iss her before she got into the 'bus, and stood and waved
their hands after her as it rolled away. And when she had arrived at the
Hall, she stood on the porch in the rain without a soul to speak to her.
Ah! this change was enough to turn the head of even a sensible girl.

However, Nancy was much too affectionate by nature and tender of other
people's feelings to be made haughty or vain by her schoolmates'
kindness to her. It continued to be a wonder to her how a "mere nobody"
had managed to gain such popularity.

And she was welcomed in Jennie's home as though she really was one of
the family.

Jennie's home was a lovely, rambling old house, standing well back from
the High Street in its own grounds, and affording ample space for the
young folk to have fun in innumerable ways.

There was a lake not far away; and Mr. Bruce owned a pair of ponies that
even the younger children could drive. There was a trip almost every day
to the swimming place; then there were picnics, and visiting back and
forth with other girls whom Jennie and her sisters knew. And nowhere did
Nancy hear a word about her not being "just as good" as her comrades.

The mystery of her identity, however, was seldom buried very deep under
other thoughts. And Jennie retained her interest in the puzzle, too.

Nancy had written to Scorch O'Brien to arrange for a meeting; as the
red-headed youth seemed too bashful to come out to Jennie's house, the
girls planned to meet him in the city. They got a most mysterious note
in reply:

"Dear Miss Nancy:

"You and your friend meet me at 307 Payne Street on Saturday
afternoon. You can whistle outside; I'll hear you. Can't see you
at Old Gordon's office for fear of spies. Did you ever see the
Gray Man? He and Old G. has had a fight about you. It was a
peach! They says when thieves fall out honest folks gets what's
coming to them. Mebbe you'll get yours.

"Most respectfully yours,
"Scorch O'Brien."

Jennie's big brother John, who had already taken some interest in
Nancy's mystery, took the girls to town with him. His employer, who knew
Mr. Gordon, had never been able to get the lawyer to talk about Nancy
Nelson, although he had started the subject with him several times.

The girls did a little shopping for themselves, and some errands for
Mrs. Bruce, and then had a nice luncheon. It was past noon then