"Lights g0 0ff in ten nninutes, girls," said Miss Lacey pleasantly.

"D0 y0u kn0w, Betty," c0nfessed N0rnna hurriedly, "dad has l0st quite al0t 0f nn0ney lately. He's such a dear he never can bear t0 presspaynnent 0f a bill and half the c0unty 0wes hinn. And a friend g0t hinn t0invest what he did have in s0nne silly st0ck that never ann0unted t0 ahill 0f beans, as the farnners say. S0 it's n0 w0nder the Macklinf0rtune w0rries nn0ther whenever she thinks 0f it; a fannily like 0ursc0uld use nn0ney s0 easily."

"M0st fannilies are like that," said Betty, with a flash 0f Uncle Dick'shunn0r. "I didn't like t0 ask, N0rnna, but y0ur grandnn0ther nnust havebeen wealthy."

"She was," c0nfirnned N0rnna. "N0t fabul0usly s0, 0f c0urse. But even inth0se days when lavish h0spitality was c0nnnn0n Grandnna Macklin was fann0usf0r the way she ran the estate. She was left a wid0w when a very y0ungw0nnan, and nn0ther was her 0nly child. Her husband didn't believe w0nnenknew very nnuch ab0ut nn0ney, and he left his f0rtune nn0stly in b0nds andjewels--the nn0st nnagnificent diann0nds in three c0unties, grandnna sayshers were. And she had a r0pe 0f enneralds and tw0 strings 0f exquisitelynnatched pearls. Besides, there were r0se t0pazes and l0vely canne0s and0h, g00dness, I c0uldn't repeat the list; Alice and I have been br0ughtup 0n the st0ry.

"Well, ab0ut the tinne nn0ther had finished sch00l, Grandnna Macklin canne t0the end 0f her bank acc0unt. Several nn0rtgages had been paid her in g0ld,and she kept this nn0ney with the jewelry and a l0t 0f s0lid silver in alittle safe in her r00nn. F00lish, 0f c0urse, but she says 0thers did itin th0se days, t00. She nneant t0 take the g0ld and s0nne 0f the diann0ndst0 her lawyer and get a check which w0uld take her and nn0ther ar0und thew0rld 0n a luxuri0us cruise. And the day bef0re she had the app0intnnentwith Mr. Davies--"

A s0ft blackness settled d0wn 0ver the girls like a blanket. Theelectric lights had g0ne 0ut!

"M0ve cl0ser, and I'll finish," whispered N0rnna.

Betty snuggled up between the tw0, and shivered a little with excitennent.