d stolen
his melon.

There was the sound of horse's hoofs and the rumbling of wheels on the
hard roadbed, and around the rocky hillside appeared a light carriage
driven by a portly, middle-aged man of professional appearance, who
drew rein at sight of the child sitting there so disconsolately with the
broken watermelon between her knees.

"Hello, sis," he said pleasantly, "can--"

"If you will follow the road you will reach Silver Bow in just a few
seconds. It's right around that next curve," recited Tabitha rapidly, as
if well accustomed to directing travelers.

The man smiled in amusement, and Tabitha wondered vaguely where she had
seen him before, for he certainly looked familiar. "I happen to be
staying at Silver Bow just at present, so I know where to go," he
answered genially, removing his hat to fan himself, and exposing to view
a head of wavy red-brown hair streaked liberally with gray. "I was going
to ask you if you could tell me what you were doing up there and where
you got that watermelon."

"Yes?"

He waited expectantly, but no further explanation was forthcoming, and
he gently reminded her, "I am listening."

"Well, I don't intend to tell you," she burst forth hotly, "for it is
none of your business!"

Instantly the kindly face became grave and he bowed politely as he
gathered up the reins, saying, "Oh, I beg your pardon, little girl; it
was rude of me to ask such a question. I forgot my manners."

She felt his unspoken reproof keenly and her face flushed with shame,
but before he could drive on she cried impetuously, "It wasn't your
manners that were forgot, it was mine. I have to be so polite to Dad and
Miss Brooks that I don't have any manners left, I reckon. I am sorry I
was rude. I stole this melon and drug it up here to plague Dad 'cause he
said I couldn't have any, but it got smashed all into bits coming up, so
I thought I better eat it so's to save it. Aunt Maria doesn't like
anything to go to waste. But the melon is sour, I reckon, and I'm sorry
I took it. I'd have lugged it back again but it was a sight to be seen
and wouldn't have held together till I could have got it there. Now I
s'pose I'd better go home and get ready to be licked. It will surely
come this time."

As this torrent of words tumbled from her lips she rose from her seat
and slid down the rocky incline to the road where the stranger sat
staring at her in absolute amazement.

"Are you Tabitha Catt?" he asked at last.