o most of those rough westerners and they came partly from
curiosity, partly from admiration of "Dan Ford, Railroad Boss"; so great
a man in their opinion that whatever he did they felt must have some
merit in it.

Helena took her place at the piano and the other girls stood beside her;
and Herbert, obeying a nod from Dorothy also came forward. Monty and
Leslie reluctantly followed. They had grouped themselves thus when the
master was present but had hesitated now from a foolish shame before
these untutored workmen.

Dorothy's face lighted with gratitude and between the lines of the hymn
Molly murmured, "Good boys," while Alfy sang with even greater vim than
her beloved "rounds."

Then swift good nights and rest. It had been a busy, an exciting day;
and Dorothy was soon asleep, though again her mind had been full of
wonder concerning absent Jim and she had meant to lie awake and, as
Alfy expressed it: "Cipher out where he could be."

But still she could not worry greatly. The arrival of the lamb with his
message assured her that he was alive and, she argued, must be well
since he had not forgotten her.

But in one room there was no desire for sleep. Leslie was still restless
and excited. His heart bothered him. He missed his parents more than he
would acknowledge even to himself. He was fractious and tried Mateo's
patience sorely.

"No, Mateo, I shan't go to bed till I get ready. No matter if my mother
did say ten o'clock, it was because she didn't understand. You can't go,
either. I want you to talk."

"Certainly, senor."

But when silence followed Leslie impatiently inquired:

"Well, why don't you?"

Poor Mateo sighed. Commonly his tongue would run so fast that his young
master would order him to be quiet. Now, when requested, the valet could
find no word to say. He stood behind his master's chair, idly turning
with his foot the corners of a mighty bear skin which lay upon the
floor. It was the skin of an enormous grizzly, that had been shot by
Captain Lem and another _caballero_, or horse trainer and had been
mounted by themselves with infinite care, as a gift to their employer.
The head was stuffed to the contour of life, and the paws outspread and
perfect. It was, indeed, a most valuable skin and Leslie had admired it
so greatly that it had been spread as a rug upon his floor. It annoyed
him now to see Mateo toying with it and he bade him stop.

The Mexican flushed and sighed:

"It is that _el senor