es; I am sorry to seem a meddler, but I feel that she will greatly
complicate matters unless you are clever enough to step in and interfere.
It is the old story of the tangled web; Miss Travers had no idea of doing
anything--irregular. She simply did as thousands of others do, though I
must say boys are usually the victims. A girl rarely takes such chances."

Dorothy was too surprised to speak. They were near the post-office, and
both stood in the road to finish the conversation.

"How can I help her?" asked Dorothy simply.

"Well, I must confess it may be difficult, but I see no other way to get
her out of her troubles, for she is surely multiplying them. The latest
phase of her difficulty I may tell you of without any risk of betraying
professional confidence," and Miss Brooks smiled faintly. "She has lately
written to her father and to her mother for money--urging some trifling
excuse. Letters intended for her have fallen into her father's hands. He
is a lawyer, or in some way connected with legal affairs, is he not?"

"A squire."

"Oh, yes, that's it. Well, he has put two and two together, and has sent
the last letter she wrote him out to a firm in Chicago, asking them to
state clearly, and at once, what their business has been with his
daughter, as he has reason to believe that it is because of this business
that his daughter is worried about money and is trying to get it for some
secret purpose. You see, he has inferred that she is trying to get the
money on account of her dealings with this firm. The letters written to
her show that."

Dorothy tried to understand, but it was all very strange. What sort of
business dealings could be so dishonorable?

"And how can I help her?" she repeated.

"In one of two ways. Either get ten dollars for her in some way that she
may return the money to her parents if they have already sent it, or
induce her to write at once to her father, telling him frankly all about
the matter and stating that she does not now require the ten dollars. She
evidently wants that amount to pay some one who has lost on her account."

Dorothy was amazed. She could scarcely believe that Tavia would have
gotten into any complex affair. And that some one should lose money on her
account!

"Could it be Nat?" was the thought flashed through her brain. She had
overheard some part of a conversation between Nat and Tavia, and now Tavia
showed some ill-feeling toward Nat.

"Well, I must get along,"