"My poor, dear husband," sighed Mrs. Bergham, "he told me to never part with those two cups, in fact, never to sell anything of his unless I could get his catalogue price. But it was a hard struggle, and I did love everything so much, that-well, I simply did not bother about selling."

"I can hardly believe those old cups can be so valuable," Miss Mingle exclaimed, as she handled them.

"Well," said Dorothy, as she and Mrs. White and Tavia prepared to leave after their short call, "we will have a collector call to place a value on all your antiques, if you wish. Of course, it will be hard to part with them, but when the financial end is considered--"

"My dear," said Mrs. Bergham, with more animation than she had yet shown, "you don't know what it will mean to us to have enough money to go 'round! And to have my little boys with me again, and sister relieved of the awful strain!"

"Wasn't it lovely for the stout guest in purple to kindly borrow the cup!" exclaimed Tavia.

"And for you to follow up the clue," said Mrs. White, "when Dorothy and I were too embarra.s.sed to know what to do!"

"Oh, by the way," continued Mrs. White, "about an agent for this house, I thought-don't be offended dear Mrs. Bergham-but I thought you might like to take charge of this property, with plenty of a.s.sistants of course, and to have your commission, the same as paying a real estate agent. Don't say you won't help me! I really need someone right on the premises."

"Certainly," promptly replied Miss Mingle, "sister could take care of it.

You see, sister has lost all confidence in herself and her ability-we have had such troublous times for five years past!"

"This matter was even more serious than I dared say," exclaimed Mrs.

White, referring to the apartment-house trouble. "You know the house originally belonged to my husband's ancestors, it was one of the old Dutch mansions here in New York, and as the years pa.s.sed, it was remodeled several times, finally coming to me, with the proviso that it be again remodeled into a good paying apartment house, as an investment for the boys when they are of age. The income, as you know, has barely kept the expenses covered, and I began to fear that my boys would come of age without the money they should have."

"I did not know that," exclaimed Dorothy. "So we really saved Nat and Ned from financial disasters; didn't we?"

"Well, we don't know yet, whether we will ever receive the money Mr.

Akerson took," said Mrs. White, gravely. "But we will know just as soon as we return home. At any rate, a future is a.s.sured the boys, now that we have taken the collecting away from Mr. Akerson."

Arriving home, the girls found Major Dale and the boys anxiously waiting for them.

"Well, we're safe at last," cried Ned, "thanks to the courageous efforts of two little girls!"

"We bow before two small thoughtful heads," said Major Dale, with a laugh, "while we men were trying to think out a way, the girls rushed ahead and beat us!"

"So it's settled?" said Aunt Winnie, anxiously.

"Every penny," exclaimed Major Dale.

"When we are of age," declared Ned, "the girls shall have all their hearts desire; eh, Nat?"

"Yes, because without Dorothy's and Tavia's courage and thoughtfulness and quick wits, we boys would have had little to begin life with, in all probability."

"And girls," said Aunt Winnie, "the sweetest memories of your trip to New York City will be that you not only had a lovely good time, but helped wherever you saw that help was needed."

"So that," cried Major Dale, "Dorothy in the city was as happy as everywhere else!"

"Happier, Daddy," cried his daughter, with her arms around his neck.

"Much happier, for I helped someone."

"As you always do," murmured Tavia. "I wonder whom you will help next; or what you will do? Dorothy Dale! If only I could have the faculty of falling into things, straightening them out, and making everybody live happier ever after, as you do, I'm sure I would be the happiest person alive."

"But you do help," said Dorothy, with a sly look at Bob.

"Indeed she--" began that well-built young man.

"Let's tell ghost stories!" proposed Tavia suddenly, with an obvious desire to change the topic. "It's nice of you to say that, Doro," she went on, "but you know I do make a horrible mess of everything I touch.

But I do wonder what you'll do next?"

And what Dorothy did may be learned by reading the next volume of this series to be called, "Dorothy Dale's Promise." In that we will meet her again, and Tavia also, for the two were too close friends now to let ordinary matters separate them.

"Come on, girls!" proposed Bob, a few days later, as he, with the other boys, called at the apartment "We've got the best scheme ever!"

"What is it?" asked Tavia suspiciously.

"A sleighing party-a good old-fashioned one, like in the country. We'll go up to the Bronx, somewhere, have a supper and a dance, and--"

"We really ought to be packing to go home," said Dorothy, but not as if she half meant it.

"Fudge!" cried Nat. "You can pack in half an hour."

"Much you know about it," declared Tavia.

But the boys prevailed, and that night, with Mrs. White and the major, a merry little party dashed over the white snow, to the accompaniment of jingling bells, and under a silvery moon. And now, for a time, we will take leave of Dorothy Dale.

THE END.