, despite his fine build and immaculate dress.

"Ah! thank you, thank you, my pretty miss," he said, accepting the
handkerchief. "It is a very warm day."

"Yes, sir," responded Nancy, politely.

"And you, I suppose, go to school here at Pinewood?"

"Oh, yes."

[Illustration: "YOU MAY BE ACQUAINTED WITH A GIRL NAMED MONTGOMERY?"]

"A beautiful place! A very beautiful place," said the stranger. "You
may be acquainted with a girl named Montgomery, now?"

"Yes, sir," said Nancy, with gravity.

"Now, where might she be found at this hour?"

Nancy chanced to have seen Grace and some of her satellites sitting in a
pergola on a mound not far away. She pointed out the path to the
stranger.

"Thank you--thank you, my dear," said the gray man, and insisted upon
shaking hands with her.

Indeed, he looked curiously after her as she passed on. Then, as he
turned to follow the path pointed out to him, he shook his head, saying,
under his breath:

"Strange! Familiar, somehow. Looks familiar----"

A cry warned him that he was seen. Flying down from the pergola came
Grace, with Cora close behind her.

"Oh, Father! you dear! I'm so glad to see you!" exclaimed Grace.

"So unexpected, dear Senator Montgomery," said Cora, in quite a grown-up
way.

The Senator welcomed them; but he looked again after the retreating
Nancy.

"Who is that pretty girl, Grace?" he asked, pointing out the object of
his interest.

"Pretty girl, indeed!" ejaculated Cora, under her breath.

"Why it's nobody but that Nelson--Nancy Nelson. A mere nobody."

"What name did you say?" demanded the senator, his green eyes very
bright for a moment, and a little color coming into his face.

"Nancy Nelson."

"Who is she?"

"That's what we all ask," remarked his daughter, with an unpleasant
laugh.

"Why do you say that, Grace?"

"Why, she's a nobody. She's got no friends, and no home--it's a disgrace
to have her here at Pinewood. I wish you'd say something to the Madame
about her."

"They tried to make _me_ room with her," said Cora Rathmore, boldly;
"but I wouldn't stand for that long."

The Senator looked grave. "Come, tell me all about Nancy Nelson," he
enjoined them, and sat down on a neighboring bench to listen.

Grace and Cora told their highly-colored version of the story circulated
about Nancy during the first few weeks of her sojourn at Pinewood Hall.

"And do tell Madame Schakael what you think of her letting such a girl
into the