dollars would take me quite a piece, and I'd
see lots of big cities."

"And I'd go along," breathed Inez in ecstasy, "and we'd beat our way
back on freight cars."

"Ho! That wouldn't be any fun," scoffed Rosslyn. "I'd buy candy, 'n'
ice-cream, 'n' peanuts, 'n' popcorn."

"And a doctor," laughed Mercedes.

There was a pause, and seven pair of eyes turned expectantly toward
Gloriana, who, perceiving the look, said shyly, "There are probably
heaps of things I'd like to get for myself now and then, but I think
the most of my two hundred would go to Granny Conover for taking care
of me all those years. I'd like to see her have plenty of money to do
as she pleased with before she dies."

"Wouldn't that be splendid?" cried the children, who were never tired
of hearing the pitiful tale of Gloriana's life.

"Now, Tabitha," suggested Billiard. "Why, where _is_ Tabitha?"

"Gone to put Janie to bed, I guess," said Toady, seeing that the
youngest member of the family was also missing. "It's her nap time."

But in reality, Tabitha was far down the mountainside, speeding like a
deer in pursuit of a tiny, white-clad figure toddling in and out among
the sagebrush and greasewood toward a forbidden playground, where,
half-hidden by rocks and rubbish, were several unprotected prospect
holes, mysterious and alluring to the investigative baby eyes. Even as
Tabitha came within calling distance of the child, Janie discovered
that she was being pursued, and quickened her steps into a run,
heedless of the path she was taking, until with a shrill cry of fright,
she slipped over the brink of one of the very holes she had stolen away
to visit, and disappeared from sight.

"O, God, don't let her be killed!" prayed the black-eyed girl, and her
feet fairly flew over the uneven ground, till she, too, reached the
edge of the deep excavation. But before she could discover the plight
of the runaway, she felt the ground give way beneath her feet, and
echoing Janie's cry of alarm, she, too, shot out of sight.
Fortunately, however, little sand fell with her, and as by a miracle,
she landed free and clear of the frightened, sobbing, but unhurt figure
crouching in the opposite corner.

Scrambling to her feet, she seized the scared baby in her arms,
exclaiming over and over again, "Janie, Janie, are you sure you aren't
killed?" till at length she had soothed the child's fright and had
coaxed her into laughing again. "Now, Miss Mischief,"