rs. Charleworth herself, but of course these were without
the pale of her aristocratic circle.

Their social triumph, however, was but one reason for the girls'
success; the youngsters were enticing in themselves, and they proved to
be clever in making sales. The first stock soon melted away and was
replaced by new contributions, which the girls took turns in
soliciting. The best residences in Dorfield were first canvassed, then
those of people in moderate circumstances. The merchants were not
overlooked and Mary Louise took the regular stores personally in
charge.

"Anything you have that you can't sell, we will take," was her slogan,
and most of the merchants found such articles and good-naturedly
contributed them to the Shop.

"Sooner or later we shall come to the end of our resources," predicted
Alora Jones. "We've ransacked about every house in town for
contributions."

"Let's make a second canvas then," suggested Lucile. "And especially,
let us make a second appeal to those who did not give us anything on
our first round. Our scheme wasn't thoroughly understood at first, you
know, but now folks regard it an honor to contribute to our stock."

"Yes," said Jane Donovan, "I had to laugh when Mrs. Charleworth asked
Mrs. Dyer yesterday what she had given us, and Mrs. Dyer stammered and
flushed and said that when we called on her the Dyers were only renting
the house and furniture, which belonged to the Dudley-Markhams, who are
in South America; but, Mrs. Dyer added, they have now bought the
place--old furniture and all--and perhaps she would yet find some items
she can spare."

"Very good," said Edna Barlow; "the Dyers are in my district and I'll
call upon them at once."

"Have the Dyers really bought the Dudley-Markham place?" asked Mary
Louise.

"So it seems," replied Jane.

"But--'it must have cost a lot of money."

"Isn't the Professor rich?" inquired Josie O'Gorman, who was present
and had listened quietly to the conversation.

"I-don't-know," answered Mary Louise, and the other girls forbore to
answer more definitely.

That evening, however, Josie approached the subject when she and Mary
Louise were sitting quietly at home and the conversation more
confidential.

"The Dyers," explained her friend, "were not very prosperous until the
Professor got the appointment as superintendent of schools. He was a
teacher in a boys' school for years, on a small salary, and everyone
was surprised when he secu