he sake of Tunis, as well as for her own salvation, she
must stand up against the new girl and hold by her own first
claim--that she was the girl the Balls had sent Tunis for.

CHAPTER XXI

AT SWORDS' POINTS

Sheila Macklin got Queenie to the stable and unharnessed her. She
ran the carryall into the barn and then closed the big door for the
night, although the sun was still an hour high. She stopped to fling
grain to the poultry, too. These chores she did with the thought in
her mind that she might never do them again for Cap'n Ira and
Prudence.

If that girl could prove her claim, if she could satisfy the old
people that they had been cheated by Sheila and Tunis Latham, they
might be indignant enough to put her right out--to-night!

The trio had disappeared into the house. She heard voices from the
sitting room. But she wanted to return the furniture to the front
room and finish the task which the real Ida May's coming had
interrupted.

She had been strong enough when she carried the chairs and the
settee into the yard, but she could scarcely get them back again.
The strength seemed to have deserted her arms. She staggered in with
the last article of furniture and set it in place.

The murmur of voices from the room across the hall was steady. What
were they saying? What had Ida May told them? How were the Balls
taking it? Could that cheap, little thing convince the old people
that she was their niece and that the girl they had come to love and
trust was an impostor? Sheila Macklin's heart bled for Cap'n Ira and
Prudence!

If she must go and they took this other girl in her place, would
they be happy? And they had been happy during these last months!
Would they not miss her if she left them to the mercy of this new
claimant?

Yes, Sheila loved Cap'n Ira and Prudence. She loved them as though
they were her very own! Not since her father had died had the girl
been so fond of anybody--except Tunis, of course. And what would
Tunis say when he came?

What would he expect her to do? To admit the truth of Ida May's
claim and give up without a battle? If she did this, she would
expose him as well as herself to infamy. It was a situation that
would have appalled a person of much stronger character than Sheila
Macklin, and she was no weakling.

No! She could not give up--not without a struggle. As she had first
decided, she must confront the new girl boldly and deny, if she
could, any claim Ida May Bostw