sleeve."

Lady Jess obeyed readily, for new clothes were rare events in her
simple life. This natty little "Christmas frock" was white, with
scarlet trimmings, and quite sufficiently in contrast with the plain
blue flannel ones of everyday use to captivate her fancy and make her
patient under the tedious process of "fitting." Yet she was glad to
return to her table and her letter to Ninian Sharp, which she found no
difficulty in composing, since she was free to do as she chose.

And this was the epistle which, after some delay, reached the
newspaper man, at a time when he happened to need cheering up, and
brought new life and interest into his overworked brain:

"MY VERY DEAR MISTER SHARP: My mother and the children and aunt sally,
and Me and all the rest the Boys, are well and send Their LUV. We are
Now Inviteing you To come and Spend the holidays at dear Sobrante.
everybody is Coming, most, and i Got lost and was found in a Hole. The
Hole is in the ground. there was Money in It, that the Boys said my
fortynineer stole and He Didn't. It was elsa winklers and wolfgang was
mad at her, and there was a Ghost, but it got away, else samson and Me
would have shot it against the mission cordiror wall and had a
nexibition. and ferd that was lock up got away two; and say, please my
dear mister sharp, Will you see if this stone that's in the package is
any good? Pedro, thats a hundred years, says it's copper and copper is
worth money. We need some money bad, and i hope it is, and I don't no
anybody as clever as you. so Please write write away and tell us if
you will come and tell ephraim Marsh, that the Boys will be at marion
railway station with a buckborde and horses enough. i am Making
something to put in everybodys stocking. i Began to make the things
after last Christmas, that ever was, and i Have more than twenty-five
presunts to Make and i Have got three done, one of Them is Yours. your
Loving friend,

"JESSICA TRENT."

When the letters were completed, the little captain felt that she
needed recreation, and her mother agreed with her; but, unlike her
former habit, could not consent to the child's going anywhere alone.
The recent terrible experience had banished from Mrs. Trent's heart
that comfortable sense of security which had prevented life on the
isolated ranch from being a lonely one. She now felt, as Aunt Sally
phrased it:

"Afraid of your own shadder, ain