ock crowned them as
far as we could see; timber grew only about halfway up. The trunks of
the quaking aspens shone silvery in the early sunlight, and their
leaves were shimmering gold. And the stately pines kept whispering and
murmuring; it almost seemed as if they were chiding the quaking aspens
for being frivolous. On the other side of the road lay the river,
bordered by willows and grassy flats. There were many small lakes, and
the ducks and geese were noisily enjoying themselves among the rushes
and water-grasses. Beyond the river rose the forest-covered mountains,
hill upon hill.

Elizabeth dressed with especial care that morning, and very pretty she
looked in her neat shepherd's plaid suit and natty little white canvas
hat. Very soon she said, "I hope neither of you will misunderstand me
when I tell you that if my hopes are realized I will not ride with you
much longer. I never saw such a country as the West,--it is so big
and so beautiful,--and I never saw such people. You are just like your
country; you have fed me, cared for me, and befriended me, a stranger,
and never asked me a word."

Mrs. O'Shaughnessy said, "Tut, tut, 'tis nothing at all we've done.
'Tis a comfort you've been, hasn't she, Mrs. Stewart?"

I could heartily agree; and Elizabeth went on, "The way I have been
received and the way we all treated Mrs. Holt will be the greatest
help to me in becoming what I hope to become, a real Westerner. I
might have lived a long time in the West and not have understood many
things if I had not fallen into your hands. Years ago, before I was
through school, I was to have been married; but I lost my mother just
then and was left the care of my paralytic father. If I had married
then, I should have had to take father from his familiar surroundings,
because Wallace came West in the forestry service. I felt that it
wouldn't be right. Poor father couldn't speak, but his eyes told me
how grateful he was to stay. We had our little home and father had
his pension, and I was able to get a small school near us. I could
take care of father and teach also. We were very comfortably situated,
and in time became really happy. Although I seldom heard from Wallace,
his letters were well worth waiting for, and I knew he was doing well.

"Eighteen months ago father died,--gently went to sleep. I waited six
months and then wrote to Wallace, but received no reply. I have
written him three times and have had no word. I could bea