d if we had a servant she wasted things so that he was
wild. He married again--a schoolteacher, and it wasn't a year, quite,
after--the earthquake. Most people didn't blame him, but Uncle John
where I'm going did, and wanted me to come right on East and live with
him, but dad wouldn't hear of it. And, anyhow, she was the nicest
thing. I loved her dearly at the end of a week. She wanted to keep me
with her after dad died, but my uncle insisted upon my coming to him,
so here I am."

She looked into the other girl's eyes half appealingly, though her big
dimples were dimly visible.

"She wouldn't stand for my being an actress, either, so there you are.
And I liked her so much I couldn't half urge her. And that's the worst
of it; if I stay with my uncle the least little while I shall get to
liking him so much I shan't be able to run away. It's perfectly
terrible to get so fond of people when you want a career. I suppose
the thing to do would really be to disappear right now. Oh, not this
moment, but simply never to go to Enderby. Suppose I should go right
on to New York with you?"

Elsie Marley gazed at her without a word and almost without expression.
But within, she was secretly roused. She marvelled at the stranger's
audacity. She was surprised to feel that she was not bored. She
decided that she would not return to the car until they should be
summoned.

As she was fumbling in her mind for the response the Moss girl
evidently awaited, one of the children whose acquaintance the latter
had made came running up to her and shyly took her hand and kissed it.
Again putting the umbrella into the other girl's hands, Elsie Moss
impulsively caught the little thing into her arms and fondled her.
Then dropping her gently, she took both the little hands in hers and
danced away with her.

They made a charming picture against the long, yellow prairie-grass.
The little girl moved with the grace of a child, but Elsie Moss danced
like a fairy. Her cheeks glowed, her dark eyes shone, her dimples
twinkled, her feet scarcely seemed to touch the ground. Her red hat
was like a poppy-cup, and the dark hair tumbling about her little face,
elf-locks. Elsie Marley gazed spellbound.

But only for a moment; on a sudden she turned and made her way back to
the car, which was almost empty. She returned not because she wanted
to, not even because she was indifferent as to what she did. She went
because she didn't want to. Unco