She opened the box and held up a slender gold necklace set with tiny brilliants.

[Illustration:  Nancy clasped her hands together, and gasped, “Oh!—­O—­O!”]

Nancy clasped her hands together, and gasped, “Oh-o-o,” in admiration.

“There’s the name on the clasp,” said Mrs. Ferris.

“When I found it I wondered why he hadn’t sold it when he was hard up, which was often ’nough, goodness knows, but after I hid it, he said he’d kept holdin’ on to it fer the time when he’d need the money more, but I think he was ’fraid ter sell it.  Knowin’ ’twa’n’t his’n, he thought he might git ‘cused er hevin’ stolen it.”

Nancy took the pretty necklace, and held it so that it sparkled like dewdrops.

It was truly a charming bit of jewelry, not costly, but tasteful, and just what one might think would have shone resplendent upon the white throat of the beautiful Nannette.

“It’s yours by good rights,” Mrs. Ferris said, “an’ I ain’t like Steve was; I don’t want nothin’ that don’t b’long ter me.

“Now I’ve given that ter ye, I feel some better.  I’ve felt like a thief ever since I found it, an’ knew who it b’longed ter.  They’s a note in the little box, an’ when ye’ve puzzled over the flourishes done in fancy ink, ye kin read that that necklace was presented ter Ma’m’selle Nannette by, I forgot who, fer her beautiful dancin’.”

Nancy looked as if she listened in a dream.

“An’ one thing more I want ter tell ye.  I never approved er Steve’s stealin’ ye.  I told him ‘twa’n’t right, but he wouldn’t listen, an’ I couldn’t help ye.  I was as ‘fraid er him as ye was, an’ he was so headstrong, I had ter let him do as he wanted ter.  I’m tired now, and ye’d better run out ter the kitchen with Sue.  I know I’ll feel better now I’ve freed my mind.”

Nancy hurried to Sue to tell the wonderful story, and to show the necklace.

“And here’s her name on the large flat side of the clasp,” she said.

Sue’s eyes sparkled with delight.

“And I didn’t like to ask her how soon I could go home, just when she’d given the pretty thing to me, but, Sue,” she continued, “don’t you think she means surely to let me go as early as to-morrow?”

“I do’no’ what she means ter do, that is, not exactly, but p’raps ye won’t hev ter ask her.  Maybe she’ll tell ye ’thout any teasin’.”

Those who would like to see Dorothy and her many friends again, and to learn what became of Nancy, may meet them all again in “Dorothy Dainty in the Country.”