"He is dead," she said with studied calmness, as she straightened
herself up from the bed.

She moved a step or two away. Then she paused uncertainly and gazed
about her like one dazed. Her mother went towards her, but before she
reached her side Prudence uttered a strange, wild cry and rushed from
the room, tearing wildly at the fastenings of her silk dress as though
to rid herself of the mocking reminder of that awful day.

CHAPTER IX

LONELY RANCH AT OWL HOOT

In spite of the recent tragic events the routine of the daily life at
Loon Dyke Farm was very little interfered with. Just for a few weeks
following upon the death of Leslie Grey the organization of Mrs.
Malling's household had been thrown out of gear.

The corning of the police and the general scouring of the country for
the murderers of the Customs officer had entailed a "nine days'
wonder" around the countryside, and had helped to disturb the wonted
peace of the farm. But the search did not last long. Horse-thieves do
not wait long in a district, and the experience of the "riders of the
plains" taught them that it would be useless to pursue where there was
no clue to guide them. The search was abandoned after a while, and the
dastardly murder remained an unsolved mystery.

The shock to Prudence's nervous system had been a terrible one, and a
breakdown, closely bordering upon brain fever, had followed. The
girl's condition had demanded the utmost care, and, in this matter,
Sarah Gurridge had proved herself a loyal friend. Dr. Parash, with
conscientious soundness of judgment, had ordered her removal for a
prolonged sojourn to city life in Toronto; a course which, in spite
of heartbroken appeal on the girl's part, her mother insisted upon
carrying out with Spartan-like resolution.

"Broken hearts," she had said to Sarah, during a confidential chat
upon the subject, "are only kept from mending by them as talks
sympathy. There isn't nothin' like mixing with folks what's got their
own troubles to worrit over. She'll get all that for sure when she
gets to one o' them cities. Cities is full of purgat'ry," she added
profoundly. "I shall send her down to sister Emma, she's one o' them
hustlin' women that'll never let the child rest a minute."

And Sarah had approved feelingly.

So Prudence was safely dispatched eastwards for an indefinite period
before the spring opened. But Hephzibah Malling had yet to realize
that her daughter had suddenly dev