Transcriber's Note: Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. On page 169, "household gods" should possibly be "household goods". On page 320, "spice of her mind" should possibly be "piece of her mind". A PLUCKY GIRL BY MRS. L. T. MEADE AUTHOR OF "CECELIA'S AWAKENING," "PEGGY FROM KERRY," "FOR DEAR DAD," "A WILD IRISH GIRL," "A GIRL OF HIGH ADVENTURE," "THE CHESTERTON GIRL GRADUATES," ETC., ETC. NEW YORK HURST & COMPANY PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1900, by George W. Jacobs & Co. Contents CHAP PAGE I. FORTUNE'S BALL 1 II. FRIENDS OR QUONDAM FRIENDS 9 III. MY SCHEME 23 IV. THE VERDICT 31 V. JANE MULLINS 55 VI. THE BERLIN WOOL ROOM 74 VII. THE PAYING GUESTS 83 VIII. THE FLOUR IN THE CAKE 96 IX. THE ARTIST'S EYE 103 X. HER GRACE OF WILMOT 116 XI. WHY DID HE DO IT? 132 XII. TWO EXTREMES 147 XIII. THE UGLY DRESS 160 XIV. ANXIETY 176 XV. DR. READE 186 XVI. GIVE ME YOUR PROMISE 199 XVII. A DASH OF ONIONS 207 XVIII. BUTTERED BREAD 222 XIX. YOU USED TO LOVE US 234 XX. RUINED 242 XXI. MR. PATTENS 250 XXII. THE MAN IN POSSESSION 262 XXIII. ALBERT 273 XXIV. THE BOND 297 XXV. YOU ARE A GOOD MAN 311 XXVI. HAND IN HAND 319 XXVII. TOO LATE 324 XXVIII. THIS DEAR GIRL BELONGS TO US 336 XXIX. HAVE I LOST YOU? 345 XXX. THE DUCHESS HAS HER SAY 356 XXXI. THE END CROWNS ALL 368 A PLUCKY GIRL CHAPTER I FORTUNE'S BALL