which will
be a maternal one, and she can have private tutoring in what
she still lacks. I think she feels the need of the
companionship and advice of an older woman, rather than that
of the girls at the school.

I wish I could talk with you personally about this. Letters
are such inadequate things. But I know, from Mr. Keith, that
you have her interests at heart--and so have I. I shall
dearly love to have her with me. I have, of course, said
absolutely nothing to her about this plan before I hear from
you, but I feel confident from what I have seen of her, that
she will be happier in a home, with some one, who, however
poorly, may take the place of the mother she must have missed
all these years.

Let me hear from you soon. If my health and other matters
permit, I must try to come out with Molly before very long.
Mr. Keith has seen this letter and approves of my suggestion
to have Molly with us.

Most sincerely yours,
ELIZABETH VERNON KEITH.

It was a clever letter. There were several touches about it that almost
amounted to genius. The hints of Molly's unhappiness so cleverly
suggested, the mother suggestion, the need of companionship and advice
from an older woman, Molly's intolerance of conventionalities, all went
home; though it was some time before the trio entirely absorbed the
meaning of the glossy phrases and glib vocabulary. The letter passed
about in silence after Sandy had read it, Sam and Mormon plowing through
the maze of the fashionable script.

"Reckon she's right," said Mormon. "Molly's different. She had a mighty
hard time of it along with her old man, compared to what them
soft-skinned snips must have had. Stands to reason she c'udn't be like
'em, any mo' than Sam c'ud be easy in his spiketail suit, or me handin'
ice-cream at a swarry. Not that Molly 'ud make no breaks, but their ways
w'udn't be her'n, most of the time. How 'bout it, Sam?"

"This Mrs. Keith must live high," said Sam. "She w'udn't be botherin'
about Molly if she didn't see a heap of promise in her. I mind me it
must be tough to be herded inter a corral where you got to learn all
over ag'in how to handle yore feet an' hands, not to mention forks. This
Keith woman's spotted Molly ain't easy at school. The other gals like
her, but they ain't her style. She's range bred an' free. Those other
fillies have been brought up in loose bo