brought out Beautiful Beulah and rocked her, and
hugged her, and crooned over her before she went to bed. She was such a
comfort!

So Nan, on this evening, went first of all to the closet and reached
down to draw out the box in which she had kept the doll hidden ever
since coming to Pine Camp.

It was not there!

At first Nan Sherwood could not believe this possible. She dropped on
her knees and scrambled over the floor of her closet, reaching under the
hanging skirts and frocks, her fear rising, second by second.

The box was not in its place. She arose and looked about her room
wildly. Of course, she had not left it anywhere else, that was out of
the question.

She could scarcely believe that any member of the family had been in her
room, much less would disturb anything that was hers. Not even Aunt Kate
came to the east chamber often. Nan had insisted upon taking care of
the room, and she swept and dusted and cleaned like the smart little
housewife she was. Aunt Kate had been content to let her have her way in
this.

Of course Nan never locked her door. But who would touch a thing
belonging to her? And her doll! Why, she was sure the family did not
even know she had such a possession.

Almost wildly the girl ran out of her chamber and into the sitting
room, where the family was still gathered around the evening lamp, Rafe
cleaning his shot-gun, Tom reading slowly the local paper, published at
the Forks, Aunt Kate mending, and Uncle Henry sitting at the open window
with his pipe.

"Oh, it's gone!" gasped Nan, as she burst into the room.

"What's gone?" asked Aunt Kate, and Uncle Henry added: "What's happened
to you, honey-bird?"

"My Beulah!" cried Nan, almost sobbing. "My Beulah, she's been taken!"

"My mercy, child!" cried Aunt Kate, jumping up. "Are you crazy?"

"Who's Beulah?" demanded Rafe, looking up from his gun and, Nan thought,
showing less surprise than the others.

"My Beulah doll," said Nan, too troubled now to care whether the family
laughed at her or not. "My Beautiful Beulah. Somebody's played a trick."

"A doll!" shouted Rafe, and burst into a chatter of laughter.

"Mercy me, child!" repeated Aunt Kate. "I didn't know you had a doll."

"Got a baby rattle, too, Sissy?" chuckled Rafe. "And a ring to cut your
teeth on? My, my!"

"Stop that, Rafe!" commanded his father, sternly, while Tom flushed and
glared angrily at his brother.

"I didn't know you had a doll, Nannie," said Mrs. S