Betty Gordon

Betty Gordon, a recently-orphaned girl, becomes the ward of her uncle, Dick Gordon. Betty loves Uncle Dick from the moment that she meets him, but he must travel on business. Uncle Dick arranges for Betty to spend the summer at Bramble Farm, where his old school friend, Agatha Peabody, lives with her husband. While Betty hates to be separated from her uncle, she fantasizes about the good times she will have at Bramble Farm. Betty finds that Bramble Farm is a very miserable place. Mr. Peabody is a mean old miser, and Mrs. Peabody is crushed in spirit and unable to speak up for herself. Mr. Peabody forces his wife and employees to eat skimpy meals. He refuses to allow his wife to make any decisions, and Mrs. Peabody is treated almost like a slave. The one bright spot is Betty's new friend, Bob Henderson, who is a poorhouse boy who lives on the farm. "Take your old butter!" she stormed at the astonished Mr. Peabody. Both Betty and Bob wish they could escape from Bramble Farm. Betty writes to her uncle and explains how miserable life at Bramble Farm is. While Betty awaits a response, she becomes acquainted with Dr. Guerin and his family. Betty considers running away, but the Guerin family convinces her that it would be best to wait for her uncle to reply to her letter.

Betty Gordon continues her stay at Bramble Farm, awaiting word from her uncle. Betty's friend, Bob Henderson, one day learns that a bookstore owner from Washington has looked over his records from the poorhouse. The man has information about Bob's mother, and Bob decides to leave for Washington after Mr. Peabody cruelly beats him. Shortly after Bob departs, Mr. Peabody accuses Bob of stealing an unrecorded deed. Betty leaves for Washington after she receives a letter from her uncle. Upon her arrival, three girls are waiting for her at the station and take her to their home, where Betty expects to find Uncle Dick. Betty is shocked to discover that there has been a bad mix-up, and the girls have mistaken her for someone else. The Littell family graciously accepts Betty as their houseguest and makes her feel welcome. However, Betty continues to worry about her uncle. She discovers that he is no longer in Washington and has journeyed to Oklahoma. "You're not Uncle Dick!" she gasped accusingly. Betty worries when her telegram to Uncle Dick goes unanswered. The Littells show her around Washington, and Betty runs into Bob, who has learned that his mother had a share in an oil well in Oklahoma. After Betty and Bob endure one last unpleasant encounter with Mr. Peabody, Betty receives word from Uncle Dick, urging her to come to Oklahoma.

Book 3 of the Betty Gordon series, from Washington, the scene shifts to the great oil fields of our country. A splendid picture of the oil field operations of the day!

"Me make you velly nice apple tart. Miss Betty." The Chinese cook flourished his rolling pin with one hand and swung his apron viciously with the other as he held open the screen door and swept out some imaginary flies. Lee Chang, cook for the bunk house in the oil fields, could do several things at one time, as he had frequently proved. The girl, who was watching a wiry little bay horse contentedly crop grass that grew in straggling whisps about the fence posts, looked up and showed an even row of white teeth as she smiled. "I don't think we're going to stay for dinner to-day," she said half regretfully. "I know your apple tarts, Lee Chang-they are delicious." The fat Chinaman closed the screen door and went on with his pastry making. From time to time, as he passed from the table to the oven, he glanced out. Betty Gordon still stood watching the horse.

Betty Gordon and her friends enjoy Christmas vacation with the Littell family in Washington. While Betty is shopping one day, she meets a girl named Ida Bellethorne, who works in a store. Betty immediately likes the girl, who seems to be unhappy. Betty loses a locket while in the store, and Ida gives it to the owner of the store. When Betty goes to the store again to ask about the locket, the store owner pretends that nothing was found and tells Betty that Ida Bellethorne has gone away. Much troubled, Betty wonders whether Ida could have found her locket and kept it for herself. The time comes for Betty and her friends to return to school-but everyone at Shadyside has the measles! School is postponed for two weeks, and the young people travel with Uncle Dick to Mountain Camp. Although Betty enjoys the vacation, she continues to worry about her locket and Ida Bellethorne. The whole party turned out gaily. Betty unexpectedly encounters Ida Bellethorne at Mountain Camp, and the mystery of the locket is solved. Betty and her friends help Ida Bellethorne become reunited with her aunt just before they return to school.