own will, just as he wandered away. Be sure I shall keep a sharp
lookout, but it is Mr. Ford's wish that I do not leave the home-place
till--at present. If he is found, I mean _when_ he is found, he will
need my care and it wouldn't do for me to be away then. Else I should
have gone out with one of the searching parties."

That "when he is found" was reassuring. Evidently, the doctor expected
the speedy return of the lad and all were relieved, even Dorothy.
Alfaretta expressed her own feeling by saying:

"Out here in this Colorado, seems if there wasn't anything but folks
gettin' lost and other folks searching for 'em. I never heard anything
like it," she finished with a sigh.

The sigh was echoed by all the rest; then Mrs. Ford suggested:

"Let us have luncheon now, then call on Lemuel to give us our first
lesson in rifle-firing." She assumed a cheerfulness she did not really
feel, but felt that the happiness of so many should not be spoiled by
the absence of one.

"Oh! Lady Gray, will you practice with us?" asked Leslie, eagerly.

"To be sure. I'm going to 'play pretend,' as children say, that I'm
just as young as any of you. In my busy life I've not had much time for
'playing' but I mean to make up for lost time. Come, I'm sure that Wun
Sing has made something nice for us. He--"

"Wun Sing! _Wun Sing?_ Why that was the name of Aunt Betty's cook at _El
Paraiso_! How odd that yours should have the same name!" exclaimed
Dorothy, forgetting her troubles for the moment.

"Not so odd, dearie, because it is the same man. He came to Mr. Ford one
day while we were still in San Diego and confessed his regret for his
behavior at Mrs. Calvert's home. And my good Daniel can never turn his
back upon any penitent; so the result is the Chinaman reigns in our
kitchen here. Doubtless he'll be pleased to see Alfaretta who taught him
so many fine dishes."

"Oh! good! May we go see him, Mrs. Ford?" demanded that young person,
eager not only to see Wun Sing because he was one more familiar
acquaintance but because she wished to settle a few old scores. "I'm so
glad! I'll make him toe the mark here, see if I don't. Come on, Dolly
Doodles, he's an old friend of yours, too."

Alfy's eagerness infected even anxious Dorothy and gave an agreeable
turn to the thoughts of all. So, at a nod of consent, the girls sped
along the cloister, seeking the great kitchen and the salaaming
grinning Chinaman within it.

"Oh! how good you look,