glare.

"I did that making candy last evening," she answered, displaying her
blistered fingers, now raw and sore. "I forgot all about them."

Overcome by excitement, weariness and pain, she let the doctor gather
her in his strong arms, and the proud citizens of Silver Bow bore their
little heroine triumphantly home.

CHAPTER XII

DR. VANE HAS A VISITOR

By the next morning Tabitha had fully recovered from her terrible
night's experience, but it was days before the old hermit awoke to
consciousness to find himself lying in a white bed in the Miners'
Hospital of Silver Bow with Dr. Vane bending over him and a motherly
woman in white cap and apron moving about the room.

"Where am I?" he asked faintly.

"In the Silver Bow Hospital," answered the doctor.

"How came I here?"

"You were hurt. You mustn't talk now. When you are stronger you can ask
questions."

"But I must know how I got here. Who found me? I was sick, I remember,
and I think I tried to send Bobs for help, but he wouldn't leave me."

"You upset a lamp or something and set the house afire. Catt's little
girl Discovered the blaze, gave the alarm and helped Carson haul you
out. It was a tight pull, my man, but you will soon be all right now."

"Catt's girl? Carson?"

"Yes. No more questions at present. Save your strength and get well."

So the bandaged man lay quiet among the pillows and waited for health to
return to him again; nor did he ask for further information until one
day the doctor told him that on the morrow he might go for a walk in the
open air if he wished.

"Could you bring that little girl to see me?" he asked, and the
physician, surprised because the patient had never before manifested any
interest in his rescuers, replied that he would see about it. So that
afternoon when school had closed, Tabitha was met at the door by Dr.
Vane and went with him to see the hermit of the hills, Surly Sim.

She found him sitting by the window, looking out toward the flaming west
where the sun was already sinking behind the mountain tops, and he did
not turn when she entered the room, or give any sign that he saw or
heard her. She waited in silence for some moments beside his chair, and
then, thinking he had not heard her enter, she said timidly,

"How do you do, Mr. Hermit? Dr. Vane said you would like to see me."

The man started at the sound of her voice and turning in his chair
stared so fixedly at her that she was frightened an