e, in turn surprised.

"Yes. Last year just about this time. He came to the Hall to see Grace.
I wonder----"

She did not finish. She wondered if the Senator would remember her. He
did. But to Nancy's confusion he scowled at her as he passed, and did
not speak.

"My!" murmured Jennie in her chum's ear. "He's just as unpleasant as his
daughter; isn't he? I guess Grace comes by _her_ mean disposition
honestly enough!"

CHAPTER XXVI

MR. GORDON AGAIN

Once that summer Nancy plucked up courage to go in to Cincinnati from
Jennie's home, and called upon Mr. Gordon. She did not tell him to
expect her, but bearded the lion as she had once before.

Jennie went with her, of course; only she remained waiting in a tea-room
near the big office building where the lion had his lair. Even Scorch
was amazed to see Nancy Nelson, dressed in her best and outwardly
composed, walk into the outer office of Ambrose, Necker & Boles.

"Such a shock!" gasped Scorch, pretending to faint away in his chair
beside the gate in the railing. "And, say! Miss Nancy, how tall you're
getting!"

"So are you, Scorch," she told him, holding out her hand.

"And good-looking--My eye!"

"Your hair is a whole shade darker, Scorch."

"You couldn't say nothing handsomer, Miss--not if you tried for a week,"
declared the office boy, shaking hands vigorously. "What's turned up?
Are you going to crack the whip over Old Gordon?"

"How you talk, Scorch! You mustn't be so disrespectful. And why should I
crack any whip over Mr. Gordon?"

"You will when you get the best of him--eh?"

"I certainly shall not. He--he's been very kind to me, as far as I
know."

"Go in and see if he's kind now," grinned the red-haired one.

"Oh, no, Scorch! You announce me."

"Yah! you're too easy on him," growled Scorch, and went off to do as he
was bid. When he came back he didn't look very pleasant.

"He says you can come in," snapped Scorch.

"What's the matter?" asked Nancy, a little fearfully.

"He acts like a bear with a sore head trying to open a honey tree. He'll
eat you alive, Miss Nancy."

"All right. The banquet might as well begin right now," returned the
girl, bound not to show how shaky she really was.

So she walked directly to Mr. Gordon's door, knocked lightly, and
without waiting for any encouragement, walked in upon the big man in the
armchair before the flat table.

Again he was silent, but Nancy knew that he was looking at her in the