Last of all came Polly Parsons, accompanied by Ashley Loring and Sammy Chirp, and by the fluffy little orphan whom she had been keeping in school for the last three years.

“I know I’m late,” declared Polly defiantly; “but I don’t adopt a sister every day.  I stopped at Loring’s office to do it, and I’m so proud I’m cross-eyed.  Sister Winnie, shake hands with everybody and then run out in the gardens with Sammy.”

Dutifully, Winnie, in her new role of sister, shook hands with everybody and clenched their friendship with her wide blue eyes and her ingenuous smile; and, dutifully, Sammy Chirp, laden with her sun-hat and parasol and fan, her vanity box and lace hand-bag, took her out into the gardens, and the proceedings began as they usually did when Polly Parsons arrived.  Subcommittees took cheerful and happy possession of the most comfortable locations they could find, and Constance Joy walked Ashley Loring out through the side porch.

“There’s a very cozy and retired seat in the summer-house,” she informed him.  “I wish to have a tete-a-tete with you on a most important business matter.”

“You may have a tete-a-tete with me on any subject whatsoever,” laughed Loring.  “I suppose it’s about those Johnny Gamble attachments, however.”

“It’s about that exactly,” she acknowledged.  “What have you learned of the one for fifty thousand dollars which was attempted to be laid against Mr. Gamble’s interest in that hotel property yesterday?”

“Very little,” he confessed.  “It is of the same sort as the one we discussed the other day.”

Constance nodded.  “Fraudulent, probably,” she guessed.

“I think so myself,” agreed Loring.  “Trouble is, nobody can locate the Gamble-Collaton books.”

“Perhaps they have been destroyed,” mused Constance.

“I doubt it,” returned Loring.  “It would seem the sensible thing to do; but, through some curious psychology which I can not fathom, crooks seldom make away with documentary evidence.”

“Who is helping Mr. Collaton?” asked Constance abruptly after a little silence.

“I do not know,” answered Loring promptly, looking her squarely in the eye.

“Some one of our mutual acquaintance,” she persisted shrewdly.  “Twice, now, attachments have been served on Mr. Gamble when the news of his having attachable property could only have come from our set.”

They had turned the corner of the lilac screen and found a little summer-house occupied by Sammy and Winnie, and the low mellow voice of Winnie was flowing on and on without a break.

“It’s the darlingest vanity purse I ever saw,” she babbled.  “Sister Polly bought it for me this morning.  She’s the dearest dear in the world!  I don’t wonder you’re so crazy about her.  How red your hand is next to mine!  Madge Cunningham says that I have the whitest and prettiest hands of any girl in school—­and she’s made a special