284

XXIV HUNTING FOR GUARD 294

XXV GUARD'S PRISONER 304

XXVI MR. HORTON CAPITULATES 316

TWO WYOMING GIRLS

CHAPTER I

I GO ON AN ERRAND

A fierce gust of wind and rain struck the windows, and Jessie, on her
way to the breakfast table, dish in hand, paused to listen.

"Raining again!" she exclaimed, setting the dish down emphatically.
"It seems to me that it has rained every day this spring. When it
hasn't poured here in the valley, it has more than made up for it in
the mountains."

"You are more than half right," father said, drawing his chair up to
the table. "Is breakfast ready, dear? I am going to work in the mines
to-day, and I'm in something of a hurry."

"Going to work in the mines!" Jessie echoed the words, as, I am sure,
I did also. I was sitting in the corner dressing little Ralph, or, to
be strictly accurate, trying to dress him. No three year-old that ever
lived could be more exasperating than he sometimes was during that
ordeal or could show a more pronounced distaste for the bondage of
civilized garments.

Jessie made haste to dish up the breakfast, but she inquired: "Do you
remember, papa, what that old miner who was here the other day told us
about mines in the wet season? About what was liable to happen
sometimes, and did happen here once, a good many years ago?"

"I don't know that I do," father answered, glancing toward Ralph and
me, to see if we were ready. As we were anything but that, he
continued; "I guess I won't wait for you children."

"Don't, please!" I exclaimed, "Ralph is a perfect little buzz-saw this
morning. Keep still, Ralph!"

"Me want to do barefoot! Me want to wade in 'e puddle!" cried the
child, pulling one soft little foot out of the stocking that I had
just succeeded in getting upon it.

"Ralph!" I cried, angrily: "I've a good notion to spank you!"

"Don't, Leslie!" father interposed, mildly; "I remember so well how I
liked to wade in the mud-puddles when I was a little shaver; but it's
too early in the season, and too cold for that sort of sport now. So,
Ralph, my boy, let sister dress you, and don't hinder."

Ralph always obeyed father's slightest word, no matter how gently the
word was spoken; so now he sat demurely silent while I completed his
toilet.

"What was it that your friend, the miner, said, Jessie?" father asked,
as Jessie took her seat and poured out his c