. Phil and Bob arrived with two cars to take the things
to the different houses.

As they stopped the car a little way down the street from Mrs. Ryan's
and approached the gate with their arms full, they heard the loud voice
of that woman calling over the back fence, "I've got two Christmas
trees already, I'll sell you one cheap. You can have it for fifty
cents."

"Indeed and I'll not give you fifty cents for it, Mrs. Ryan, I'll not
give 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 fifteen
cents."

"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 so
close-fisted!"

"You took two trees! I'd like to know who's close-fisted! Ten cents
it is, Mrs. Ryan or nothing."

"All right, Mrs. Nestor, but I must say I'm disappointed In you. I
allus thought you were a good, kind neighbor."

"Give me the tree! And here's your ten cents! I have some ornaments
left over from last year."

"If she had only waited a little longer, she might have saved ten cents
and got some ornaments as well," laughed Phil, as Bet signalled him to
put the tree back.

"It's a good thing," sighed Kit as they got into the car again, "that
not all cases are like that. There was Mrs. Delaney, and how grateful
she 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 their
rest.

Shirley's Shop had done remarkably well during the Christmas rush and
all the girls were delighted. To Shirley it meant that she saw hope
ahead 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 she
painted for herself.

"And I'll make it come true!" she declared, as she opened her eyes the
next morning and found that the Shop and the bank account was not all a
dream.

CHAPTER XIII

BET'S PARTY

When Bet awoke the next morning she gave a little cry of delig