don't believe anybody comes along here very often."

"Well, what of it?" cried Mollie sharply. "That's what we are here for,
isn't it? If we wanted people, we could have plenty of them right back
on the ranch."

"Stop quarreling, girls," said Betty, matter-of-factly. "We'll eat
pretty soon and that will make everybody feel better." Kindly Mrs.
Cummins had put up an appetizing lunch for the girls.

"Look!" she cried a moment later, as the trail broadened out and they
reached a rather open space in the woods through which they could look
straight down--for they were on a considerable elevation--into the
thriving little mining town of Gold Run. "I didn't know you could see
Gold Run from here."

"Doesn't it look funny and tiny?" cried Mollie, reining in beside her.
"It must be an awfully long way off."

"Wouldn't this be a good place to eat?" queried Amy hopefully, and the
girls laughed at her.

"We aren't hungry enough yet," said Betty, as she turned her horse to
continue down the trail.

They rode on, following the trail as it wound deeper and deeper into the
woodland, catching glimpses now and then of the mining camp down in the
hollow.

It seemed as if they were really getting closer to Gold Run and,
fascinated by the new game they were playing, forgetting their fears in
the new sights and sounds all about them, the girls rode farther and
farther into the heart of a forest, whose smiling face often served to
hide some hideous danger.

But to the girls all was beauty and sunshine and they conversed merrily
as they cantered along.

"When is Allen coming, Betty?" asked Grace. "I had an idea he would be
here before this."

"Why, dad has written, asking him to come as soon as he can," answered
Betty, striving to look unconscious. "You know what that girl Lizzie
said about mother's relatives--she never knew she had them till she came
here--and dad thinks some of these people may make up their minds to
contest the will. They haven't made trouble yet--but you never can tell.
Listen, girls," she added suddenly. "Will you promise not to breathe a
word of it if I tell you a big secret?"

"Hope to die," they chorused piously.

"Well, our old friend Peter Levine has been around pestering mother
again."

At this news, Grace, who was riding ahead, checked her mount so suddenly
that Betty had all she could do to keep Nigger from swallowing Nabob's
tail.

"For goodness' sake, put out your hand when you do that next