marter than I am. You only hit an old target and I
hit a man, and we didn't either of us mean to do it. But good night,
good night. Wake early, 'cause Leslie says we've a great doin's before
us, to-morrow. Something better than waking up to see the sun rise.
Helena'll get over that, though. Such fine resolutions don't last."

"You'll see. I--I think I shall keep a diary. Take notes of what happens
up here on the Rockies. If I succeed I may--I _may_ write a book,
sometime," said Helena.

Molly and Dolly stared, seized with sudden awe of this ambitious young
person, and Alfy stared, too; but she was not impressed and her comment
was a not unkindly but perfectly sincere remark:

"Why, Nell, you couldn't do that. It takes brains to--"

"Young ladies! I am amazed at your disturbing the house like this, after
retiring hours! Lights out, or off, silence at once!" ordered Miss
Milliken, appearing in their midst. And at this apparition silence did
follow.

Back in their own room, Dorothy and Alfaretta pushed their little beds
close together and knelt down to say their prayers. In the heart of each
was an earnest petition for "poor Jim," Dolly's ending with the words:
"And let me see his face the first thing in the morning."

But Alfy reproved this.

"We haven't any right to set times for things to be done and prayers to
be answered, Dolly Doodles, and don't say no more. It's sort of saucy
seems if, to ask for things and then keep thinkin' in your insides that
they won't be give. You've asked and the Lord's heard you--now get up
and go to bed."

"Oh! Alfy! I wish you had--had--a little more spiritually!" wailed
Dorothy, rather stumbling over the long word but obediently rising from
her knees and creeping between the snowy sheets. "And I don't feel as if
there was any use going to bed, any way. I know I shan't sleep a wink."

"Fiddlesticks! You just do beat the Dutch! As if great Jim Barlow hadn't
a decent head on his shoulders and needed the use o' your 'n! He
wouldn't thank you for makin' him out such a fool. Good night. I'm goin'
to sleep."

Dorothy felt that this was simply heartless and sighed:

"I wish I could! But I can't!"

Then she drew the covers about her shoulders, stared through the open
window at the moonlit ground, felt the scene a trifle dazzling, and
closed her lids just to rest her eyes a minute.

When she opened them again Alfaretta's bed was empty and neatly spread.
Except her own belongings the