d-night all! I hope you have had a lovely time. I am sure this
night will long be remembered by our Nan!"

The boys, led by Walter, broke into a hearty cheer for Nan Sherwood.
Every girl save Linda came to kiss her good-night. Her triumph seemed
unalloyed.

Yet the first mail in the morning brought a letter which dealt a
staggering blow to Nan's Castle of Delight. Her mother wrote in haste to
say that Mr. Ravell Bulson had been to the automobile manufacturers with
whom Mr. Sherwood had a tentative contract, and had threatened to sue Mr.
Sherwood if he did not return to him, Bulson, his lost watch and chain
and roll of bankbills, amounting to several hundred dollars.

The automobile manufacturers had served notice on Mr. Sherwood that
they would delay the signing of any final contract until Bulson's
accusation was refuted. Almost all of Mrs. Sherwood's ready money,
received through the Scotch courts, had been invested in the new
automobile showroom and garage.

CHAPTER XXII

WHAT HAS BECOME OF INEZ?

Nan could not bring herself to speak of the sudden turn her father's
difficulties had taken. She had long-since learned that family affairs
were not to be discussed out of the family circle.

It was bad enough, so she thought, to have Tillbury and Owneyville people
discussing the accusation of Ravell Bulson, without telling all the
trouble to her friends here in Chicago. Enough had been said on the
previous evening, Nan thought, about the matter. She hid this new phase
of it even from her chum.

It was Bess who suggested their activities for this day. She wanted to do
something for Inez, the flower-girl, in whom usually thoughtless Bess had
taken a great interest. She had written to her mother at once about the
poor little street arab, and Mrs. Harley had sent by express a great
bundle of cast-off dresses outgrown by Bess' younger sisters, that easily
could be made to fit Inez.

Mrs. Mason had shoes and stockings and hats that might help in the
fitting out of the flower-seller; and she suggested that the child be
brought to the house that her own sewing maid might make such changes in
the garments as would be necessary to make them of use for Inez.

"Not that the poor little thing is at all particular, I suppose, about
her clothes," Bess remarked. "I don't imagine she ever wore a garment
that really fitted her, or was made for her. Her shoes weren't mates--I
saw that the other day, didn't you, Nan?"

"I