y complexion always look worse after a sleepless night,"
explained Sheila, trying to smile at him.

"That's a pity, too. And I feel the need of being spruced up a good
deal myself this morning, Ida May," he continued. "D'you see how
straggly my hair is gettin'? Do you think you could trim it a mite?"

"Why, of course I can, Uncle Ira," she rejoined cheerfully.

"I swan! You be a likely gal, Ida May," said the old man, both
reflectively and gratefully. "What would Prue and me do without you?
And no other girl but just you would have begun to fill the bill o'
lading. That's as sure as sure! See now," he went on, with emphasis,
"suppose you'd been such a one as that half-crazy critter that come
here yesterday! Where'd Prudence and me been with her in the house?
Well!"

"She--she may not be as bad as she seemed under those particular
circumstances," Sheila said hesitatingly. "If she had come here--had
come here first and you and Aunt Prue had not known me at all--"

"I swan! Don't say no more! Don't say no more, I tell ye!" gasped
Cap'n Ira. "It's bad luck to talk such a way; I do believe it is.
Come on, Ida May. You tackle my hair and let's see what you can do
with it. I know right well you'll make it look better than Prudence
used to do."

Cap'n Ira was talking for effect, and the result he wished to
achieve was bringing a smile to Sheila's face and a brighter light
into her eyes, the violet hues of which were far more subdued than
he desired. His success was not marked, but he changed to some
degree the forlorn expression of the girl's countenance, so that
when Prudence appeared in the midst of the operation of shaving,
Sheila could greet the old woman with a tremulous smile.

"You deary-dear!" crooned Prudence, with her withered arms about the
strong, young frame of the girl, drawing her close. "I know you've
suffered this night. That mad girl was enough to put us all out o'
kilter. But don't let any thought of her bother you, Ida May. Your
uncle and I love you, and if forty people said you didn't belong
here, we should keep you just the same. Ain't that so, Ira?"

"Sure is," declared the captain vigorously. "No two ways about it.
We couldn't get along without Ida May, and I cal'late, the way
things look, that I'd better get that high fence I spoke of built
around this place at once. We're likely to have somebody come here
and carry the gal off almost any time. I can see that danger as
plain as plain!"

Prud