loan," said Betty slowly, in answer to Bob's proposal. "Norma wouldn't
like it if she thought her letter had suggested such a thing. What
makes it hard for them, I think, is that Mrs. Guerin expected to have
quite a fortune some day. Her mother was really wealthy, and she was an
only child. I don't know where the money went, but I do know the
Guerins never had any of it."

Bob jumped to his feet as she finished the sentence.

"Here's Uncle Dick!" he cried. "Did you see the new well come in, sir?"




CHAPTER III

SURPRISING BOB


Betty shook back her hair and rose to kiss the gray-haired gentleman who
put an arm affectionately about her.

"I heard about that blast," he said, and smiled good-humoredly. "Lee
Chang was much worried when I went in to dinner. His one consolation was
that you had eaten the tart before the oil began to fall."

"We were all right, only of course it rather daubed us up," said Bob.
"Betty had to wash her hair."

"My hair's nothing," declared Betty scornfully. "But my brand-new blouse