short! She tried and tried and thin she said some ugly words only a boy
has a right to say when he's cussin' somethin'. Just thin somethin' made
a noise between her and the steps, and she made a rush for 'em and was
gone. My eyes was gettin' catty and used to the dark now, and I could
make out pretty sure it was Phil who sails up nixt, aisy, like he knowed
the premises, and in his hand goes and he got out somethin' sayin' to
himself--and me:

"'Well, Marjie tucked it in good and safe. I didn't know that hole was
so deep.'

"Marjie, maybe if that hole's too deep for Lettie to reach clear in,
there might be somethin' she's missed. I dunno'. But niver moind. I took
me vacation, went sailin' out with Dever fur a rale splurge to Kansas
City. Across the Neosho Dever turns the stage aside, U. S. mail and all,
and lands me siven miles up the river and ferries me on this side again.
Dever can keep the stillest of any livin' stage-driver whose business is
to drive stage on the side and gossip on the main line. He never cheeped
a chirp. I come back that same day and put in tin days studyin' things.
I just turned myself into a holy inquisition for tin mortial days. Now,
what I know has a value to Phil's good name, who has been accused of
doing more diviltry than the thief on the cross. Marjie, I'm goin' to
proceed now and turn on screws till the heretics squeal. It's not
exactly my business; but--well, yes, it's the Lord's business to right
the wrongs, and we must do His work now and then, 'unworthy though we
be,' as Grandpa Mead says, in prayer meetin'."

"O'mie, you heard Dr. Hemingway's prayer last night?" Marjie asked, in a
voice that quivered with tears.

"Oh, good God! Marjie, the men that's fighting the battles on the
frontier, the fire-guards around them prairie homes, they are the salt
of the earth." He dropped his head between his hands and groaned.
Presently he rose to say good-night.

"Shall I do it, little sister? See to what's not my business at all, at
all, and start a fire in this town big enough to light the skies clear
to where Phil is this rainy night, and he can read a welcome home in
it?"

"They said last night that he's going to be married soon to that
Massachusetts girl. Maybe he wouldn't want to come if he did see it,"
Marjie murmured, turning her face away.

"Oh, maybe not, maybe not. Niver did want to get back when he was away.
But, say, Marjie Star-face, Fort Wallace away out on the Plains ain't