called for her mother, except occasionally in her
sleep. Very soon after they had come out to the mines, and nothing of
any importance occurred until Lyle was about seven years old.

At that time, Jim had suddenly made his appearance at the house one
day, appearing both angry and frightened, and had ordered his wife to
keep Lyle locked up, on pretext of punishing her, until he gave
permission for her release. He would give no explanation, and by his
curses and threats compelled her to obey.

That day, a fine-looking, elderly gentleman, who had just arrived from
the east to purchase some mining property, came to the house for
dinner, and took his meals there for the two days following, during
which time, Lyle was not allowed her liberty. Not until nearly a year
later did Mrs. Maverick learn that the eastern stranger, whose coming
had so terrified Maverick, was Lyle's grandfather. Jim then confessed
that he had taken the child from the wreck where its mother had lost
her life, and brought her west with him, knowing whose child she was,
and keeping her out of revenge for some wrong which he claimed this
man had done him years before.

In vain his wife urged to have the child returned to her rightful
home; he threatened her life if she ever breathed the secret to any
living soul. A sense of guilt made her unhappy for a time, but as
years passed she grew more indifferent to it, and as she saw, more and
more, how utterly unlike any of her own family Lyle was growing, she
no longer cared for her as she had done, though she tried to treat her
kindly. Jim's hatred of Lyle seemed to increase with every year, until
his wife sometimes feared that he would resort to personal violence.

As she found her own health and strength failing she began to reflect
upon the terrible position in which Lyle would find herself in case of
her own death, left alone with Maverick and his two sons, and to save
her from such a fate, she had resolved to write this letter,
acquainting Lyle with her own history so far as she was able to give
it.

At the close she begged Lyle not to think too harshly of her or
consider that she was altogether to blame in this matter, and
expressed the wish that she might some day find her own friends from
whom she had been taken.

It would be impossible to describe Lyle's emotions as she finished the
perusal of this strange letter; joy that she had finally found the
evidence she sought, and an intense longing to se