ny inquiry for her?" Miss Gladden asked in
surprise.

"They have no idea that she is living; her parents died under peculiar
circumstances, and she was supposed to have died at the same time."

"Then ought we not," said Miss Gladden thoughtfully, "both for her
sake and theirs, to let them know that she is living, and help them to
find her?"

"Unless they could see her for themselves," he replied, "they would
probably be rather skeptical, and require very positive proof
regarding her claims, they have believed her dead for so many years.
But even though I may have known Lyle's mother, I am not in
communication with her friends, and would not be the proper person to
present her claims to them."

For a few moments, Miss Gladden sat silently watching the play of the
light and shade on the mountain side across the ravine, opposite the
cabin, as the shadows cast by the light, floating clouds, followed
each other in rapid succession.

Jack seemed to be thinking deeply, and when he at last spoke, it was
with great deliberation:

"For a long time, as I have become more and more convinced of Lyle's
identity, I have been anxious to have her taken away from these
surroundings, and placed in the home to which I believe she has a
right; but without tangible evidence with which to establish her
claims, and also to prove Maverick's guilt, I could think of no
feasible plan, nothing that did not seem likely to result in failure,
and leave Lyle possibly in a worse condition than at present. I will
now say to you, Miss Gladden, in confidence, that I think before very
long, the way will be opened for Lyle to find the home and friends
that I consider are really hers. Through information given me in
confidence, I have learned that some of those whom I believe to be
most closely related to her and who would be most interested in her,
did they know of her existence, will in all probability be out here on
business this summer; if they do not recognize Lyle, I shall be
greatly disappointed."

Miss Gladden's face expressed the delight she felt. "Is it possible?"
she exclaimed, "Why, I cannot conceive of anything lovelier! If she
has been stolen all these years, and her people unconscious of her
very existence, to have them appear on the scene, and recognize and
claim her, will seem like a beautiful bit of fiction interwoven in our
prosaic, every-day life, or like the closing scene in some drama,
where the wrongs at last are all made righ