m to keep track of his property. He
was shrewd, that was all, but now she could read him; for he had spoken,
for once, from his heart.

The mail that night bore a sample of white quartz to a custom assayer in
Vegas, but Virginia guarded her secret well. She had gained it by wiles
that were not absolutely straight-forward, in that she had squeezed
Wiley's hand in return, and since by so doing she had compromised with
her conscience she placated it by withholding the great news. If she
told her mother she would create a scene with Blount and demand the
return of her stock; and the secret would get out and everybody would be
buying stock and Wiley would blame it on her. No, everything must be
kept dark and she mailed her sample when even the postmistress was gone.
Perhaps Wiley was right in his extreme subterfuges and in always
covering up his hand, but she would show him that there were others just
as smart. She would take a leaf from his book and play a lone hand, too;
only now, of course, she could not leave town.

"Virginia!" scolded the Widow, when for the hundredth time she had
discovered her dawdling at her packing. "If you don't get up and come
and help me this minute I'll unpack and let you go alone."

"Well, let's both unpack," said Virginia thoughtfully, and the Widow sat
down with a crash.

"I knew it!" she cried. "Ever since that Wiley Holman----"

"Now, you hush up!" returned Virginia, flushing angrily. "You don't know
what you're talking about!"

"Well, if I don't know I can guess; but I never thought a Huff----"

"Oh, you make me tired!" exclaimed Virginia, spitefully. "I'm staying
here to watch that mine."

"That--mine!" The Widow repeated it slowly and her eyes opened up big
with triumph. "Virginia, do you mean to say you got the best of that
whipper-snapper and----"

"No, nothing of the kind! No! Can't you hear me? Oh, Mother, you'd drive
a person crazy!"

"I--see!" observed the Widow and stood nodding her head as Virginia went
on with her protests. "Oh, my Lord!" she burst out, "and I put up all my
stock for a measly eight hundred dollars! That scoundrelly Blount--I saw
it in his eye the minute I mentioned my stock! He's tricked me, the
rascal; but I'll fool him yet--I'll pay him back and get my stock!"

"You'll pay him back? Why, you've spent half the money to redeem your
jewels and the diamonds!"

"Well, I'll pawn them again. Oh, it makes me wild to think how that
rascal has tricked me!