was the day I met
that lady whose card I showed you, Bess. _She_ was the lady whose coat
caught up the chain. She was very kind to me."

"And Linda Riggs tried to make it worse for you, did she?" put in the
indignant Walter.

"Hush, Walter!" commanded Miss Hagford. "We must have no more of this
here. It is disgraceful. We will go directly home and your mother must
know all the particulars. I don't know what she will say--I really do
not," the troubled governess added.

"Oh, you can all go," snarled Linda. "You're welcome to the company of
that Nan Sherwood. Pearl and I can find our way to her house. We'll leave
you right now."

"Pearl is not going home, Linda," said her cousin. "You're not going to
spoil all _my_ fun for your own pleasure, I can tell you!"

"Stop, my dear," Miss Hagford said sternly. "Don't wrangle any
more. Come! March! Walter, lead the way with your sister. Let us
delay no longer."

Walter felt inclined to be obstinate and stick to Nan; but the latter
slipped back with Bess, and they two walked arm in arm. Bess was frankly
sobbing. They were tears of rage.

"Oh, dear! I wish I hadn't been brought up so respectably!" she gasped.
"I wish I were like Inez. I'd slap that Linda Riggs' face and tear her
hair out in big handfuls!"

Nan could not even smile at her chum's tearful emphasis. She felt very
miserable indeed. She thought the English governess looked at her
suspiciously. Some of the girls and boys must surely be impressed by what
Linda had said. Had it been practical, Nan would have slipped out of the
crowd and run away.

It was a rather silent party that passed through the snowy streets to the
Mason house. Some of the girls and their escorts whispered together but
this only added to the embarrassment of all concerned.

They reached the house at last. It was brightly lighted, for Mrs. Mason
had promised to entertain royally. Her appearance at the door when it was
opened, was quite in the nature of a surprise, however. She ran forward,
her lovely gown trailing behind her and both hands outstretched.

"Where is our Nan?" she cried gaily. "Nan Sherwood! come here to me at
once. You delightfully brave girl! And never to have talked about it!"

By this time she had the embarrassed Nan within the circle of her arms,
and was smiling charmingly upon the others who trooped into the big
entrance hall.

"What do you suppose she has done?" pursued Mrs. Mason, happily. "_You_
must have known ab