ever and she is worn to distraction now. No, we must make the best of
it this week, and by that time Miss Davis will be here. She was raised
in a family of boys and ought to know how to manage them."

"Well, I am thankful _I_ am not in her shoes," breathed Gloriana. "I
suppose we can get along somehow for the six days that are left. Where
shall you put them?"

"Well, I declare! I had forgotten all about that part of it. They
will think I am a real hospitable hostess." She stepped to the door to
call them, but not a soul was in sight anywhere. Two open suitcases
lay on the ground with their contents scattered all about, but both
owners and their cousins had disappeared.

"Mercedes! Susie!" she called peremptorily, but no one answered; and
not even the sound of their voices at play fell on her listening ear.
"Strange," she muttered. "They were here a minute ago. Where can they
have gone so quickly?"

She was about to start on a tour of investigation when a series of
wild, piercing screams of abject terror rent the air, and Rosslyn came
stumbling down the steep incline behind the house, bruised, scratched,
torn, and covered from head to foot with what looked like blood
Gloriana caught him as he fell, for Tabitha turned faint and sick at
the sight; but a shout of boyish disgust from above brought her to her
senses.

"Aw, come back, you bawl baby! We were just foolin'! You ain't hurt a
mite!" Billiard swaggered into view from behind a tall boulder
half-way up the mountainside, and even Tabitha shuddered at the
spectacle he presented, for he was togged out in war paint and feathers
till he looked fiendish as he brandished a tomahawk in one hand and an
evil-looking knife in the other. At sight of the girl on the narrow
piazza, he hastily retreated behind the rocks again; but Tabitha was
there almost as soon as he. Snatching the gorgeous headdress from the
culprit's head, she trampled it ruthlessly in the sharp gravel,
disarmed the would-be Indian brave, breaking the treasured tomahawk and
knife against the rocks, and shook the cowering savage with strong,
relentless hands. But not a word did she speak, and though her victim
writhed and squirmed and wriggled, he could not break the fierce grip
on his shoulders.

"Don't, don't," he blubbered in desperation. "I didn't mean to scare
him so bad. We were only playing Indian."

"Only--playing--Indian!" panted Tabitha, in scorching scorn. "Look at
those