d them, and a
red-faced, perspiring, disheveled figure swept around the corner of the
house and plumped itself down in the hammock beside Tabitha whom she
proceeded to hug rapturously.

"Myra!" gasped the black-haired girl, trying to return the embrace, but
finding herself held fast by a pair of strong, sinewy arms.

"Myra!" echoed Gloriana, dropping her sewing and staring with
fascinated eyes at the newcomer, who promptly dragged the lame girl
from her chair into the already overloaded hammock and hugged her
vigorously. "Where did you come from and _how_ did you get here?"

"On the train," Myra paused long enough to pant, "and as to finding
you,--haven't you described and sketched the Eagles' Nest often enough
in your letters for me to know it when I saw it? I never even had to
ask directions how to find the trail. Now just rustle your things
together and we'll catch that train back to Los Angeles this afternoon.
It leaves at three o'clock, doesn't it? I simply had to come after
you, but it's too beastly hot to stay here a minute longer than
necessary."

"But Myra, the children!" cried the two maids, looking oh! so eager at
the mere thought of the seashore, but determined to turn their backs on
temptation at once.

"Hark ye!" answered Myra in tragic tones. "What sound doth smite your
ears? Or be you _deef_?" Her abrupt change of tone and manner was too
comical to be resisted, but her upraised hand checked the mirth of the
other two, and they dutifully cocked their heads on one side and
listened intently.

"The youngsters at play," both replied in the same breath.

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Then I guess you're _deef_."

At that moment sturdy Rosslyn flew around the corner of the cottage,
and throwing himself into Tabitha's lap shrieked out, "Kitty, Kitty,
mamma's come, but papa must stay down there till it gets cooler."

"What!" whispered Tabitha, her face paling. "It can't be! Is she
truly?"

Myra nodded solemnly.

"What wonderful things are happening--"

There was an ominous crack, the hammock rope snapped in two, and the
quartette found themselves a tangled, huddled heap of arms and legs
upon the piazza floor.

"Indeed, and I see nothing wonderful about that," spluttered Myra, who
had just opened her lips to speak, when their downfall came, and in
consequence she had shut her sharp teeth together on her tongue.

Gloriana scrambled to her feet, then laughed. She could not help it,
for l