Why there ain't a soul in the worldthat I care five dollars for!"

Peter Gruff left in a hurry. "Five dollars for one little picture!" hemuttered to himself. "And such a skimpy frame. Why it's not worthfifty cents. Such prices! Such robbery!" The old man disappearedinto the depths of his musty shop muttering:

"Just because I went in to see what they were up to and ate a littlemorsel of their lunch, they thought I was going to buy one of theirpictures for five dollars! --And me with my shop full of the finestcolored pictures, handpainted too!" And in his excitement he actuallydusted off the top of a table. 

"That was a mean trick, Kit Patten, to scare the poor fellow like that. How would you like it?" exclaimed Bob Evans with a serious face. 

"Well I tried to be polite at first. I told him it was our busy dayand he didn't pay any attention. And he wouldn't move: just kept ontalking. "

"You've broken his heart, " exclaimed Phil dramatically. "His head isbowed with grief. "

"And it ought to be!" stormed Kit, her eyes snapping, her cheeksscarlet. "He's wasted a full hour of my time. "

The boys shouted with laughter. It was not often that they couldsucceed in getting Kit nettled. She was so even-tempered that they hadalmost given up teasing her. Bet, on the contrary was an easy prey, for her temper flared up at a second's notice. 

But just now she was cool and composed: "Oh come on, Kit don't besilly. There's enough to do, goodness knows, without you staging atemper fit. "

"Guess you're right, Bet. I'll be good. " Kit was all smiles in aminute as she grabbed a dust mop to give the floor another cleaningbefore the rug was put down. 

"I'm tired out completely!" Bob cried suddenly and dropped into thenearest chair. 

"Bob Evans, " screamed Joy. "There you've gone and ruined my chair. And it took me a good hour to paint it!"

Bob jumped to his feet, "Oh I'm so sorry, Sis. I didn't see it!"

But even the provoked Joy could not keep from laughing as Bob turnedaround. His trousers were streaked with paint. 

"Oh turn around, Bob! Let's see you. You look like a winter sunset!"shouted Phil. 

"Let us have those pants to frame, " Bet laughed. 

"And say Bob, you could go outside and strut up and down the sidewalkand be a walking advertisement for Shirley's Shop. "

"Now you've broken my heart, too!" moaned Bob. 

"Then take my advice and go over and weep on Peter's shoulder, and I, for one, won't miss you. Making me do all that work over again!"

"Here boys, get to work, you're only getting into mischief by standingaround. Help me with this rug, it isn't straight. " And the boysjumped to attention at Bet's order and arranged the rug to suit her. 

"There now, isn't that cozy?" exclaimed Kit. And they all stood backand admired the work that had transformed the old store into a cozyroom. 

"I think it's just lovely, " said Bet, with a sigh of happiness. 

CHAPTER XI

THE FIRST CUSTOMER

Joy hadn't quite recovered from her disappointment over her spoiledchair. She was working away with a frown as she repaired the damage. At a suggestion from Bob that she finish the job she had started onhim, Joy gave a dab with her brush and left a long streak across hischeek. 

"Now go away and leave me alone, Bob Evans. "

"Get to work! Get to work!" shouted Bet. "Here help me with thistable, Phil. "

They lifted the heavy library table that the Colonel had given themfrom one corner of the room to the other. At the fifth move, Bet wassatisfied but that brought it back to exactly the spot where she hadstarted. 

"Why don't you two go into the moving business? Bet has a talent inthat direction, " teased Bob. 

"Now I'm just too happy today to get angry at you for anything, Bob, soyou might as well give up. I'm having the time of my life!"

And Bet looked happy as she arranged the large easy chairs about theroom, while Shirley got out the portfolios of prints for the table. 

"There now, the work's all done, isn't it?" asked Phil. 

"Why the idea!" laughed Bet. "There are millions of things to do yet. "

"It will take weeks to have things the way we want it, " agreed Kit. 

The girls now got out needles and some orange silk and started on thefancy shade for the lights. A floor lamp was to give the main lightingfor the room and a number of wall brackets would add to the artisticeffect. 

"It's kind of you to say that there is nothing else we can do, " laughedPhil with a deep bow. 

"And thanks for the eats. Ask us to come to your next party, that isif there is no work to do. "

"Why you lazy things! There'll always be work at Shirley's Shop, " saidBet. 

"Bye-bye, " waved Bob as he and Phil departed. 

The girls hurried on with their different tasks. Kit and Bet weremaking the lamp shades, chattering of their plans for the future. 

Shirley putting some prints away noticed the fan. 

"Say, Bet, why was old Peter Gruff so excited about the fan?"

"That's just his way. He's simply crazy about antiques. He'll beoffering Dad a dollar and a half for it some of these days. "

"We can see right down into his basement from our rear window, " saidJoy. "Did you ever see such a disorderly place? Isn't it a wonderthat he ever sells anything?"

The boys had not been gone long when two women walked past the shop, then turned and stopped at the window with an exclamation of surprise. 

"When did this place open? Isn't it attractive? Let's go in and seewho it is and what they have. "

Kit grabbed Joy by the arm. "Let's get out and leave things to Bet andShirley. Four saleswomen in this shop at present are a few too many. "The girls slipped into the room in the rear and waited breathlessly tosee what would happen. 

Bet recognized the two women. They were newcomers to the town. Mrs. Lester had a charming home in Crestwood, a new suburb of the village, and Mrs. Carey lived only a few streets away. 

"We noticed your pretty shop and thought we would look in and see whatyou have, " said Mrs. Lester. 

Bet turned to Shirley but now that she was faced with a possiblecustomer, the girl was panic stricken. She bent her head over her workand left Bet to do the talking. 

Bet did not find any difficulty in this, however. She rose quitenaturally and invited the women to be seated. Mrs. Carey startedtoward a bright orange chair, and Bet cried, "Oh not there, Mrs. Carey. That one is just painted!" and as the woman turned toward another one, she grabbed her by the arm just in time. "That chair is being repairedand would have let you down. "

Everybody was laughing by this time and Shirley was on her feet, offering the women the chairs that were usable. 

"How long has your shop been open?" asked Mrs. Carey. "I never noticedit before. "

"It isn't open yet--that is we planned on opening it next Saturday, forthe paint on the outside isn't dry, and as you see, the chairs arestill wet and rickety. " And Bet went on to tell of their plans for aSaturday Shop. 

As she stopped, Mrs. Lester exclaimed: "That's a splendid idea! I callthat clever of you!"

"Oh, I'm not clever. It's Shirley here. She's the one who makes thosepretty prints that you see in the window. "

"They are lovely. I noticed them. "

"They will make nice Christmas presents, don't you think so?" suggestedBet. "Of course it's a little early to think of buying presents, butit's a good idea to have them on hand. "

Mrs. Lester smiled at the girl's eagerness and her charming manner. 

"I saw one in the window that pleased me very much, but you haveeverything so nicely arranged I hate to disturb it. "

"You needn't worry about that. We'd just love to sell it to you, " andBet looked toward Shirley, who had dropped her work and was alreadygetting the print. 

Then Shirley opened her portfolio and the two women looked over thepictures. 

"That view of the Hudson is very pretty but I think the print of thegulls suits me better. Yes, that's the one I will take. "

Mrs. Carey chose a landscape. Shirley called it "At Dawn. "

"This scene is right around here, isn't it?" she asked. 

"Yes, it's right down there by Ritter's pond. "

"I love it!" exclaimed the woman. "You've made it prettier than thereal scene. "

"I'm not so sure about that, Mrs. Carey. You should see it just atsunrise or on a misty morning. It's perfect!"

"That's one nice thing about Shirley. Her pictures are an improvementon nature, " laughed Bet. 

Kit and Joy, who had been whispering for some time in the back room nowappeared with a tray and teapot. 

Bet gave them a ravishing smile of approval, and over tea and cakes thegirls amused their callers with a recital of their doings. 

"Will every customer get a cup of tea?" laughed Mrs. Lester. 

"We haven't quite decided that yet. We want to have it cozy and homeyas well as business-like. "

"I'm sure after this reception we will always want to drop in when weare down town, " said Mrs. Lester. "It's the coziest shop I've everseen. "

So well did their first customers get acquainted with the girls thatthey knew their plans pretty well and Shirley had been asked to bringher camera to Mrs. Lester's home and get a series of pictures of hertwo small children. 

"I planned on having a man come out from New York, but I'm very sureyou can do as well. The children are apt to be shy with grown ups. "

An appointment was made and as the door closed behind them the fourchums dropped into their chairs and stared at each other withoutspeaking. Then Joy came to life with a dance. "Come on Kit, I justhave to dance. If I don't I'll explode into a million pieces. "

But Shirley was holding the two five-dollar bills in her hand lookingat them as if she had never seen such a thing before. 

"Girls, you've all been so good in helping. Let's divide this equallybetween us. "

"Why the idea, Shirley Williams!" exclaimed Bet. "Who made thoseprints? Who sat up until two o'clock one morning? Did we? --We didnot. That money belongs to you and no one else. "

"Say girls, that was a good idea about the tea. What made you think ofit?" Shirley asked a little later. 

"We wanted a share in Shirley's first sale and that was the only way wecould think of getting into it, " smiled Kit. 

"It was a good day's work, young lady!" approved Bet. "For if theyhadn't been drinking tea they wouldn't have known anything aboutShirley's picture-taking ability and now she has an order. "

The door rattled again and the girls stood up, expecting anothercustomer. But it was better than that. It was Colonel Baxter with abig package in his arms. He had just returned from New York, bringingwith him some purchases for the shop. 

As soon as he appeared, the girls met him, all talking at once, anddrew him to a chair. 

"Sit down, Colonel Baxter. I'll have a cup of tea for you in aminute, " shouted Kit and she and Joy ran to the little electric platein the back room. "The water is almost hot. It will be ready in lessthan no time. "

While the two girls were busy preparing the tea, Bet and Shirley toldof the doings of the day and Shirley proudly waved the ten dollars inher hand. 

"And just see, Colonel Baxter, the first sales in Shirley's Shop!"

"And I was planning on having that honor myself. I didn't think youwould have anything ready until next week. You've done wonders withthis old store. "

Colonel Baxter laughed heartily over the description of the boysdemanding a handout. 

"And here's another hungry man, " he said. "I hope that tea will soonbe ready. "

"We're coming just in a minute, Colonel Baxter, " called Joy. Then toKit she said: "I bet he didn't have a bite of lunch. Let's fix up somecold chicken and apple fritters for him. "

"Now that's my idea of afternoon tea, " exclaimed the Colonel, as hesettled himself comfortably in an easy chair and seized upon thechicken. "Did you feed your two customers as well?"

"Oh no, " said Kit with great disdain. "With them we were exceedinglypolite. We made those little sandwiches, the two for a penny kind, andgave them only tea and cakes besides. That's all they got. "

"Then it's all right. I was afraid you might be treating them betterthan you treated me and I was getting jealous. "

The girls cast many searching glances at the package and finally Betburst out: "Dad dear, I just can't wait a minute longer to see what youbought for Shirley's Shop. "

"Then go and see!" But as all the girls made a rush, he exclaimed, "No, no, not all together. Something will be smashed, sure. Let theboss attend to it. "

Everybody else stood back, but Bet grabbed the package. 

"Well, since when are you boss of Shirley's Shop?" laughed the Colonel. "You forget, you're only boss of Merriweather Manor. "

Shirley laughed and undid the strong cord and covering of the box, which was filled with excelsior. 

"I don't believe there's a thing in it, " said Bet. "He's puttingsomething over on you, Shirley. "

But just then the girl's fingers touched something and she drew itforth. 

"Oh Daddy, how did you know that's just what we want for our windowdisplay?" cried Bet as Shirley held up an exquisite vase and Bet dugher hand into the box and brought forth some vanity cases and otherbright objects that the Colonel had chosen. 

"How did you ever think of all these lovely things?" said Bet, lookingat her father with pride and satisfaction. 

"Well, when I went around to the gift shop where I left Shirley'spictures, I just kept my eyes open. "

"And did you buy them right there?" asked Bet. 

"Of course he didn't! And pay top prices! Colonel Baxter is too gooda business man for that and he has the interest of Shirley and Companytoo much at heart, " protested Shirley. 

"Oh, I didn't think of that, " replied Bet. "One does have to make aprofit!"

"Now here you are, Miss Fixit! Here is the bill. I backed you for itand you have two months to pay it. "

"That's a debt of thirty dollars, and I've taken in one-third of thatthis first afternoon and got an order for maybe fifty dollars worth ofphotographs. When I once get started I can make a lot of money, takingpictures of children in their homes. "

"Mrs. Lester would make a striking portrait, herself, Shirley, "suggested Bet. 

"Don't think I missed seeing a thing like that. I've already posed herin a dozen ways in my mind, " answered Shirley. 

"Get it on paper, kid!" laughed Kit. 

"You've never seen me let any grass grow under my feet, have you?"laughed Shirley. 

"No, I haven't. You don't talk much, but you do plenty. "

"I'll need to do plenty, if I'm to make Shirley's Shop a success, " thegirl answered with a happy smile that was full of hope and enthusiasm. 

A tap at the door, and another visitor announced himself. He extendedhis hand at once Co Colonel Baxter. 

"How do you do, Mr. Doran, " said Colonel Baxter cordially. "Let meintroduce you to Shirley Williams, the proprietor of this shop, and herthree friends, Bet Baxter, Joy Evans and Kit Patten. "

Charles Doran bowed with great ceremony to the young girls and thenannounced his business. 

"I am representing a camera company and I'm anxious to have you put ina line of good cameras. "

"Why Shirley, that's not a bad idea, " exclaimed Bet. "Days when printsare not selling, cameras may. Who knows?"

"But I'm not sure whether we can or not, Mr. Doran. You see we arejust starting and we haven't made any money yet. "

"That's all right, " replied Mr. Doran. "We've heard of this shopopening and we consider it an A-1 opportunity for us, and it will giveus a great deal of pleasure to put in some cameras for you on verysatisfactory terms. "

Shirley looked toward Colonel Baxter who was enjoying himself, watchingthe interest of the girls as business details unfolded. 

"Sit down, Doran, and have a cup of tea. "

Kit made a dive for the rear room to prepare tea. 

"Remember this, girls. If you want to get the best of a bargain, always feed your victim. " This from Colonel Baxter. 

Mr. Doran smiled and an hour later when he left, Shirley had consentedto put in a display of cameras to be sold on a generous commission. 

Shirley's Shop was progressing and the girls were getting valuableexperience as they watched it grow. 

Regretfully they bade it good-bye until the following Friday afternoon, when they planned to meet there after school to admire their work andmake plans. 

CHAPTER XII

A MERRY CHRISTMAS

Shirley's Shop was a success. The four girls had made it so. Alltheir friends, who heard of their efforts, came to buy gifts. 

"Aren't we lucky!" exclaimed Bet. "Everybody has been so good!"

"I didn't know I had so many friends in the world, " said Shirley withmoisture in her eyes. "I wish I could pass it on to others. "

"How can that be done?" asked Joy. 

"Well, there are so many men out of work this year that I'm sure wecould find lots of people to help. I hate to think of children beingdisappointed at Christmas. "

"Why can't we have a tree, right here in the shop and have all thechildren come and get their presents?"

"That idea's not a total loss, for a wonder, Joy. It shows a goodheart but very little head-work, " answered Bet. 

"Why, Bet Baxter, what's the matter now? Why all the kitty-cat stuff!Take it back!"

"Well, I just hate that kind of a Christmas tree. Showing up the poorlittle things as being too poor to have one of their own. "

"What's your idea, then?" challenged Joy. 

"I want the little kiddies to wake up on Christmas morning and find atree at home and their stockings filled to overflowing. "

"Yes, and to know that their eyes will get bigger and bigger, andthey'll even peep under the bed to make sure that Santa isn't hidingthere, " Shirley added. 

"That would be a real Christmas, " agreed Kit. 

"But where will our fun come in? Don't we see their eyes getting bigand bigger, or anything? I think that will spoil it all. I want tosee them get their toys, put them right into their hands, " pouted Joy. 

"That's all right, Joy Evans. But what about their faith in SantaClaus? If Santa Claus doesn't come when their Dad is out of work, whatwill they think of a saint like that, I'd like to know?" exclaimed Bet. 

"So we've got to save the reputation of Santa Claus, is that it?" askedJoy. 

"That's one way of saying it. Although I would rather put it, that weare playing Santa Claus. "

"Right-O!" cried Kit. "What's the first thing to do, General?" Kitstood at salute before Bet. 

"We'll go down to the Chamber of Commerce and find out from Mrs. Keithwhat needy families there are and what ones we will supply. --By theway, Shirley, can we use the back room for the toys we collect?"

"Why certainly, girls, you know you don't have to ask. And you cancount on Mrs. Lester giving us a lot of things for very small children. She said the other day that the nursery was full and she wished sheknew some children who needed things. "

"I'll dress four dolls, " promised Kit. "In that way I can indulge mypassion for dolls and not be laughed at. "

"Why Kit Patten, would you play with dolls? I've always hated them, used to crack their heads against a stone to see their eyes jump out, "confessed Joy. 

"Why you cruel monster!" cried Shirley. "I always loved dolls, but Ihad my baby sisters to take care of so I never had much time. "

"Now I'll confess!" laughed Bet. "I have a doll trunk under my bedwhere it can't be seen, and sometimes when I am all alone, I still playwith them. "

"Aren't you girls funny!" teased Joy. "And you in the first year ofhigh school!"

"Kit, " suddenly asked Bet, "will you act as secretary for theMerriweather Girls Helpful Aid Society and keep track of what we allmust do?"

"I'm so busy, girls; will you let me buy trees and ornaments, for myshare?" asked Shirley. 

"Oh, that's fine. All right, put it down, Kit. And I will be on thecommittee to beg old toys. And we'll all get to work and make repairs. --I have a dandy scooter bike, but it needs paint. "

A few days later they had a list of needy ones. "Oh, here's a nice bigfamily for us, " cried Bet. "It's Mrs. Ryan down by the tracks. Shehas nine children, and listen to the names: Emmelina, FrancisDrake--oh, girls, isn't it a scream! Next comes Orlando, thenAmarylis, Ronald, Marcel, Babette, Ernestine and Vivienne. "

"Heaven help us! And do we have to get gifts to live up to thosenames? Why diamonds and pearls would be too common for such people. "Joy threw both hands in the air as a sign of distress. 

"Never mind, Joy. I think the little Ryans will deign to accept astocking full of sweets and things like jumping jacks. Dad thinks weought to give out some of the repair work to men who are out of jobs. He says he'll help pay for it as his share. Dad has a good bicyclewhich I'm sure a man can fix up. "

"Let's put a sign in the window, 'Man wanted for repair work on toys, '"said the quiet Shirley. 

"Might be better to put 'for odd job', " laughed Kit. 

Bet took a piece of drawing paper and pencilled the sign at once. Itread:

"Man wanted for repair work on toys. Apply Saturday morning at 11o'clock. "

The sign was put in the window on Friday after school, and before thegirls were well inside their shop on Saturday the first applicantarrived. 

"I see you want a man to work!"

"Oh, but you weren't to call before eleven o'clock. "

"Sure, I know that, but what chance would a fellow have to wait thatlong? Everybody wants work. "

"All right, take a look at that bicycle and see if you can find outwhat's the matter with it. " Bet led the way to the rear room. 

"It looks like a pretty good bicycle, Miss. But it's hard to saywhether it can be fixed or not. A blacksmith might tell you!"

Just then the door of the shop opened and another man entered. 

"I see the ad. In the window; I want to talk to the boss. "

Shirley ran for Bet who was still interviewing the first comer, andshoved her toward the door. "You talk to him, Bet. "

"Good morning, sir, " said Bet. 

"I want to talk to the boss. "

"_I'm_ the boss. "

The man glared at her with an angry look. She saw that he did notbelieve her and imagined that she was making fun of him. 

"When I want to see the boss, that's who I want to see!" he muttered. 

A third man appeared and the second turned on him. "Say, can't youread? That sign says eleven o'clock! Now git out!"

"I'll not get out. Where's the boss?"

By this time the girls were frightened at the threatening attitude ofthe men. Joy was almost hysterical with fear. 

"I'm the only boss there is here, " said the second visitor, doubling uphis fists as if prepared to fight. 

Bet came toward the two men. "I don't want either of you men to workfor me. Will you please go away?"

A small crowd of men was collecting outside the door and Bet wasafraid. She went toward the back room, hoping to be able to enlist thehelp of the one she had been talking to. Just as she did so, the doorwas thrust open, and Bet, shoving the other girls in front of her, exclaimed in a whisper, "What will we do?"

But as she turned at the door, she saw a tall figure, who grabbed theruffian by the collar and invited him outside. 

"Oh it's Phil!" exclaimed Bet hysterically. "Now we're all right!"

After Phil had persuaded the men in the crowd to leave, he returned tothe room to find the first caller making ready to go. "I don't knowanything about bicycles. Anyway it's steady work I want. There's nomoney in odd jobs. "

"What under the sun is it all about?" demanded Phil anxiously as moremen began to collect. 

"We put a sign in the window asking for a man to help on the repairwork!" said Bet. 

"Then get it out as quick as you can. You'll have a line here soon. "

"How are we going to get someone to help, then? Dad thought it wouldbe a good idea to hire men who are out of work. "

"He probably expected you to call up the Chamber of Commerce and get aman. They know everybody who needs work. "

"Oh dear, what a lot of things one has to learn when they go intobusiness!" mused Kit. "I thought we were doing just right. "

That afternoon the bicycle was being repaired by old Bill Colby, a fineold man who lived with his invalid wife in a small shack on the backstreet. He took such pride in his work that the bicycle looked likenew when he finished it. And the pay warmed his heart. The girls weregenerous. 

During the next two weeks, the back room of Shirley's Shop looked as ifthere had been a revolution in toyland. Dolls without heads, otherswithout arms or legs, eyeless ones, big and little were strewn aboutthe room, while doll carriages minus wheels, kiddie cars, battered andstreaked, awaited the skillful hand of the old man. 

One afternoon shortly before Christmas as he was leaving Bet said, "Wewill have a Christmas package to send down to Mrs. Colby. "

The old man's face flushed with pleasure. "Mother is bedfast withrheumatism, " he said, "and it would do her a power of good if you wouldrun in and see her sometime. She'll like the present too, but she getsvery lonely. "

"There Joy, there's your chance to do personal work. You can go andcall on Ma Colby and see her eyes shine. "

"I'll just do that. I want to be Lady Bountiful but I also want to getsome thrill out of giving, " laughed Joy. 

"All right, there's your chance. "

The report that they were going to give out toys soon got around, andthe day before Christmas Mrs. Ryan appeared leading four of herchildren. "I just came in to say that Emmelina needs a new dress, worst way, and Orlando must have shoes. "

"I'm very sorry, " replied Bet. "You see we are giving out only toys. You should go down to the Chamber of Commerce, they are attending tothe clothing. "

Mrs. Ryan looked disappointed. "Lots of people pretend they need helpwhen they don't. The Nestors next door to me, they don't need it atall. They have plenty. --And I'm a worthy object. Mr. Ryan has beenout of work considerable this year. "

The girls looked their sympathy but could do nothing. "You go down tothe Chamber of Commerce, " they advised. 

In a few minutes after she had left, another woman called. "I justcome in to see if you could get my little Mike an overcoat. He needsone terrible. He gets that cold!"

Again Bet referred the woman to the Chamber of Commerce, and as sheleft, she whispered, "There are some people who apply for help whodon't need it at all. There's Mrs. Ryan next door to me. She getsplenty. --And my Mike needs a coat. "

The girls laughed long and merrily over the two women. They calledMrs. Keith at the Chamber of Commerce and had a further laugh over therecital of the efforts of the two women to see who would get the most. 

At last everything was ready and the girls waited patiently for theShop to close. Phil and Bob arrived with two cars to take the thingsto the different houses. 

As they stopped the car a little way down the street from Mrs. Ryan'sand approached the gate with their arms full, they heard the loud voiceof that woman calling over the back fence, "I've got two Christmastrees already, I'll sell you one cheap. You can have it for fiftycents. "

"Indeed and I'll not give you fifty cents for it, Mrs. Ryan, I'll notgive you twenty-five cents for it. "

"I know where I can sell it for sixty cents, Mrs. Nestor. "

"Then that's where you should sell it. "

"Being as it's you, Mrs. Nestor, I'll give you the tree for fifteencents. "

"Does that mean ornaments, too?"

"Ornaments, " cried Mrs. Ryan. "I haven't any ornaments to spare. Oranges and apples are plenty good for you. "

"Then I'll only give you ten cents for it. Take it or leave it. "

"Ten cents! Why I'm ashamed of you, Mrs. Nestor, for being soclose-fisted!"

"You took two trees! I'd like to know who's close-fisted! Ten centsit is, Mrs. Ryan or nothing. "

"All right, Mrs. Nestor, but I must say I'm disappointed In you. Iallus thought you were a good, kind neighbor. "

"Give me the tree! And here's your ten cents! I have some ornamentsleft over from last year. "

"If she had only waited a little longer, she might have saved ten centsand got some ornaments as well, " laughed Phil, as Bet signalled him toput the tree back. 

"It's a good thing, " sighed Kit as they got into the car again, "thatnot all cases are like that. There was Mrs. Delaney, and how gratefulshe was for every little thing. By the way, they didn't get a tree. This will just round out their Christmas in style. "

"I'm so glad that Hal Delaney got that bicycle of your father's, Bet. He will put it to good use in delivering his papers. "

When the girls went to bed that night they felt they had earned theirrest. 

Shirley's Shop had done remarkably well during the Christmas rush andall the girls were delighted. To Shirley it meant that she saw hopeahead of being able to finish High School and perhaps go on to college. She went to sleep that night dreaming of the rosy future that shepainted for herself. 

"And I'll make it come true!" she declared, as she opened her eyes thenext morning and found that the Shop and the bank account was not all adream. 

CHAPTER XIII

BET'S PARTY

When Bet awoke the next morning she gave a little cry of delight as shelooked out on the white world. The trees were heavy with snow andeverything had been changed to a magic garden. 

"If I'd had any idea that we were going to have snow, I'd have had acoasting party tomorrow night. "

After the thrill the girls had experienced in their Christmas giving, they now looked forward to their own pleasures. Even Christmas dayseemed to be insignificant when compared to the prospect of the party. 

Although Bet's father had made arrangements for the party, it was notwith his usual enthusiasm, and Bet watched him carefully, thinking hewas ill. But the Colonel laughed her fears away. And from then on hetried to hide from his little daughter the fact that he was worried. 

Business investments had all gone wrong. In fact everything he hadtouched for the last year had been a disappointment. Now it seemed asif the only way to save what he had was to get a large sum of money, and in these uncertain tunes, that was impossible. --Unless he sold theManor. 

It was this problem that was worrying him. He could not bear to giveup his home. It was here that he had brought his young wife and fortwo years had lived in a Paradise. Her early death had crushed him fora time, and it was only in the Manor where the dear memories of herhappy spirit filled each room, that he was content. 

It was the fear that he might have to give up his home, that madeColonel Baxter worry, and Bet watched him with troubled eyes. 

He had put forth an extra effort to appear happy during the Christmasseason, and he tried to throw himself into the plans for the party withhis usual enthusiasm. 

Bet saw the difference, but wisely said nothing. 

At the Colonel's suggestion, they decided on a costume party. Thatwould give the girls a chance to wear some of the lovely old dressesthat he had collected. 

Bet was terribly disappointed when her father came hurrying in at noonbefore the party with the announcement that he had a business call toChicago, and would not be able to attend the party. 

"Then we'll put it off, Daddy. A party wouldn't be any fun withoutyou. "

"No, I wouldn't do that, Bet. Think of the many who would bedisappointed if you postpone it. Then too, I may not be back for twoweeks. It is a business matter that I must attend to. It's important. "

Reluctantly Bet went on with her plans. There were a few tears whenshe told the bad news to her chums in the afternoon. 

"That's the worst of having a father who plays with you, " said Joy. "Inever expect _my_ mother and father to care about my good times. "

"I just can't make it a real success without Dad, " exclaimed Bettearfully. 

"You can, if you try, Bet Baxter. So brace up and stop your sniffling!"

"I wasn't sniffling, Joy Evans, " exploded Bet. 

"What do you call it, then?" laughed Joy. 

"Just a few regretful tears. "

Even Shirley, the serious one laughed heartily at Bet. And in a fewminutes they were busy with their plans. 

"Say Bet, what possessed you to ask Edith Whalen? I've tried to beglad but it isn't in me to be, " said Joy. 

"I'm not glad, myself, but what's the use of being a Merriweather Girlunless you live up to the heroine of the Manor? Lady Betty would haveasked her, I'm sure, " replied Bet. 

"Then she must have been an angel!" exclaimed Kit, who had so much joytaken out of her school life by the unpleasant remarks of Edith and herfriend Vivian Long, that she did not welcome the thought of meeting herat the party. 

"Lady Betty was an angel!" cried Bet, tossing a kiss to the smilingface above her. 

"Then why did we take her as an ideal? Who can live up to an angel? Ican't, " said Kit sadly. 

"None of us can, but Dad says it's a good thing to have a star to aimat. Course it's away above our heads but we can aim, just the same. She's _our_ star. Each of us can have our own pet ones. I have mylovely mother, who is another angel. She's for myself, but Lady Bettyis a company affair. "

"Did you think all that out, Bet?" asked Shirley. 

"Dad helped me. It troubled me to have Lady Betty for our club ideal!It seemed like putting her before my mother, then Dad explained that Icould hardly share mother! And that makes it all right. "

"I think Lady Betty is pleased, don't you. She smiles so sweetly, "whispered Kit. 

"She always smiled sweetly, even when she was having terrible troubles. _She_ didn't cry just over a disappointment. She was brave!" Betstraightened up and brushed a tear away. 

"We'll have to be like her, " laughed Kit as she added: "And believe me, it takes bravery to meet Edith. "

"Therefore Kit Patten, I'm going to give you full charge of Edithtonight. See that she has a good time, " commanded Bet. 

"Hold on there, Bet Baxter. I'm a bucking bronco and you can't trustme to drive in harness. I'll disgrace you! Like as not when Edithputs on that superior air, I'll take her by the arm and escort her outof doors. "

"No, you won't. I know you!" Bet patted her friend lovingly. 

"Just the same, I hope her mother will keep her at home on account ofthe snow storm. "

Kit did better than she thought she could. The fact that the fourMerriweather Girls were the hostesses and received the guests as theycame in, gave Kit prestige that Edith dared not ignore. 

Some of the guests in gay and weird costumes had arrived when the phonerang. Laura Sands' voice was husky with crying. "Oh Bet, I can'tcome. I've ruined my costume and I won't go without one. "

"You come right along up here, Laura. I have lot of costumes and youcan take your pick. "

Laura arrived in ordinary clothes and Bet and Kit conducted her to theattic to choose a Colonial gown. 

When the door to the narrow stairway was opened, Bet heard a queerscraping sound as if one of the old trunks had been moved. 

"What's that?" asked Kit. "Do you suppose it's rats?"

"No, don't worry! It isn't anything!" But as Bet switched on thelight and reached the top step she was just in time to see a figure inbright clothes go out the window. She heard the sound of a thud on theveranda of the second floor and running feet along the corridor. 

"Somebody was in here!" exclaimed Bet. 

"Don't be silly, Bet! I thought you were too big to be frightened inthe dark. "

"Well look at that window, Kit Patten! Did we leave it open? Wecertainly didn't. And look how the costumes are all tumbled out of thechests! A man has been in here, anyway. I saw him slide out thatwindow. "

"And look at the footprints!" exclaimed Kit. 

"Nothing to worry about. This is a costume party and someone isplaying a trick on us, " decided Kit. 

"Maybe so, " assented Bet. "But if so, why didn't they play theirtricks instead of just mussing things up and then running away?"

Grabbing a gown of gold cloth, Bet exclaimed, "Come on, girls, let'sget out of here. It's spooky!"

"Lock the window first, Bet. Then if anyone is prowling around theycan't get back this way, " Kit suggested. 

"Who could it have been?" puzzled Bob Evans when they reported theepisode to the guests. "I know all the boys, and none of them would doa thing like that. "

Phil and Bob rushed out to the veranda but saw no one on the grounds. Uncle Nat's sharp eyes soon picked up the footprints in the snow andfollowed them to the road where they were lost. On his return, he letSmiley Jim out of the basement, and the dog ran around the house, quiteexcited, with so many people around. 

The young people decided that it might be one of the guests trying tofool the others. 

"But I don't believe it, " said Bet emphatically. 

The gown chosen for Laura Sands was an old French costume and when thegirls dressed her she looked like a queen. 

"Why girls, she looks exactly like a picture of Marie Antoinette, don'tyou think so, Bet?" called Kit. 

"And I know just the thing to make it perfect. "

"The fan! She must carry the queen's fan!"

"Oh Bet, I wouldn't do that! You know your father prizes that fan somuch. "

"He won't care. Anyway, Laura will be careful. "

Bet ran up stairs to her father's den, rummaged in the drawers andfound the fan. 

"Here, Laura, you may carry this, but be very careful for it's one ofmy father's treasures. He loves that fan. "

"Oh I'll be careful. Isn't it beautiful!"

"If I were you, Laura, I'd take a few turns around the rooms, show offthe fan and then put it away. It's an antique and I know it'svaluable. "

It was Phil Gordon who spoke, as he examined the fan and returned it toher. 

But Laura did not seem to realize that the fan had any great value. Phil picked it up several times when she had left it carelessly onchairs or tables, and after it had been lost and found several times, he refused to give it back to her. 

In the midst of the gaiety, Joy ran into the room, pale with fright. "I don't think it's fair, " she complained. "One of the boys was hidingin the hall, and frightened me. "

"Who was it?" demanded Bet indignantly. 

"I don't know, " replied Joy. "He ran down the hall as fast as he couldgo. "

"Let's find him, " exclaimed Phil Gordon. 

"And if it's one of the boys we'll send him home, " said Bob. 

"I wish you would. " Bet was troubled. With her father away, she feltthat the young people should not take advantage in that way. 

But they could not find anyone in the rooms. 

"Maybe you just imagined it, Joy, " said brother. 

"No, I don't think she did. I heard a noise a little while ago when Iput the fan away. I thought at the time it was Smiley Jim. "

"When was that?" asked Bet. 

"About fifteen minutes ago, I left the fan on top of your father'sdesk, Bet. "

"All right, Phil. But I'd certainly like to know who is prowlingaround. "

"It's probably one of the boys from the village who didn't get aninvitation. They do that sometimes, " suggested Phil. "They areprobably trying to break up the party, and we're letting them do it. "'

"That's right!" exclaimed the young people. "Aren't we silly! Let'sget back to the games. "

The scare was soon forgotten as the boys and girls became engrossed intheir play and Smiley was brought in to do tricks. 

But after the last guest had gone and Bet and her three chums, who wereto spend the night with her, were tucked into bed. Bet thought sheheard noise in her father's room. 

She was out of bed in a second. "Oh I do believe Daddy came back afterall, " she whispered a ran into the den. 

As she switched on the light, she imagined she saw a shadow at thewindow. Then she took herself in hand. "Bet Baxter, you're beingsilly! Just because you saw someone going out the attic window youimagine you see it again! Go back to bed!"

As she was returning to her room, she had an idea and slipped down tothe basement quietly so she wouldn't waken Uncle Nat. She opened thedoor and Smiley Jim bounded into the garden with a growl. 

As Bet went up stairs again, she heard the dog running about and smiledto herself. "He's had so much excitement, he's nervous too. "

Reaching her room she saw her father's photograph on her desk. Shepicked it up, "Dear old Dad, I wonder what was worrying you when youwent away today. You looked so sad. I'm so silly I never want to seeanything but joy on your dear face. Goodnight Daddy boy!" And Betslipped into bed and was soon fast asleep. 

CHAPTER XIV

THE LOST FAN

The morning was half gone when the four chums finally awoke and feltthe need of breakfast. 

"Come on girls, let's get up, " called Kit, as she sprang out of bed andran from room to room to make sure that the girls were rising. "I'mgoing to be dressed first and go down and help Auntie Gibbs make thetoast. "

But when Kit arrived in the kitchen she found the old lady singing ather work, and therefore in a happy mood. Her party had been a successand she felt a personal triumph. Breakfast was ready. 

While the girls were eating, the door bell rang three times. 

"There's the mail! Oh Uncle Nat, is there a letter for me?"

"Of course, you know that without asking. Your Dad always writes andif he thinks a letter may not reach you, he sends a telegram. "

"Sure. Give it to me!" And Bet tore open the letter eagerly and readit. 

"Oh Auntie Gibbs, come here this minute until I tell you somethingwonderful. Just think! Dad says the queen's fan is worth a fortune. Somebody wants to buy it for a lot of money!"

"Oh, oh!" exclaimed the girls in one voice. 

"You don't say so! Isn't that fine, now? Where is this queen and herfan?" asked Auntie Gibbs. 

"It's one of Dad's antiques. I showed it to you. "

"Oh that!--And you say it's worth a fortune? Well, some folks spendmoney for foolishness, if you ask me. "

Bet paid no attention to Auntie Gibbs' remarks. "Listen girls, " shesaid. "I'm to go down at once and put it in the safety deposit box. Dad's got a cash offer for it. And he says it will save the estate. "

"What does he mean by that?" asked Kit. "Save the estate?"

"I hardly know. I'm really puzzled about that. "

"I didn't know your father was having any business troubles, Bet, though I _had_ noticed that he'd lost his appetite lately, " said AuntieGibbs. 

"I knew something was bothering him, " mused Bet, "but I never guessedit was about money or the estate. Poor Dad, and I wasn't any comfortto him at all. "

"You're always a comfort to your father, Bet, " protested the old lady. 

"He dotes on you!" exclaimed Shirley. 

"Oh, of course, I know that. Now I'm going to go right down to thebank and put that fan away. "

Bet hurried up stairs followed by the girls. "Get your hats and coatson and I'll get the fan. "

Bet ran into her father's room. She looked in the drawer where the fanshould have been. She rummaged through the contents of the desk andfear seized her as she became certain the fan was missing. 

"Are you almost ready, Bet? We're waiting!" called Joy. 

"We'll all escort the queen's fan to the bank, " laughed Kit. 

"No, I'm not ready yet, " Bet replied with a strained voice. "Oh AuntieGibbs, come here, " she called from the head of the stairs. "Did yousee the fan? Phil left it on the desk. "

The old lady came hurriedly up stairs. "Why did Phil have it? Ihaven't seen a thing of it. "

"Oh, I was terrible! I took the fan from the drawer and loaned it toLaura Sands to wear with her French costume. "

"What made you do such a thing, Bet? I'm surprised at you!"

"I just didn't think. And oh dear, Dad won't take that as any excuse!We must find it, Auntie Gibbs. We _must_!"

Everyone joined in the hunt with growing excitement, and the house wassearched, even the attic. But the fan was gone. 

"Maybe Phil didn't put it on the desk, at all. He probably has it inhis pocket and forgot all about it. Let's call him on the phone andsee what he says, " exclaimed Kit. 

But Bet stopped suddenly: "Oh Auntie Gibbs, perhaps that _was_ a robberthat I thought I saw going out the window. Maybe he stole the fan!"

"Nonsense child, you are still nervous. Now quiet down and we'll findthe fan somewhere. We'll call Phil, now, " soothed Auntie Gibbs. 

Anxiously Bet called, but the boy was not home and Mrs. Gordon saidcasually that she would tell Phil to give them a ring when he came in. She had no idea that a lost fan was important. 

Bet was quite indignant for a moment. "To hear her talk you'd thinkthat it would be all right if he called next week. "

"But Mrs. Gordon doesn't know anything about how valuable it is, Bet, "explained Kit. "You mustn't blame her. "

"I know, of course, but I'm terribly worried. "

"I think the best thing to do is to telegraph your father at once, "suggested Uncle Nat. 

"And that's just what I _can't_ do. Dad has gone on a trip and he sayshe won't have an address until the first of the week. "

"I'm going down to the village to find Phil and talk it over with him, "announced Kit decisively. "Let's all go!"

The four girls walked all through the town but, though they huntedeverywhere, they did not find Phil. Shirley and Joy went intoShirley's Shop and sat there for an hour, hoping he might pass. Butevening came and still Phil had not been home. 

Bet was at supper when Phil Gordon called her at last. She wastrembling as she said, "I must see you at once, Phil. Can you come up?"

Phil caught the note of worry in her voice and answered, "I'll be therein an hour, Bet. Is that O. K. ?"

"I wonder what's the matter, son. Bet has called several times today, "said his mother. 

"I can't imagine what it is. I'll get ready and go right away. Ifthere is anything I can do for Bet, I'll be glad to help. She's one ofthe finest girls I know. She's never silly, just out and out, andtreats you as if she were another boy. I like that!"

Phil wasted no time on his supper. Even his mother urged him to hurry. 

"I do hope nothing is wrong with Colonel Baxter, that would make Betworry, " Mrs. Gordon said as Phil left her. 

When Bet opened the door for Phil, he saw at once that somethingunusual was troubling her. 

"Phil, I just had to see you. I can't find that fan we had the othernight. Do tell me just where you put it!"

"Why Bet, I put it right on your father's desk, back toward the wall, so no one would knock it off. --You know Laura was being so carelesswith it that I got worried and took it from her. "

"Are you positive you put it there, Phil?"

"Yes, Bet, of course I am. "

"Father sent me word to get it into the safety deposit at once. He'shad an offer for it. It's worth a lot of money, and he needs moneybadly just now. "

"Why Bet, have you any idea what could have happened to it? Wouldanyone around here know about it and try to steal it when your fatheris away?"

"I don't know. Dad seemed so anxious in his letter and instructed meso carefully about putting it away, that I think he must have beenafraid of thieves. He said: 'Get it into the safety deposit box _atonce_. It's important! I trust you!' And now I can't find it. Whatshall I do?"

"You say you thought you heard someone in your father's room after theparty that night. Is there anyone who would know about the fan andcome prowling around to get it?"

"I wish I knew that, Phil. Just now I can't imagine what has happenedto it. "

"I know what I'm going to do, Bet. I'm going to go down to the policeoffice and talk to Chief Baldwin, tell him the whole story and ask hisadvice. I'll do that at once. Enough time has been wasted. "

Phil was away before Bet could stop him, even if she had tried. Andwhen Chief Baldwin heard only part of the story, he decided to hear therest on the spot and returned to the Manor with Phil. 

Chief Baldwin went over the whole house with Bet and Phil. In theattic he saw the footprints still on the floor, in the dust, and UncleNat told him of following the same marks in the snow, to the main road. 

"Why didn't you get me on the job, then, I'd like to know? Why did youdelay?"

"We all thought it was one of the village boys who was not invited, anddecided he'd try to break up the party. "

"Still, with Colonel Baxter away, you should have let me know at once. I sort of feel responsible and if anything happened to Bet when he wasaway I'm sure he'd blame me. "

In spite of her anxiety, Bet had to laugh. "You're as bad as AuntieGibbs. Her responsibility weighs heavily on her, and when Dad is outof town, she almost sets me crazy. "

"You see, Bet, we all think so highly of your father that we do nottake any chances in displeasing him. Now about this fan! Who was thelast person to have it?"

"I was, " answered Phil without hesitation. "I took it from Laura Sandsbecause she was being careless, and I put it on Colonel Baxter's deskin the den. "

"Have you asked Laura Sands about it?" inquired the Chief. 

"Yes, and she says that Phil took it away from her. "

The Chief insisted on going over the rooms again carefully, but stillthe fan was not found. 

"The best thing to do, " said Chief Baldwin, as he saw Bet's troubledface, "is to put a good detective on the job. And we'll find thequeen's fan, I promise you that. "

"When can you find it? Before Monday? Dad may be back on Monday. "

Everybody laughed. "Well Bet, that's asking a little too much, even ofthe Chief, just when the fan will be found. But I give you my word, itwill be recovered. "

Bet felt somewhat better after the optimistic talk with Chief Baldwinand for that night, at least, she laid aside her worries. 

But Phil was not at all reassured by Chief Baldwin's promise. He wasunhappy and despondent as he told his mother the whole story frombeginning to end. 

"I'm terribly uncomfortable, because I was the last to handle it, Mother, " confided the boy. "Would anyone have imagined that such athing could happen?"

"Are you sure you did return it? Perhaps it is in the pocket of yourovercoat. I'm going to see, " and his mother left the room. 

But Phil knew the fan was not there. And that night he was disturbedeven in his dreams and woke at intervals with the feeling that all thetroubles of the universe weighed him down. 

The next morning he was again with Chief Baldwin and Amos Longworth, the detective, a tight-lipped stranger with narrow eyes, who had beenchosen to look into the matter. Together they went to the Manor andlooked over the rooms as before. Longworth examined the footprints inthe dust and in the snow outside. "That's some foot! I should thinkyou'd be able to trace a man by that foot. It's a whale!"

"And that's why we thought it was someone masquerading. No one in ourcrowd has a foot that size. "

But if Phil was nervous and depressed over what had happened up to thistime, he had reason to be still more concerned when the detectiveaccompanied him home and began to question him privately. Before anhour had passed, Longworth had made him confess that he and his motherwere very poor and that he might have to leave school to work. Alsothat he realized the fan was very valuable. 

"Yes, I knew the fan was worth a lot of money. Colonel Baxter told usso. It's painted by a famous French artist and was at one time theproperty of Marie Antoinette. It was given to her by Louis XV. That'senough to make it very valuable. "

"You know all about it, I see. So you put it in your pocket?"

"No. I took it to the Colonel's den, and put it on his desk. "

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Didn't you feel any temptation to take it and sell it to get money?"

"No, sir, I did not! Such a thought never entered my head. Itbelonged to Colonel Baxter. He is my friend and I would not hurt himin any way--or Bet either. "

Mrs. Gordon came in and was introduced and while she spoke of the theftof the fan and her unhappiness at Phil's part in the matter, thedetective did not again take an aggressive tone. Yet his narrow eyesshowed suspicion. 

Not being able to get word to her father, Bet brooded over the loss ofthe fan and it took all the ingenuity of her three friends to keep hercheerful. For the first time they found Bet inclined to be irritable. 

"Now please don't mind me, girls! I'm just worried almost sick. IfDad hadn't added that last line about saving the estate, I wouldn'tfeel so badly about it. I'm afraid he's had some serious businesstrouble, and if anything happens to the fan through my carelessness, what shall I do?"

"Well, everything is being done that can be done, as far as I see, "said Joy, who was in no mood for dancing now that Bet was unhappy. 

"But it's such slow work! And being just a girl, I have to sit heretwiddling my thumbs, not doing a single thing to find the fan, "exclaimed Bet indignantly. 

"There ought to be some way in which we could help. Let's try to thinkof something. " It was the quiet Shirley who spoke, and, coming fromher, the suggestion seemed possible, for Shirley was always so wellbalanced in all her thoughts that the girls often looked to her whenthey had perplexities to overcome. 

"There's one thing sure, that fan didn't just up and walk out byitself. Somebody took it out!" exclaimed Kit. 

"And another thing that's sure, is that it was on the desk, for Philsaid he put it there, " said Bet emphatically. 

"Maybe he just thought he did!" sighed Joy. 

"No, we've gone into all that, Chief Baldwin, Mr. Longworth, Uncle Natand everybody. There isn't any question about it, " declared Bet. "Phil put the fan on the desk, I know he did!"

"Then, _who_ took it?" demanded Shirley. "Who would know that it wasvaluable? And who would want it?"

"Say Shirley, if you ever get tired of photography and want a new job, you'd better be a detective, " laughed Kit. "Go on, ask some morequestions and maybe we'll hit on the right solution to the mystery. "

The girls laughed, but Kit added: "No fooling, girls! I know a womanin Arizona who trapped a cattle rustler all by herself, and if she didthat, why can't we find the fan?"

"That's right. The Merriweather Girls should be able to find a clue. I'm sure Lady Betty would have done so in less than no time, " remarkedJoy. 

"Perhaps she would. I wonder, " said Bet sadly. 

CHAPTER XV

UNDER SUSPICION

Bet Baxter insisted that Phil Gordon was not mistaken when he said hehad put the ivory fan on her father's desk. But the detective shookhis head and later in a talk to Chief Baldwin said:

"It looks bad for that young man, Chief. He was the last to have it. He acknowledges he's hard up, and he knew its value. "

"You're barking up the wrong tree, Longworth. Everybody knows PhilGordon and would trust him anywhere. "

"All the more reason why he can act so brazen and innocent in thematter. It looks bad, " Detective Longworth announced. "I've seen somany cases just like it. I'll keep my eye on that young fellow and Ibet I'll get the goods on him. "

The detective's suspicions travelled at a lively rate around thevillage and before twenty-four hours it came to the ears of theMerriweather Girls. It was Edith Whalen and her shadow, Vivian Long, who passed on the gossip to Joy Evans. 

"Now what do you think of your friend Phil Gordon?" asked Edith. "Iguess Bet didn't know she was associating with a thief. I saw him withthat fan at the party and he was acting in a suspicious way. Lots offolks are sure he stole it. "

"Who says Phil took the fan?" demanded Joy. 

"Everybody's saying it! And the detective seems to think he has theclue pretty well run down and expects to arrest Phil any time now. "Edith asserted with venom in her voice. 

"I don't believe a word of it!" snapped Joy. 

Indignation was at its highest pitch when Joy told Bet and her chumswhat Edith had said. 

"Now we've just got to do something!" exclaimed Shirley. "We mustclear Phil and that's all there is about it!"

"All right, what will we do first?" Kit jumped to her feet, ready foraction. 

"Who would have any interest in the fan, besides your father?" Shirleyquestioned Bet. 

"Another antique dealer might, but no one would know he had it, " Bet'seyes were bright and intense with anxiety. 

"What about Peter Gruff?" cried Kit. "I never trusted that old man!And he _was_ interested in that picture of the fan. "

"But he's interested in all old things, and you heard him say that itwas a common type and had no particular value, " said Shirley. "No, Idon't believe old Peter would want it that badly. "

"I'm not so sure. I wasn't impressed with Peter Gruff, as you know. I'm going to prowl around his shop and see what I can see, " laughed Kitas she grabbed her hat and coat. 

"Wait a minute and we'll go down to Shirley's Shop, " cried Bet. "Ican't believe such a thing of old Peter but we won't leave anythingundone. "

And as soon as the girls reached the shop, Kit went over to PeterGruff's store. She asked to see samplers. "We'd like to have a fewfor our shop, " she remarked to the old man. 

"No samplers!" muttered Peter. "I don't keep any. No money insamplers. "

"Let me see some pewter pitchers, then. " Kit was enjoying the mustyold store with its strange collection of odds and ends, piled everywayabout the dust-laden store. 

Peter Gruff didn't have any pewter pitchers. 

"Then, do you happen to have any fans?" exclaimed Kit suddenly, hopingto surprise the old man into looking guilty. 

"No money in fans. I don't sell fans. "

And Kit had to acknowledge that there was not the slightest change ofexpression in his hard blue eyes. 

But as she poked her way about the place she saw a glass case andinside among bottles, books, old china and other objects, she sawseveral fans. She edged closer to the case and glanced through theassortment, but the fan she wanted was not there. 

Of course she hardly expected to find it. If Peter had taken the fan, he would hide it away for a while at least. 

"But there is something suspicious about him. Saying he didn't haveany fans, when they were right there all the time, " Kit confided to thechums when she returned to the shop. 

"It does look suspicious!" Joy cried. "Girls, I do believe we are hoton the trail. "

"I wish I could believe it!" Bet was not optimistic. "I don't believehe did it. He's heard of the theft of the fan and acts a littleembarrassed. I do wish Dad were here!"

"I don't. I want to find that fan before he returns, " announcedShirley with quiet decision. 

"I hope we do!" said Bet. 

"We're Merriweather Girls and we must find a way out of thisdifficulty. Lady Betty saved the Manor in her day, now we will do thesame!" Kit said decidedly. 

"Yes, but how?" groaned Bet. "I've thought and thought about it untilmy head whirls. "

The more the girls puzzled over the mystery, the less light appeared. Kit made daily visits to the antique shop, hoping to find somethingsuspicious. She made friends with Jacques, the freckled-faced littleFrench boy who worked for Peter. He was shy at first, but Kit soon puthim at ease with her kindly smile. He gazed up at her with big, darkeyes that expressed his devotion. Kit had won his heart, and the girlssaw him often staring up from the basement window, hoping to get aglimpse of her. 

One day when Kit was looking over the assortment in the glass case ofPeter's shop, she was surprised to find that the fans had been removed. She was about to ask Jacques where they were when Old Peter Gruffreturned. 

"You know, Mr. Gruff, I just love your shop! I hope you don't mind meprowling around and looking at things. "

She got only a curt grunt in reply, but Kit didn't mind. She went on:"That's awfully kind of you! I'm going to come often. "

Kit always returned from her visits with new suspicions. Although shehad found no clue, she insisted that the old man was guilty. 

"Kit, I'm surprised at you!" declared the gentle Shirley. "He's aharmless old man, and I don't believe he would steal from ColonelBaxter. "

"Maybe he wouldn't, " Kit returned with a frown, "but I still have mydoubts. I wish I had his shop to myself for half a day, then I'd makesure the fan was not hidden there. --Or I'd find it. "

"Why couldn't you send him up to the Manor to fix a chair orsomething?" exclaimed Joy. 

"He'd probably see through it. Peter Gruff is foxy, " replied Bet. "Anyway I had orders long ago never to let the old man in the housewhen Dad was away. "

"So your father didn't trust him?" cried Kit exultantly. 

"Well Dad just thought it would be better not to put temptation in hisway. He's crazy about old bric-a-brac, you know. And Dad didn't knowwhat he might be up to. "

Kit got her chance to have the shop to herself the next day. Old PeterGruff left early in the morning, and Jacques was alone. 

"It's luck, Kit, " shouted Bet. "Come right away!"

Jacques smiled and bowed as the girls filed in. And when Kit asked himto see pewter, brass, crystal, one right after the other, the boy racedaround furiously to please her. 

"I want to go down stairs, " said Kit with a smile. 

"Mr. Gruff doesn't want people down stairs, " began the boy, but beforehe had finished his sentence, Kit was already on the lowest step. 

But the store room was so packed with things that it was impossible tomove about. Two dim lights gave only enough glow to cast heavy shadowsabout the vault-like cellar. There was something sinister about thegloom. 

"Let's get out of here while the getting's good!" whispered Joy. "Ifeel as if someone might jump up any minute from behind these oldbureaus. I believe the place is haunted. "

"No, don't go yet, " pleaded Kit. "I haven't seen half enough. Whocares for ghosts, anyway? Say Jacques, what does Mr. Gruff keep inthat old cabinet there?"

"Just some old china and fans and things. "

"Let's see the fans, " Kit demanded. 

"Funny how everybody wants to see fans lately, " said Jacques. "A bigtall man, then a young man, then you girls. "

Kit started violently. "Who was the tall man?" she asked abruptly. 

"I dunno!" replied Jacques. "Phil Gordon came and asked Peterquestions, and the old man got mad and said, 'Git out!'"

While he was talking Jacques had brought out the fans at Kit's request, but they were cheap and not any particular value. 

"I wonder what Phil found out, " mused Bet. 

But whatever Phil's object was in going to the antique shop, itstrengthened the suspicion against him. The detective, who had beenwatching him for days, was now assured that the boy was trying todispose of the fan and on questioning Peter Gruff, he believed that hissuspicions were correct. 

Phil had asked the old man if he ever bought fans. Mr. Longworthreported this to Bet Baxter and the next day when she met Phil on thestreet, he hurried by as if anxious to avoid a talk with her. 

Bet was wild with anxiety. Phil had looked at her in such a guiltyway. She hurried home and, once inside the house, she burst intotears. "What's the matter with Phil Gordon, anyway? He couldn't havetaken that fan. Then why does he act like a thief?"

That afternoon Bet was moping about the house when her three chumsarrived. Vacation would soon be over and they were making the most ofthose two short weeks. But Bet was not in a mood for merry-making. Another letter had come from her father regarding the fan. It read:

"I know you have been prompt in looking after the fan as I told you todo. It is the greatest satisfaction that in matters of this sort I cantrust you implicitly. I am rejoicing that the money I will receivefrom the fan will meet the demands of my creditors and that I'll nothave to sell the Manor. The lucky little fan has saved us!"

"Girls, what am I going to do?" Bet sobbed as she finished reading theletter to them. 

"I know one thing, Bet Baxter. A Merriweather Girl doesn't waste timeand energy in tears! Lady Betty scorned tears!" declared Shirley. 

"She looks as if she had never had a trouble in the world, " sighed Bet, looking up at the picture. 

"Laugh and the world laughs with you!" hummed Joy. "Cheer up, theworst is yet to come!"

"Keep quiet, Joy Evans. Those are about the silliest speeches a humanbeing can make. I wish you'd go home--oh no, Joy, I don't mean that, I'm just worried. "

"Of course you are, old dear. We all know it and want to help you, ifwe can. Come on out and have a snowball match. "

It was a glorious day, sharp and sparkling and the snow crunched undertheir feet as they walked. 

"This is the sort of weather when I long to go on a hike, " saidShirley. "If it wasn't for this trouble we're having I'd suggest it. "

"Let's go tomorrow anyway!" exclaimed Bet impulsively. "That is, unless something very important comes up. We're not accomplishinganything by hanging around the house and brooding. "

"Right you are, Bet!" shouted Joy, as she threw a snowball at Kit. "Ifwe take a brisk hike through the woods maybe the wind will blow thecobwebs out of our brains and we'll be able to think of some way tofind that fan. "

"The detective is on the job. I'm sure he'll find a clue, " remarkedShirley quietly. 

They returned to the house and found Uncle Nat disturbed over a visitfrom Amos Longworth. "Why that man was quizzing me up just as if hethought _I_ stole the fan!"

"That detective is loco, " laughed Kit, using a term from her belovedmountains. 

"What does loco mean, Kit?" asked Joy. 

"It means he's crazy! The horses get crazy in the mountains fromeating a weed by that name. That's the way with Mr. Longworth; he'sbeen eating loco weed. "

"I'll say he has, " Joy agreed merrily. 

When the girls separated for the night they had made their plans tostart the next day at eleven o'clock for a hike. That would give themplenty of time to hear anything that the detective might find out. 

That evening Bet received a message from Mrs. Gordon. During the talkshe told Bet that Phil was worrying himself sick over the theft of thefan. 

"I know Phil wouldn't do it, Bet, " his mother exclaimed. 

"Of course he wouldn't. We girls have never blamed him, not even for asecond. It's that silly detective! Don't worry about it. We'll findit, somehow!"

Bob Evans had gone away the day after the party and when he came backand heard the accusation against Phil, he was ready to fight. 

"The very first person I met when I got off the train told me that Philhad stolen the fan belong to Colonel Baxter, " he told Joy. 

"Who said it?" cried Joy. 

"A great friend of yours. "

"No friend of mine would accuse Phil. The whole thing is ridiculous!"

"Why Edith Whalen said he was going to arrested within twenty-fourhours!"

"Lots she knows about it! But if that detective had his way, he mightbe. I can't imagine anyone paying a man to be so stupid. We girlshave told him again and again that Phil had nothing to do with it. "

"Has Phil been asked up to the Manor since that happened?" asked Bob. 

"No, I don't think so. He's been up several times but it has been withthe detective or Chief Baldwin. "

"Then you girls ought to ask him to go with you, just to show him andeverybody else chat you don't believe a word of all this gossip! Philwouldn't steal! I'd trust him with anything!"

But while Bob stormed and determined to clear his friend in some way, his efforts were not successful. He made it a point to have Phil withhim wherever he went, but that did not clear the boy of suspicion. 

The girls, as well as Bob, were anxious to do something for theirfriend, but as the fan had disappeared and there was no evidence left, they seemed to be getting nowhere. Bet and her chums were desperate. 

The girls looked forward to the hike in the snow as a diversion thatwould rest their tired nerves and help them to see more clearly ontheir return. 

CHAPTER XVI

HERMIT'S HUT

The next morning the girls found Bet with a tired, worried frown on herface. "Girls, I just can't go!" she said. 

"Bet dear, don't give up the hike. You're brooding too much over thelost fan. Come on!" pleaded Shirley. 

"Yes, Bet dear, don't back out! It will do you worlds of good!" AndKit put both arms about her tenderly. "You're making yourself sickwith all this worry!"

"No. I almost feel as if I were leaving something undone!"

"But I've often noticed that when you go at something else, the thingyou are worrying about completely clears up. Come on, get your hat andcoat. " Joy added her persuasion. "You've been worrying too much tothink straight, otherwise you'd have solved the problem long ago orfound a clue. "

Bet finally gave in, but not quite willingly. School would begin onMonday and after that the girls would not have so much time to work onthe problem. Bet wondered how she could ever put her mind on algebraand history when the mystery of the lost fan still hung over her. 

Shirley had brought along her photographic outfit and said, "Pleasedon't back out, Bet, for then none of them will go without you, and Ido want to set my camera for a wild animal. I'm almost sure we'll seedeer tracks. Wouldn't I be happy if I could get a picture of a deerfor that wild animal picture contest?"

"And I suppose we'll be expected to stand around on one foot while youtinker with all those attachments and shutters and other crazy things, "fussed Joy. 

"I won't ask you to stand on one foot. You can use both and I won'tcharge you a cent more, " replied Shirley with the slightest note ofannoyance in her voice. Shirley was quiet and even-tempered and wasalways the peace-maker when the atmosphere between the chums becamecharged with strife. 

"All right, Shirley. It's your affair, only don't ask me to carry oneof those boxes. I'll have enough with this lunch, knowing we will soonmake it lighter. "

"Yes, you would fuss about everything except your lunch, Joy Evans, "snapped Shirley, now thoroughly cross. "Come on, girls, let's go!" andShirley hastened out the door in advance of others. 

"Let her go, Bet. She'll cool off in the frosty air, " said Joy. 

"I think everybody is getting nervous and I'm sure it's my fault, I'vebeen so irritable to everyone, " replied Bet. 

But as they stepped outside the door their joyous spirits revived andthey started away with a song. Auntie Gibbs watched them as theytramped up over the hill, and when they disappeared, she turned back toher work. 

"She's a spoiled child, that Bet! Girls didn't act like that when Iwas young! They didn't go gallivanting around: they stayed home anddid their knitting!" the old lady scolded, but as she lacked anaudience her temper soon cooled and she went about her work thinkingonly of her one great interest in life, Colonel Baxter and hisdaughter, Bet. 

"Bless the child, she's the most provoking thing I've ever seen, butshe's so kind to me, too. The way she bathed my head yesterday when itached, was like a grown woman. The Colonel has a right to be proud ofher. "

And these conflicting emotions were enough make the old lady's headache a second time. 

While she puttered about the kitchen, planning a special cake tosurprise Bet and her chums when they would return, the girls wereheaded toward Cruger Lake. 

"We should have brought skiis!" called Joy. "Why didn't we think ofit?"

"Are we on a hike or not?" Bet stopped short in the path andconfronted Joy. "This is a hike, and a hike means walking. "

"It suits me all right, " announced Kit suddenly, "but I can't helpwishing I had Powder along. He'd enjoy making this crusty snow fly. "

"Well, there's a stone wall over there, Kit. You might pretend, "laughed Bet, but seeing a shadow pass over her friend's face, sheimmediately added: "I'm sorry dear, I promised never to tease you aboutthat. "

"Don't Bet, some things just touch the heart too close to joke about!And you'll never understand that until you love a horse the way I doPowder. "

"I think I do understand, Kit. I'm sure I'd be just as sentimentalover Smiley Jim. Poor old fellow! I've neglected him lately. Today Ilocked him in the basement, and he begged so to come along!"

"Why didn't you bring him?" asked Kit. 

"Auntie Gibbs wanted him to stay there. She's getting a little nervoussince the loss of the fan and thinks the dog will protect her. "

Shirley was in the lead, her eyes on the ground, watching eagerly forsigns of animal footprints. 

"Here's a deer track!" called Bet with a laugh and Shirley ran back attop speed. 

"Well, maybe it's only a rabbit's, " teased Bet. 

"And I thought you were my friend, Bet Baxter!" Shirley answered, asshe took the lead once more. 

It was stinging cold. Every few minutes the girls had to stop and claptheir hands together and stamp their feet to restore circulation. Theypulled their wool caps well down over their ears and faced the sharpwind. They had crossed the main highway and struck into the woods onthe other side, hoping to reach Cruger Lake by lunch time. 

They walked and walked till long after the time set for lunch, but sawno sign of the lake. 

"Let's build our fire in the woods, girls, and we'll go on to the lakeafterwards. I didn't know it was so far. " Bet slung her pack to theground, and the others followed her lead. 

"What's for lunch?" asked Joy Evans. "I'm starved!"

Outdoor cooking was a hobby with the girls and they soon had a firestarted. And when a bed of coals was ready, a big steak with onionssizzled merrily. 

Everybody was hungry from the long walk, and steak and sandwichesdisappeared before the onslaught of four ravenous girls. 

"And here's the dessert!" Bet held up a handful of dough. 

"I wouldn't call that much of a dessert, " Joy shrugged with disgust. 

"Wait and see! You take a little piece of it and pull it out likethis, " and Bet stretched the dough into a long, narrow ribbon. "Nowplease hand me those sticks I was whittling!" After rubbing the end ofthe twigs in flour, Bet wound the ribbon around the end in a spiral. 

"And now what?" asked Kit, as Bet passed each of them a stick with thetwisted dough on the point. 

"Put them over the coals but be careful not to burn them, " shecautioned. 

The girls kept the sticks turning so that the dough would cook evenly. Suddenly Bet held hers up; "I do believe mine is done, and this is theway you find out. If it slips off without sticking then it is done. "Bet gave the twist a little turn and it came off. 

"Now that's a bread twist!" she smiled with satisfaction, as the girlsall took theirs off successfully. "Here, fill them up with jelly, andthen tell me what you think of them. "

"No words can describe this!" replied Joy. "I could just live on breadtwists. "

"And now let's be on our way!" Bet shouldered her pack. "It can't befar to the lake now. "

After an hour's walk they realized that something was wrong, theyshould have been at the lake long ago. 

"I know what we must have done, " exclaimed Bet impatiently. "We tookthe wrong trail away back by the road. Here's Hermit's Hut in front ofus. "

"Aw, what a nuisance. I did want to go to the lake!" Joy stoppedshort. "Can't we turn back and go yet?"

"No, it's too late today. It would be dark before we'd get there, "said Shirley. 

"What's Hermit's Hut? That sounds interesting. Makes me think of thehermit's caves in Arizona, " cried Kit, a joyous note in her voice. 

"It's just an old hut, that's all. They say a queer old man stayedthere at one time and lived on just what he could shoot or trap in thewoods, and when he died and his body was found, there was a bag of goldcoins hidden in the wall of the hut. I don't know whether the story istrue or not, but the closet in the wall is there and might have heldtreasure, " explained Bet. 

"Some say he starved to death with all that money right there!" saidJoy contemptuously. "Wasn't he crazy?"

"There's no sign of treasure there now, " declared Bet. "They haveripped up the floors and the walls and dug all around the hut to see ifhe didn't _bury_ some money as well. "

"That's not likely!" Kit took Bet's arm. "Come on up there, I want tosee the hut. "

"There isn't much to see, " returned her chum, as they climbed the smallhill to the old cabin. 

The wind was getting stronger and when the girls reached the Hermit'sHut, a tumble-down shack half hidden in the brush, they gladly tookshelter there from the wind. 

"Now bring on your treasure closet, " exclaimed Kit. "Where's yourshow?"

Bet pointed to the wall. "That's funny, " she exclaimed, "that closetused to be right there. Someone has nailed it up. " And Bet tapped thewall with her hard little knuckles. 

"It sounds hollow! Maybe some other hermit has fastened it up again, "suggested the quiet Shirley. 

"Hidden treasure!" exclaimed Joy. 

"You can have all the treasure you find, " laughed Shirley. "I'm off tofind deer tracks. "

"Usually I'm not a curious person, " began Kit. 

"You don't say so! Do tell us more about yourself!" Joy was alwaysteasing and the girls were used to her ways. Kit leaned over the doorsill, grabbed a handful of snow, aimed it at Joy, then continued hersentence:

"This interests me, and I'm going to investigate. Perhaps some one hashidden away another fortune in the wall. "

"I think this hermit must have had a repair-man's mania, the way thisboard is nailed on! Get your hatchet Kit, and we'll investigate. " Betheld out her hand toward the pack. 

No one paid any attention to Shirley, who had found a treasure of herown, some deer tracks in the snow outside the hut. "Here's where I'llput my camera, " she said to herself. "Oh I do hope I get a goodpicture!"

"She's raving again, girls, don't cross her!" called Joy from thedoorway. 

"I'm not listening!" said Shirley, with a toss of her head. She placedthe camera, cleverly concealed it with evergreen boughs, and put intoposition the device that set off the flash powder and released theshutter. A wire extended out into the snow at some distance so thatthe animal would be almost sure to come in contact with it. 

"There! That's done!" announced Shirley. "Now, Mr. Deer, you can comejust as soon as you want to. I'm ready!"

Bet was using all her strength to pry off the board from the wall. 

"Here, give it to me, Bet! I'm a wild and woolly westerner and bignails are nothing in my life. "

With a screeching, protesting sound the huge nails were pulled out andthe board came loose. The girls peered into the opening but did notsee anything at first. 

"Nothing there!" said Kit with disgust, as she turned away. 

"There's something white in here!" exclaimed Bet as she slipped herhand into the closet. She grasped the object in a tight grip andbrought it forth. 

"Oh look! We've found hidden treasure!" shouted Joy, laughing. "Let's see it. --No, it's just a dusty cloth tied around a stick. "

But Bet was trembling with excitement. She exclaimed: "Girls, it's thefan! The queen's fan!" She unwrapped the cloth and showed theprecious object, then burst into tears. 

But the girls cried out excitedly: "Found! What wonderful luck!"

"How did it get here?"

"This must be a thieve's [Transcriber's note: thief's?] hiding place!Oh, maybe the thief is around here!"

"What shall we do!"

"Do? I'll say grab it and get out of this place as soon as wecan. --And keep running until we reach the bus line. Don't wait aminute, girls! I'll just lay suspicion by nailing this board backagain!" And Kit gave some good swinging strokes with the hatchet. 

The girls ran in terror, for they expected the thief to be in pursuit. They glanced back anxiously with little squeals. But Bet hugged thefan to her breast and did not speak. 

The four girls waited for the bus at the deserted corner of the woods. It was already dusk. Bet looked anxiously about, fearing to hear along whistle, a signal of the thieves. So many things had happenedrecently the girls did not feel safe. They might be held up, even yet. It seemed hours before they saw the bus. 

Shirley hailed it and the girls climbed on trying compose themselvesand not look self-conscious. 

Suddenly Shirley jumped to her feet. "My camera! I shouldn't haveleft it there! I never want to see that place again!"

"Ssh! Don't talk so loud, Shirley!" Bet whispered. "And don't worry. We'll ask Bob and Phil to come up with us and get it. We'll tell themto bring a shot gun! And who knows, maybe in the meantime you'll getyour picture of a deer. "

The bus had never seemed to go so slowly. It stopped at every streetcorner, or so it appeared to Bet Baxter. At the corner where theyalighted, Smiley Jim came bounding over the hard snow, barking hiswelcome. "Smiley Jim, I'm glad you're here, I've never been so happyto see you, in all my life!" Bet exclaimed. 

As if the dog knew that Bet needed him, he walked by her side, andgrowled as he always did when strangers came to the Manor. 

"I believe he knows!" said Bet softly as she patted the dog's head. 

But when she stumbled into the kitchen a few minutes later, she fellinto Auntie Gibbs' arms and sobbed hysterically. 

"Now, what's the matter child? Have you had more bad luck? Yourfather can't get home too soon to suit me!"

At last Bet got her breath:

"Auntie Gibbs! Uncle Nat! We've found the fan!"

CHAPTER XVII

ON GUARD

Bet was still clutching the precious fan in a tight grip that had notrelaxed for a second since she found it in the Hermit's Hut. 

"I just knew you'd find it, Bet, " said Auntie Gibbs. "I told you soover and over again!"

Even Bet, whose nerves were at the snapping point, had to smile at theold lady who was always in the right and sure to exclaim: "Didn't Itell you so!"

"Now let's have a look at that queen's fan. I never rightly noticedit, before it was stolen. " The old man held out his hand. 

"Here it is, Uncle Nat, " said Bet proudly, as she unwrapped thetreasure from the dusty handkerchief. Then she gave a little gaspwhich was immediately smothered in a cough, as she stuffed thehandkerchief into her sweater pocket. 

"What's the matter now, Bet?" Kit cried excitedly. 

"Nothing at all. Must have taken a cold. My throat seems raw. " Bettook the fan, opened it and held it out to Uncle Nat. 

"Well, well, well!" exclaimed the old man. "So that's the queen's fan!Are you quite sure it's the one, Bet? Doesn't seem fancy enough to beworth all that money. "

"All I can say is that it ain't much to look at, " sputtered AuntieGibbs. "It's a nice enough fan, but I wouldn't give a dollar for it. If I were a queen I'd want one with ostrich plumes and lots of gold onit. "

"Queens are funny like that!" Uncle Nat shook his head. "But I can'tunderstand how anyone would want it at a price like that. I wonder ifColonel Baxter isn't joking with you about it?"

"You know Daddy wouldn't do a thing like that. His letters have beenso full of joy at the prospect of a sale. "

"And, Bet dear, isn't it good that we found it before he got back? Ithas saved him a lot of worry. I do think we are the luckiest girls inthe world, " cried Shirley Williams. 

"The lucky Merriweather Girls! We're living up to the ideals of ourclub, and Lady Betty!" Joy kissed the tips of her fingers toward theportrait, then whirled about on her toes. 

Bet rushed up to her room and taking her father's picture from herdesk, whispered, "Oh Daddy, you can trust me!" She looked at it a longtime, then kissed it as she replaced it on the desk. 

"So far, so good!" exclaimed Kit as she joined Bet. "We've found thefan but we haven't found the thief, and until that is done we won't beable to clear the suspicion against Phil. Everybody in town is blaminghim. " Kit's voice showed her indignation. 

"Let's phone him! He'll sleep better tonight if he knows the fan hasbeen found, " suggested Joy as she and Shirley came into the room. 

"Girls, do me a favor, don't tell anyone tonight. If it gets aroundtown that we have the fan, the thief may come and try to get it again. Until it is in the safety deposit box at the bank, I've not kept faithwith Dad. And tomorrow is Sunday. I have to guard the fan for twonights instead of one. "

"That's true. Someone might try to steal it again. Wish we werestaying all night with you, Bet, " said Kit. 

"Please do, girls. I don't want to be left alone, I'll phone and ask!"and Bet ran to the telephone. 

Bet needed their presence to keep her from brooding over something thatshe could not talk about with them, for the handkerchief that had beenwrapped around the fan, bore the initials P. S. G. In one corner. Sherecognized it as one of Phil's handkerchiefs. There was no doubt aboutit. 

Now that the fan was in her possession she was so relieved that she didnot care to lay the blame on him, but with the proof in her pocket, shefelt weighed down as if she were the guilty one. 

"'How could Phil do such a thing!" she thought. "No wonder he didn'tstop to talk to me! I should think he _would_ slink by without hardlyspeaking!" Bet's indignation was at fever heat. At this moment shewished he were there to make him face the evidence she had against him. 

The three girls had no difficulty in getting permission to stay withBet. Mrs. Stacey laughingly suggested that Kit be adopted by theBaxters and then she would never have to come home. 

"Now girls, we will take turns in guarding the fan. Two at a timethrough the night, " said Bet. "But if you think I'm going to let thefan out of _my_ possession, you're mistaken. Right now, I'm going tofasten it around my neck! And what's more, I'm going to sleep with iton. "

"But a thief may come and carry you away, fan and all!" exclaimed Joy. 

"Not if we are guarding her!" Shirley assured them. "Where will wesleep?"

"Shirley and Joy must have the room across the hall, and Kit will sleepwith me. Two of us must always be together. I have the feeling if oneof you girls had been with me the other night, the fan might not havebeen stolen at all. "

"Let me have the first watch, then, " said Shirley. "I'm such a nightowl anyway, that I won't mind staying awake. Joy and I can watch untiltwo o'clock, then we'll waken you. "

The girls caught the thrill of the night watch and almost hoped a thiefmight come so they could capture him. 

"Someone may try to kidnap Bet, if he thinks she has the fan on her, "suggested Kit. 

"If he does, Bet, he'll have to kidnap all four girls, for we'll standby you!" Joy put her arms protectingly around Bet. 

"I'd love to catch the thief, lock him up in a closet, send for ChiefBaldwin and have him arrested. That would end the mystery of thequeen's fan. "

"And that's what I call romantic bunkum, " laughed Auntie Gibbs. "You'll all go to bed tonight and get your rest! Uncle Nat will hidethe fan so no one will get it. "

At which there was a loud protest from all the girls. They had nointention of being cheated out of any of the thrilling romance of thefan. 

Bet was tucked into bed with all the tenderness that one bestows on asmall child and was made to promise, hand on heart, that she would notstep outside her room for any reason whatever, unless one of the girlswas with her. 

Shirley had no difficulty in keeping awake until two o'clock but shedid have trouble in keeping Joy's eyes open. 

"I'd let you sleep, honey, only I gave Bet my solemn promise that we'd_both_ stay awake. "

"It's all right, Shirley. Just give me a dig if I nod. I won't mind. We've got to help Bet!" Joy yawned and stretched. 

But it did seem a long time to Joy before Shirley said, "Time's up!"and together they crossed the hall to waken Bet and Kit. They had beensitting just inside the door of their room where they could watch upand down the hall. Nothing disturbing had happened. 

"Time to get up? Why it just seems as if we'd been asleep a second!"laughed Kit. 

"That's your bad luck, then, " exclaimed Joy, "for my watch says it'safter two. "

Bet and Kit jumped out of bed, and Bet put her hand on the fan andpatted it. 

"It's still safe, girls! I don't think we'll be disturbed tonight. "

"Listen to her, Shirley!" yawned Joy. "She's going to say that we canall go to sleep now that it's her turn to guard the fan. "

"Indeed I'm _not_! I have no intention of leaving the fan unguarded. You forget that I'm on my honor to get this into the safety box onMonday!"

"Next watch is from half past two to half past six! Run along and getto sleep!" ordered Kit. "We'll guard the treasure with our lives. "

Shirley and Joy made a dash for their own room, but gave a shriek asthey reached the door. A figure clad in ghostly white was gliding downthe long hallway. 

Bet leaped into action at once. "Here girls, stand by me! Nowremember, if they kidnap me, they will have to take all four. "

They peered cautiously into the hall and Bet snapped on the light, andlet out a scream of laughter. 

"It's just Auntie Gibbs! I forgot that she takes her daily exercise atthis hour. She's always prowling around to see if the doors andwindows are locked. "

"What are you children doing?" demanded Auntie Gibbs. "Get into bedthis minute or you'll get your death! I'll tell Colonel Baxter when hecomes home. "

This was the daily threat that the old woman made to Bet, who, nothaving any fear of her father, smiled serenely. All went to theirrooms. Shirley and Joy cuddled down under the covers and were soonasleep. And when Auntie Gibbs was in her own room, Kit and Bet begantheir watch. 

At dawn they awakened Shirley and Joy. 

"Bet Baxter, you're cheating!" came Joy's sleepy voice from theblankets. 

"I just this minute closed my eyes, " exclaimed Shirley. 

"Waking us up the minute we fell asleep! A trick like that isn'tfunny. You just think it is!" pouted Joy. 

The three girls commenced to giggle and soon Joy was wide awake andenjoying the joke at her expense. 

Bet and Kit slept until breakfast time. 

"What are we going to do today?" asked Joy as they went down to thedining room. "Let's think up something specially nice, for schoolbegins on Monday. This two weeks' vacation just flew by!"

"Whatever it is that we plan, it will have to be something we can doright here at home. I do not intend to go out of the house today. "

"That's all right. We've had lots of good times here in the Manor. Maybe we can manage to have one more, " Shirley laughed happily. 

"You know what I'd like to do, Bet?" said Joy, clapping her hands. "I'd just love to call Bob and Phil. They'll be so glad that the fanis found. "

For a moment Bet was about to object, then fearing to arouse thesuspicion of the girls toward Phil she agreed. 

What would Phil do when he learned that the fan had been recovered?Would he try to pass it off and appear innocent in the matter? Justhow could he face the Merriweather Girls, knowing what they stood for:honor, loyalty and friendship?

But Bet kept these thoughts to herself. Her chums must not knowanything about it. She would be loyal to that extent. 

Joy called up her brother and then impulsively said, "Just a minute, Bob! Bet wants to tell you the news!"

"Hello, Bet, " came Bob's voice over the phone. 

And Bet tried to make herself speak naturally, "We found the fan, Bob!Isn't it great!"

"By Jimminy! Hurrah for the Merriweather Girls! Where was it? Whotook it?"

"We'll give you the whole story later. It's too long to telephone. "

"It sounds mysterious, I can hardly wait!"

"Tell Phil, will you, Bob? But don't mention to anyone else just atpresent. I'll explain when I see you!"

Within an hour the girls heard the familiar tooting of an auto horn inthe yard and a loud shout that they recognized as Bob's, followed byPhil's more subdued call. 

"Those dear boys!" exclaimed Kit. "You know girls, they haven't beenaround much lately and I've been ever and ever so lonesome. I--I likeboys!"

"You didn't have to tell us that, Kit Patten. Just as if we couldn'tsee that you're boy crazy!"

"I am not, Joy Evans! I like boys, but I'm not silly over them. Ilike them the way I do my kid brother at home and the way I likePowder, my pony. "

"Oh ho, ho! Wait until I tell Bob and Phil. Kit likes them the sameas she does Powder, her pony!"

"Oh Joy, please keep still or they'll hear!" Kit shook the laughinggirl but it was too good a joke to keep. As soon as Bet had opened thedoor, Joy shouted it as a greeting. 

"Come on in, boys! Kit says you're most as nice as her pony. Pranceright up and get your lump of sugar and your measure of oats!" teasedJoy. 

Bob and Phil were so relieved that the fan had been found they enteredinto the fun. Linking arms they went through a pantomime of fierysteeds being held in check with a tight rein. 

Bet laughed with the others, but her heart was heavy over Phil'sinsincerity. Auntie Gibbs, who just naturally liked boys better thangirls, was doubled over with laughter at their antics. She buzzedaround them, took their hats and coats and hung them up. 

"Look at that, " pouted Joy. "Why don't you wait on _us_ hand and foot?Aren't we as good as the boys?"

"That's as may be! But girls ought to wait on themselves. That'swhat!"

"You're perfectly right, Auntie Gibbs!" nodded Bob. 

"I'd like to know why? Maybe you think we don't want some attentionnow and then, even if we are girls, " said Kit. 

"Go on with your nonsense! I know you're only trying to make fun ofme. The boys wouldn't do that!"

"Indeed we wouldn't, Auntie Gibbs! You are perfectly right, " assentedPhil, with a triumphant smile at Kit. 

Bet was silent. She watched Phil with a heavy heart. How could hepretend innocence like that?

Just then the jingle of the telephone brought the nonsense to an end. Bet answered it. 

"Who? What? Oh Daddy! Daddy! Are you so near, really? --Company?Of course, the girls are here and Bob and Phil. --Oh thank you, Daddy, you're a dear. Goodbye!"

Bet left the phone and sank into the depths of a roomy chair. "Dadwill be here in a few hours. He telephoned from Albany. --Oh, how gladI am that we found the queen's fan!"

CHAPTER XVIII

COLONEL BAXTER RETURNS

"Come on girls, let's go right away. Bet will want her father toherself and he won't want a lot of hoodlums around!" exclaimed Bob. 

"We like that, Bob Evans! In the first place we are all friends ofColonel Baxter and chums of his daughter, Bet. Therefore we are nothoodlums!" exclaimed Kit Patten. 

"And Dad says to keep you here to celebrate his return. The boys too. He's bringing a business friend, but that need not bother us. "

After Bet's announcement, Auntie Gibbs flew to the kitchen and wasalready at work with mixing bowl and measuring cups. She was quite inher element at the prospect of company, and she took command like ageneral. Even the boys were put to work. One of the lights in thechandelier was not working, and Bob and Phil took off their coats, mounted a ladder and repaired the damage. 

The girls were sent up stairs, to dust and air and arrange the guestchamber. 

Uncle Nat was lying down with a headache. "Isn't he the most provokingman, " declared the old lady. "I said this morning that like as not I'dneed him to-day when he's laid up. "

"Oh let him rest, Auntie Gibbs, " said Bob. "Phil and I will take hisplace. We'll be sort of Uncle Nat twins!"

And the old lady commanded them energetically. "Here Phil, you takethese bones to Smiley Jim and let him out! That poor dog has beenneglected badly. The girls have been so busy lately!"

"Yes, busy and worried like the rest of us. Isn't it great that theyfound the fan? It means a lot to me, for I had it last. And then AmosLongworth has been dogging my steps like a stage detective. I couldn'tmove without being watched. "

"Yes, and that man came here and questioned Uncle Nat and me. Showedhe even suspicioned us! What do you know about that?" exclaimed AuntieGibbs indignantly. 

"I'm wondering where he is to-day! We're apt to see him peering in oneof the windows, " laughed Phil. 

"We haven't notified Chief Baldwin. Bet wants to get the fan into herfather's hands before anyone else knows about it, and I don't blameher. "

Long before train time the house was in perfect order, the tablegleamed with crystal and silver. Everything of the best was displayedto welcome home the "Lord of the Manor" as Bet called him. 

"I'm going to meet your Dad, Bet!" announced Bob. "Want to come along?"

"I'd like to go but I can't. I'll meet him here. " In an aside to Kitshe added: "There might be an accident or a hold-up. Anything is aptto happen! I feel fairly safe when I'm here in the house with yougirls around me. "

So while Phil finished up some odd jobs for Uncle Nat, and the girlsfluttered here and there at Auntie Gibbs' command Colonel Baxterarrived. 

Bet noticed the difference in her father's face at once. The look ofstrain was gone. And his eyes were not sad or preoccupied as they hadbeen for the past months. The offer for the fan must have relieved himfrom worry. 

With a joyous cry, Bet was in his arms. "Oh Daddy, I'm so glad you'rehome!" She was trembling with excitement. 

"Why, what's the matter here? This is no way to greet yourfather--with big tears in your eyes!"

Colonel Baxter shook hands ceremoniously with Auntie Gibbs, introducedthe stranger, Mr. Provost, the curator of an art museum in the west, and had a cheery word for each of the young people. The Colonel seemedhappy that Bet's friends were there to receive him, and his oldcarefree manner made the girls rejoice that they did not have to causehim worry. 

Before dinner he made a trip to Uncle Nat's room to shake the old man'shand. 

"Auntie Gibbs, I do believe you are trying to spoil me, " declared theColonel as he partook of all the delicacies that she had provided forhis benefit. 

"It can't be done again, Colonel, I spoiled you long ago, " she answered. 

After dinner was over and the men started toward the drawing room, Betsaid, "Will you girls help Auntie Gibbs? I must give the fan to Dad atonce. "

The Bet who presented herself to her father had scarlet cheeks and herhands were trembling with nervous strain. 

"Daddy, may I see you alone for a few minutes? It's a matter of greatimportance. " The girl's manner was so formal and grown-up that ColonelBaxter had to smile as he turned to his guest. 

"Will you pardon me, Provost, for a few minutes?"

Father and daughter slipped into a small room adjoining and after Bethad closed the door she said:

"Daddy, I have to make a confession. "

"What have you done now, broken a window?"

"No, no, Daddy, be serious. I've had an awful time. " She unfastenedsomething from her neck and to her father's surprise put the fan in hishand. 

"Why Bet, I told you to put the fan away. "

"Listen Dad. When your message came the fan was gone! Isn't that_terrible_? It was stolen and we got it back only yesterday. It wasafter the bank closed. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be disobedient. "

"Who stole it?"

"No one knows yet. "

Suddenly the Colonel jumped to his feet. "Well, one bit of good luckhas come out of this. After a while I'll hear the whole story. Now Imust see Provost. You're a brave little girl. "

After the Colonel had talked with his guest for a moment Bet heard theman saying: "That's what I call luck, Colonel Baxter! I can take thefan with me, give you the check right now, and get home in time to meetthat important business appointment. "

A brief inspection was enough for the expert. He made out a check, putthe fan carefully in his bag and asked: "When does that train leavehere for Chicago?"

"In fifteen minutes exactly. "

"Can we make it?"

"Bob, can you get us to the station in fifteen minutes to catch theexpress?"

"Certainly, let's go!" said Bob. 

Bet accompanied them to the station. She sat between her father andMr. Provost and answered their questions when she could. 

"I won't feel safe until you are on the train, Mr. Provost, and eventhen I won't be sure that something dreadful won't happen. "

"But who do you suppose stole it? It's not likely that anyone willbother me. "

Bet sighed with relief as the train pulled out of the station. "Oh, Ido hope he gets to the museum safely!" she whispered as she snuggledclose to her father. 

At Bob's suggestion, Colonel Baxter notified Chief Baldwin that the fanhad been found. 

"Do you know who stole it?" he asked. 

"No. I have only been home a few hours, and I have had no way offinding out. "

"Well, Longworth and I have a certain party in mind. Maybe we'll get aconfession out of him. "

"We'll discuss that later, " replied the Colonel. 

Making an appointment for an interview the next morning, Colonel Baxterbade goodbye to the Chief. 

"Oh Daddy, what a relief it is to have you around to attend to things!"cried Bet when they were alone. 

The party broke up very soon after they reached the Manor. The girlswere tired from the excitement of the last week and ready to go tosleep. And when the door closed after his young guests, Colonel Baxtersaid, "Now Bet you look as if you'd had a hard week. Get into bed andcall when you're ready and I'll sit with you a while. "

It was good to have her father here, to feel his hand clasping herswith a firm grip that assured her of protection and love. She hadhardly said good-night when her hand relaxed and sleep overcame hertired eyelids. 

Bet was having her first untroubled sleep for over a week, and her paleface showed the effects of the strain. Her father mused: "It's been abig problem for my little girl, but she handled it well, even toguarding the fan last night! She's a great girl! I'm glad she's mine!"

Colonel Baxter slept in the guest room instead of going to his ownchamber. He had promised Bet to stay near her. She waked him earlythe next morning. 

"I'm going to school after all, Dad! I've had a good night's rest andfeel fine, " she announced. 

"That sounds like my Bet!"

"And Dad, I forgot to tell you. On Saturday just before we found thefan in Hermit's Hut, Shirley set her camera for a wild animal picture. You see we planned on going back there Sunday and getting it. It'sstill there. "

"I'll get it today. I have an idea that Chief Baldwin and I will takea trip out there and look over the ground. I'll get the camera. "

Bet spoke earnestly: "Don't try to find out who stole the fan, Daddy!Let the matter drop. "

"Why?"

"Daddy, it might be someone we liked and trusted and if it was, we'd--we'd--well life wouldn't be so good after that. Let's drop it!Say yes!"

Bet's father straightened up in bed and took the face of his daughterbetween his two hands. 

"I see that you are still troubled. There is someone you fear has beenfalse. Is that it? Some friend?"

"Yes, Dad. "

"But that's all the more reason why we should investigate and make sureabout it. "

"Don't, Dad, please. I can't bear it. "

"Bet, dear, can you trust your father? I've never failed you, have I?"

"No, no, never!"

"Then listen to me. Rid yourself of all your suspicions, if that'swhat they are, and I'll try to untangle things. Do you think if I takeChief Baldwin out to the hut that he might see something that would pinthe blame on your friend?"

"No, Daddy, I don't think so. The truth is, I have the evidence withme. "

"Might it not be well to trust an older head, Bet?"

"Yes. But somehow I feel that it is not being loyal. " Bet left theroom and returned with the handkerchief. "I found the fan wrapped inPhil's handkerchief. See his initials, P. S. G. "

"Phil! And he was the last one to have the fan? It does look bad forthe boy. --I must have a talk with him. "

"No, no! Phil couldn't have done it. He just couldn't!" repeated Bet. Sobs shook her body. "There's the evidence but still I can't believeit. "

"Where is my little Lady Betty Merriweather, I'd like to know?"

"Of course _she_ didn't cry over her troubles. She just kept a stiffupper lip and went on, but somehow it does me worlds of good to cry, now that you are at home. "

"Now Bet, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. If we find out that thisterrible suspicion is correct, I'll have a serious talk with Phil. Inthe meantime I am going to have Chief Baldwin go over the ground withme. We'll visit the hut together. Now just where is Shirley's camera?"

"It's at the right of the hut. You'll see it without any trouble. Tryto bring it without disturbing it for Shirley does want a picture forthat contest this spring. --And Dad, could you and Chief Baldwin goalone? Don't take that detective!"

"Why?"

"He'd find out something against Phil, I'm sure he would. Then he'dwant to put him in jail. He didn't try to shadow anyone else. Thatboy has had a terrible time. "

The Colonel laughed at the inconsistency of his small daughter butremarked: "Be loyal to your friend. That's right. But will you giveme a free hand to find the thief? I think you'll be glad you trustedme. And I'll tell you right now, I don't believe a boy who looked mestraight in the eye as he did when we met, ever stole a penny fromanyone. "

"Thanks, Dad, you're so comforting. I'm proud of you. You will makeeverything come out all right. "

The breakfast bell rang and Bet and her father had to hurry, for AuntieGibbs didn't like to have them late to a meal. 

"We're coming Auntie Gibbs, " cried the girl. And a few minutes laterthe two best chums in the world, danced down the long stairway to thebreakfast room, arm in arm, like carefree children. 

CHAPTER XIX

THE REWARD

Colonel Baxter was not very sure that they would ever be able to provewho stole the fan. He confided that much to Bet at lunch time, when hereturned from Hermit's Hut. 

The girl looked relieved. "I almost wish you wouldn't. Let's drop it. Did you get Shirley's camera, Dad? Oh I do hope she got a wild animalpicture!"

"Tell Shirley that the trap was sprung, and the flash powder had goneoff, and it is almost certain to have been a deer. Ask her to come tothe shop right after school and I'll bring the camera down. "

"Won't she be happy!" Bet squealed with delight. 

The school room clock had never ticked off its minutes so slowly as itdid that afternoon; each minute seemed like an hour to the excitedgirls whose minds were centered on Shirley's luck. Deer got all mixedup with their history lessons and Miss Elder cast reproving glancesmore than once at the Merriweather Girls who were finding it so hard tosettle to work. 

In her heart she didn't blame them. Vacation was such a glorious timefor fun and she knew the girls' capacity for getting the most joy outof everything in life. 

She thought: "The darlings! And I have to be the one to order themback to their books!"

At five minutes to three, Bet bent her head over her book, declaringthat she would not look at the clock again until it was three. Then, when she was certain that the minute hand must be pointing to twelve, she looked up and gave a gasp. Only one minute had gone by! How thetime dragged!

But at last the welcome sound of dismissal bell did come and the girlswere free. They ran all the way to the shop. 

"It's a good thing I carry my key with me, or we would have lost aboutten minutes, " said Shirley and she unlocked the door and let the girlsin. 

Shirley made a dive toward the dark room. 

"What are you going to do now?" asked Joy. 

"I'll get everything ready in here to develop the plate; just as soonas Colonel Baxter comes. "

At exactly quarter past three Bet's father arrived, bearing Shirley'scamera as if it were the queen's fan itself. 

"Here's your deer, Shirley. Put him in the bath and let's have a lookat him. I'm first!"

"You've earned that right, " Shirley answered. 

"All right! No one must come near until I call. " He and Shirleydisappeared behind the curtained doorway and silence settled over thegroup as Shirley developed the negative. 

After much waiting and eager straining of ears, the girls caught astartled cry from Shirley. They crowded into the dark room, as Shirleysaid impatiently:

"Oh Colonel Baxter, it isn't a deer at all! Isn't that mean? Lookhere! Oh, I won't go on with it, I'll smash the old thing!" andShirley made as if to throw the plate into the discard. 

Colonel Baxter caught her arm in time to save it. "Hold on there, Shirley. That plate may be worth more to you than the prize contestwould bring. Finish developing it. "

"What is it?" cried Bet. "Do let us see!" and the three girls crowdedcloser. 

"What's all the excitement about? What are the Merriweather Girlsdoing now?" asked Bob Evans as he and Phil Gordon came into Shirley'sShop and followed the girls to the dark room. 

"Ssh! Bob! We think Shirley's got a picture of a deer or some otherwild animal. Keep quiet. "

"Yes, keep quiet Phil!" laughed Bob. "The wild animal might getexcited and run. "

Everything in the dark room was quiet as Shirley developed the plate. Colonel Baxter and the girls pressed closer together to let the boyscrowd in. 

"Why Dad, it isn't a deer at all, it's a man!" exclaimed Bet as shestood looking over Shirley's shoulder. 

"I suspected as much, but we want to know who the man is. "

"Oh Dad. . . . " Bet left the sentence unfinished. She edged close to herfather and held his hand. Her own felt cold and clammy while her faceburned. She did not dare to turn toward Phil, whose face showed dimlyin the red glow. 

"I'm so disappointed!" exclaimed Shirley. "I could just weep!"

"Who is it?" asked Phil. 

The Colonel answered quietly: "If I am not mistaken, it's the man whostole the fan. "

"Then let me nearer. I think I have first right, don't you, Colonel?"

"You have, Phil!" Colonel Baxter made room for the boy to pass. 

"Why I see!" cried Shirley. "It's somebody sneaking into Hermit's Hut. "

"Who is it? Tell me Shirley!" exclaimed Kit. 

"It--it looks like old Peter Gruff! It is! No mistake!"

"There, didn't I tell you all along there was something suspiciousabout that old man!" Kit was jubilant. "He's slinking back to findthe fan. "

"Well that clears you, Phil. Not even Edith Whalen can cast slurringremarks at you now, " said Bob. 

"I'm glad to be free of this suspicion, but I'm sorry for that oldrascal, too. "

"I wouldn't waste any sympathy on him, " remarked Joy Evansvindictively. "He let people believe you had done it and helped alongthe suspicion by saying that you had tried to sell him a fan. I hopehe goes to jail!"

Colonel Baxter spoke: "Now come on out and let Shirley finish it up. Could you get a good print by this evening? The plate would do, butwe'd like to have a clear print to show the old fellow. I'll go downand see Chief Baldwin now. "

"I'll have it ready at eight o'clock!" answered Shirley from the darkroom. 

It was in the back room of Shirley's Shop where Chief Baldwin broughtold Peter Gruff, confronted him with the picture and accused him ofstealing the fan. 

"I steal Colonel Baxter's fan!" he exclaimed violently. "Why should Itake the fan when I have enough of my own?"

"That is the question I am asking you. Now, Peter, confess and get itover with. If you do not tell us everything, I'll send this picture tothe New York police and get your record. Maybe there is anotherpicture of you in the Rogues Gallery!"

The old man started excitedly. "No, no, don't do that!" he cried. Then feeling that he had given himself away, added, "I don't likepolicemen; they ask too many questions. I have done nothing. I'm anold man and don't want to be disturbed. "

"All right, Peter, out with the story! If you say you stole the fan, we'll go easy with you. --That is, if you confess. The girls haveasked me not to be too hard on you. "

"Those girls!" exclaimed Peter Gruff, throwing his hands up in dismay. "They come and they come and they look into every corner of the shop!They are a nuisance!"

The Chief laughed heartily. "All right Peter, now why did you take thefan?"

"I wouldn't steal the fan, " began Peter Gruff, but Chief Baldwin rose. 

"All right, we'll get the city police on the job and it will likelymean a long term in prison for you. "

At the word "prison, " Peter Gruff jumped to his feet. "No, no, Chief, not that! I'll tell. " And with the helpful questioning of the Chief, the old man blurted out his story. It began with the night of theparty. He had looked for the fan in the attic. It was his footprintsin the dust and the snow. 

"How could that be?" laughed Chief Baldwin, looking at the tiny foot ofthe old man. "Those feet were big. "

Peter hesitated a moment then continued: "I put on big shoes so they'dthink a big man did it. "

He owned that he had slipped back into the house and had been seen bysome of the young people. Finally he had hidden away in a closet andwaited until the party was over. When he thought everyone was asleephe had crept into Colonel Baxter's study and stolen the fan, and laterhe had hidden it in Hermit's Hut. 

"But why did you hide it away out there?" asked the Chief. 

"I didn't think anybody would go out there in the winter. Nobody everdoes. But those girls! They go everywhere! I thought I would leavethe fan there until people had forgotten it. It was a good hidingplace. "

"But as usual when a man does something wrong, he gets found out! Thegirls were too smart for you!" answered the Chief. "Why did you wantthe fan? Tell me that. "

"I had a big offer from a dealer in Paris. That dealer told me it wasowned by someone in Lynnwood, he didn't know who. But I knew thatColonel Baxter would be the only person who could have it. So I gotit. "

"If I had my way, " said Chief Baldwin sternly, "I'd put you in jail andkeep you there a long time. But Colonel Baxter is kind and is willingto give you another chance. So let this be a lesson to you to gostraight. "

The old man seemed to have shrunk to half his size as he rose andfollowed the Chief out of the door. In the outside room he met ColonelBaxter. "I'm sorry, " he said and was gone, but whether he was sorry hehad done wrong or sorry he had been caught was doubtful. 

"So that solves the Mystery of the Queen's Fan, " said Colonel Baxter asthe young people came into the shop a few moments later. "Old Peterhas confessed. "

"Colonel Baxter, you don't know what a relief it is, " cried Phil. "Igot so nervous, being shadowed all the time, that sometimes I wonderedif I _had_ stolen it. " Phil laughed in a strained manner. "It's agreat relief. You know, half the time, I think the girls believed I_was_ guilty. "

"Why Phil Gordon! What an idea!" exclaimed Kit Patten. "We all stoodby you to a man! Every single moment you were backed by theMerriweather Girls! And you know it!"

"Yes, I guess I do. You are friends worth having, but it all looked sobad for me that I wouldn't have blamed you in the least. "

"We didn't doubt you for a single minute!" exclaimed Shirley. 

"You should have heard Bet defending you to that dumb detective, AmosLongworth!" cried Joy. 

Bet could laugh now as she recalled the conversation. Her relief wasgreat, especially as Colonel Baxter had plead for Peter Gruff and hewas to go free, on the promise that he would leave the village andnever come back. 

As the group left the shop, Bet caught Phil by the arm. 

"Phil, I must talk to you alone. "

"All right. Let the others go on, " suggested the boy. "We'll walkslowly. "

Colonel Baxter turned and saw his daughter and knew that she was makinga clean breast of her suspicions against her friend. He smiled andspoke to the other girls. "Come on Kit, we'll take you home first. You're the nearest!"

When a short distance was between them, Bet suddenly caught Phil's arm. "Phil, I must tell you that, since Saturday when I found the fan, Ithought you had taken it. "

Phil stopped short. The color had left his face. "Bet! How couldyou!" There was a real hurt in his voice. "I thought you knew mebetter than that. "

"I did, Phil. When I finally showed Dad the evidence against you Imade him promise not to believe that you did it, even when thingslooked bad. "

"But what was the evidence against me, Bet? I don't understand. "

"The fan was wrapped in your handkerchief!"

"Of course it was. I forgot that until this minute. I was afraid thefan would get dirty so I wrapped it in my handkerchief. "

"And Phil, I'd have known it was that way, if I hadn't been so terriblyworried. "

"How did the other girls feel about it when you told them?"

"Oh I wouldn't tell them. I hid the handkerchief. No one knows aboutit except me and Dad. "

"Bet, you're a sport! I like you! Now, forget that you ever blamedme, and don't feel badly about it. "

They hurried ahead to catch up with the others and all met at Kit'sgate. 

"Isn't it a wonderful night!" Bet exclaimed suddenly, looking up intothe sky. "Why, I never saw so many stars before! They fairly sing!"

"The singing is in the heart of the Merriweather Girls who have savedthe Manor from being sold and have also saved the reputation of theirgood friend, " suggested Colonel Baxter. 

"It's good to be alive!" cried Phil. 

Then the Colonel hesitated a moment. "You know I am going to rewardthe Merriweather girls for finding the queen's fan. "

"Hooray!" shouted Bet. "What's the reward?"

"We don't need any reward! We're glad we got the fan and found thethief, " said Shirley, and Kit and Joy agreed with her. 

"I was thinking I'd like to send Bet and her chums to a mountain campfor the summer. What is that place I investigated last year, thatsounded so attractive? What was the name of it?"

"Do you mean, Campers' Trail? Oh Dad, do you mean it?"

"Yes! I'll invite all of you to go to that camp for the summer. "

"The Merriweather Girls on Campers' Trail, " laughed Bet heartily. "Doesn't that sound like a jolly story!"

"We can have fun there and ride horses over the hills!" Bet shoutedhappily. 

"We'll fill it full of adventure!" exclaimed Joy. 

"And love, loyalty and helpfulness!" said Shirley quietly. 

"Then yo-ho-ho for Campers' Trail!" they chanted in a gay chorus. 

THE END

CHEER LEADER

By JANET SINGER

Anne Benson, a Junior in the Oxford high school, has set her heart onwinning the coveted position of "Head Cheer Leader. " Although thisseems a simple enough desire, Anne finds herself involved in a seriesof baffling adventures in trying to attain it--including themachinations of a gang of professional gamblers, and the mysteriouskidnapping of the football team's star fullback. It is a quick-moving, vital story that will appeal to every American girl. 

JANE, STEWARDESS OF THE AIRLINES

By RUTHE S. WHEELER

We feel positive this book is the best girl's story we have everpublished. Air travel has created an entirely new profession forgirls, and it goes without saying that these hostesses have thethrilling and romantic experiences young girls will want to read about. The story is "chock-full" of adventure. From the time Jane Cameronobtains her position as stewardess on a large air transport, herexperiences with passengers, the thrills of meeting movie stars andother celebrities becomes more and more exciting, until Jane, herself, gets into the movies. 

PEGGY STEWART SERIES

By GABRIELLE E. JACKSON

Peggy Stewart at Home

Peggy Stewart at School

Peggy, Polly, Rosalie, Marjorie, Natalie, Isabel, Stella andJuno--girls all of high spirits make this Peggy Stewart series one ofentrancing interest. Their friendship, formed in a fashionable easternschool, they spend happy years crowded with gay social affairs. Thebackground for these delightful stories is furnished by Annapolis withits naval academy and an aristocratic southern estate. 

The Goldsmith Publishing Co. 

CHICAGO, ILL.