invited him to come out to see them. But Scorch was bashful
and did not come; so Nancy returned to Pinewood without seeing her
champion.

A great many things happened after that spring vacation--the last half
of Nancy's freshman term--which might be told about; but we may only
relate a few of them.

Her record was splendid. Her government of her class satisfied everybody
but the Montgomery faction. Grace and Cora did all they safely could
throughout the term to trouble Nancy. Sometimes they succeeded; but she
had learned not to "carry her heart on her sleeve."

Corinne, Carrie, and the rest of the seniors were all in a flutter
because of approaching graduation. The other girls--junior, sophomore,
and freshman--often discussed eagerly what the summer vacation had in
store for them.

For the first time in her young life, Nancy Nelson looked forward, too,
to the summer with delight. She was going home with Jennie just as soon
as school closed--that is, unless Mr. Gordon should object. And it was
not believed that he would.

Jennie's parents and brothers and sisters were just as well pleased with
the quiet little orphan as Jennie herself had been. They were glad to
have her in their big house between terms.

So June approached, and the yearly exams, and other finishing work,
loomed ahead.

Pinewood Hall was a beautiful place now. The park was in its very best
condition. Mr. Pease and Samuel, and their helpers, made every path
straight and clean, raked the groves of all rubbish, and the two horse
mowers and the roller were at work on the lawns, making them like velvet
carpets.

Nancy came out of Jessie Pease's cottage one day to see a handsome man
in a gray suit, with gray spats, and gray hair, and even a gray silk
shirt, walking slowly up the drive toward the Hall. In the shade of the
trees (it was a hot day) he removed his gray, broad-brimmed hat. And out
of that hat fell his handkerchief.

When Nancy, hastening, picked up this article, she found that it was
silk, with a gray border, too, and an initial in one corner. The initial
was "M."

"You dropped this, sir, I think," she said, timidly, coming abreast of
the stranger.

He turned to look at her. He had heavy, smoothly-shaven jowls and not a
very healthy complexion. His eyes were little, and green. Nancy had
expected to see a very handsome, noble-looking old gentleman. Instead,
she saw a very sly-looking man, with something mean and furtive in his
manner