Just Around the Corner

Penny is informed that her enrollment has ended and she must return home to live with her father, Jeff Hale. She accepts the change with optimism, treating it as an adventure rather than a setback. This moment marks the start of Penny's new life outside the private school.

Jeff reveals he is in dire financial straits: he has lost his penthouse and his car and can no longer afford Penny's tuition. He has taken a menial job as the building's custodian, meaning he and Penny will still have a home. The family begins to adjust to a much humbler life.

Jeff and Penny move into a small basement dwelling in the apartment building. Penny greets the change with enthusiasm and views their new home as an adventure, while Jeff tries to stay hopeful for Penny's happiness. The basement life represents a dramatic fall from their previous status.

Penny often runs afoul of Waters, the officious apartment employee who tries to bar her from places she used to visit. She speaks up and sometimes defies his rules, underscoring her resilient spirit.

Jeff is romantically linked with Lola, the niece of the difficult woman who now occupies his old apartment. Lola's uncle, Samuel Henshaw, is a major financier who once employed Jeff but later discontinued the project.

Penny befriends Lola's brother Milton and helps him shed his prim, snobbish appearance by cutting his curls to look more like a he-man. Her intervention is playful but also reveals Penny's willingness to challenge social pretenses.

Penny learns that Samuel Henshaw is referred to as Uncle Sam by Lola and Milton, and she amusingly believes the financier herself to be the real Uncle Sam.

Penny sees Henshaw being accosted by reporters and comes to his aid, driving them away with a few kicks to their shins. She also sympathizes with him, recognizing that many people want his money.

Penny decides to stage a benefit for Henshaw, charging a nickel for admission and performing a song-and-dance with Corporal Jones, the building's doorman. The show leaves a strong impression on Henshaw, who is moved by Penny's initiative.

Impressed by Penny's effort, Samuel Henshaw announces that the previously abandoned project will be restarted with Jeff in charge. This marks a turning point for both Jeff and Penny, giving them renewed purpose.

Jeff and Lola plan to be married, signaling a new personal milestone amid the ongoing economic hardship. Their engagement reinforces the possibility of a brighter future for the Hale family.

With the project back on track and Penny's optimism intact, the family looks toward a steadier future. The community also begins to see renewed hope as the project proceeds.