nd their father fell in love with the place
at first sight. Mr. Pertell and Russ had seen it before, and most of
the others admired it.

There was a big, old-fashioned farmhouse, setting back from the road,
and fronted by a wide stretch of green lawn. The house was white,
with green shutters, and was well kept. Back of it were barns and
other farm buildings, some of which were rather dilapidated.

"Welcome to Oak Farm!" cried Sandy. "There's Pa Felix and Ma Nance
lookin' for ye! Here they are, Ma!" he called. "All ready for your
chicken."

"Bring 'em right in!" the mother invited, cordially.

Ruth and Alice liked the farmer's wife at once. There was a stoop to
her shoulders that told of many weary days of work, and she looked
worn and tired, but there was a bright welcome in her eyes as she
greeted the visitors. "Pa Felix," as Sandy called his father, was
rather old and feeble.

"Come right in and make yourselves to home," urged Mrs. Apgar. "Your
rooms is all ready for ye!"

"Where is the bell-boy?" asked Miss Pennington, with uptilted head
and powdered nose. "I want him to take my valise to my room at once.
And I shall want a bath before dinner."

"Isn't she horrid, to try to put on such airs here?" said Alice to
Ruth, nodding in the direction of the vaudeville actress.

"Yes. She only does it to make trouble."

Sandy and his father were talking together in low tones in one corner
of the big parlor.

"You didn't get any word; did you?" asked the old man.

"No, Pa. There wasn't no letter."

"Then we won't git th' money."

"It don't look so."

"And we'll have to lose th' place?"

"I--I'm afraid so," replied Sandy.

"Gosh! That--that's hard, in my old age," said the elderly farmer,
softly. "I hoped your ma and I'd be able to end our days here. But I
guess it ain't to be. However, this company will help us pay some of
the claims. We'll do the best we can, Sandy."

"That's what we will!"

Alice wondered what secret trouble could be worrying the farmer and
his son. Mrs. Apgar, too, had an anxious look on her face, but she
tried to make her visitors feel at home.

CHAPTER IV

A QUEER PROPOSAL

Oak Farm was a most delightful place. Ruth and Alice agreed to this
even before the first meal was served. They stood at the window of
their room--a large one with two beds--and gazed across the green
meadows, off to the greener woodland and then to the distant hills
which girt the valley holding Oa