necklace. In fact, Helen, I am very sure that I have seen the
necklace."

CHAPTER XIX

CAN IT BE POSSIBLE?

Ruth was thinking a great deal--it must be confessed!--about money
during the first days of this new term at Briarwood Hall, and yet she
was not naturally of a mercenary nature. Nor was she alone in this, for
the advent of Nettie Parsons into the school quite turned the heads of
many.

Nettie Parsons was the first multi-millionaire's daughter who had ever
come to Briarwood Hall. Most of the girls' parents were well-to-do;
otherwise they could not have afforded to pay the tuition fees, for Mrs.
Grace Tellingham's institution was of considerable importance on the
roster of boarding schools.

Many of the girls' parents, like Helen Cameron's father, were really
wealthy. But Mr. Parsons was way above that! And with a certain class
the mere fact of money _as_ money, is cause enough for them to kneel
down and worship!

After a time these "toadies" were disappointed in the daughter of the
"sugar king." Nettie Parsons was a very commonplace, kindly girl, not
at all brilliant, and dressed more plainly than the majority of the
girls at Briarwood Hall.

Ruth's thoughts about money were not in the same lines as the thoughts
of those girls so much interested in Nettie Parsons' riches. She neither
envied the wealthy girl her possessions, nor desired to be like her.

What Ruth Fielding desired so keenly was independence. She wanted to
control her own destiny, instead of being so beholden to Uncle Jabez
Potter for everything. The sting of being an object of charity had
gotten deeply into Ruth's heart. The old miller had an unfortunate way
with him, which made the proud girl feel keenly her situation.

There was really no reason at all why the miller should take care of,
and educate, his niece's child. He was not legally bound to do it. The
kinship was not close enough for people to really expect Uncle Jabez to
do all that he had for Ruth Fielding!

There had been times when the girl, through several fortunate
circumstances, had been of real help to the miller. She had once helped
recover some money he had lost when the freshet wrecked a part of the
Red Mill. Again, it was through her that an investment in a mine in
Montana had proved productive of gain for Uncle Jabez, instead of loss.

And now, only this summer, she had actually saved the miller's life.

Grudgingly, Uncle Jabez had paid these debts by keep