say good-by!"

He offered her his hand, but the Widow ignored the hint and took the
conversation to herself.

"Well, I'm real glad you came," she went on sociably, "because I wanted
to see you on a matter of business. In fact, I've been kind of waiting,
on the chance that you might come through. Oh, I know that I don't
count, but you can see Virginia afterwards; and I wanted to consult you
about my stock. Yes, I know," she hastened on, as his face turned grim,
"I haven't treated you fairly at all. I should have taken your offer,
when you said you'd give ten cents for every share of stock that I had.
But I took them to that Blount and he gave me next to nothing, and now
he's holding the stock. But what I wanted to ask was: Isn't there some
way we can arrange it to get it back and sell it to your father?"

"No, I don't think so," answered Wiley, putting down the kitten,
"and--well, I guess I'd better go."

He rose up reluctantly, but the Widow would not hear to it and Virginia
beckoned him to stay.

"Well, now listen," persisted the Widow. "That stock certainly must be
worth something."

"Not to you," returned Wiley. "I saw Blount only yesterday and he says
it belongs to him."

"Well, it does not!" declared the Widow, but as no one contradicted her,
she took a different tack. "Are you coming back?" she asked, smiling
brightly. "Are you going to open up the mine?"

Wiley's face fell for a moment.

"What gave you that idea?" he inquired bluffly, but the Widow pointed a
finger and laughed roguishly.

"I knew it," she cried. "I've known it for months--and I wish you the
best of good luck."

"Oh, you do, eh?" grunted Wiley, and stood undecided as Mrs. Huff
continued her assurances. He had come there to see Virginia, but
business was business and the Widow seemed almost reasonable. "Huh,
that's funny," he said at last. "I thought you had it in for me. What's
the chance for getting a quit-claim?"

"A quit-claim!" echoed the Widow, suddenly pricking up her ears. "Why,
what do you want that for, now?"

"Well, you're going away," explained Wiley quietly, "and it might come
in handy, later, if I should want to take over the mine. Of course
you've got no title--and no stock, for that matter--but I'll give you a
hundred dollars, all the same."

"I'll take it!" snapped the Widow and Wiley broke out laughing as he
reached for his fountain pen.

"Zingo!" he grinned and then he bit his lip, for the Widow was quick to