family."

And there was no mistake in her prediction. True, it was an extremely
democratic royalty--proletariat, to be more exact--but no child prince
or princess ever enjoyed the richest viands in a king's dining room
more than little Margaret, Ernest and Joseph Nash enjoyed the feast
spread before them by the girl auntie they had not seen for two years.

The conversation between Helen and Mrs. Nash, interrupted by the
former's errand to the delicatessen and drug stores, was taken up
again at the table of the royal feast. The way the children laughed
and "um-um-ed" over the "goodies" did Helen's heart good and rendered
even cheerful her discussion of a distressing subject.

"What in the world ever brought you here, Helen?" was the question put
by Mrs. Nash, after full confidence in the sincerity of Helen's
mission, whatever it was, had supplied her with courage to converse
with her sister-in-law with perfect frankness. "You didn't come to
Hollyhill just to visit us, did you?"

"No, I didn't," Helen answered slowly, "and that fact need not hurt
your feelings any, Nell. You'll understand what I mean when I've
finished my story. I am attending a girl's school at Westmoreland. We
are all Camp Fire Girls, and thirteen of us and a guardian came to
Hollyhill on a mission in harmony with Camp Fire teachings, that is,
to work among the poor and suffering families of the strikers during
the holidays."

"What?" exclaimed Mrs. Nash. "Do you mean to tell me that you are one
of the girls visiting at the home of Old Stanlock, the mine owner?"

"Yes, I am," Helen replied, looking curiously at the startled woman.

"Then you mustn't stay here any longer. You must hurry right back. You
are in great danger, I tell you, very great danger. The fact of your
being my husband's sister won't do you any good. There are some bad
men around here, and they're as smart as they are bad. Sometimes I
wonder if they are really miners, or if they are not an accomplished
bunch of professional crooks."

"What makes you think that?" Helen inquired.

"Well, for one reason, I've been told it. But before anybody uttered
such a suspicion in my hearing, I suspected something wrong. You see,
while Dave seems to be the leader in the strike, he is in fact only a
puppet in the hands of a band of the worst kind of crooks, who are
using him to keep the miners in line."

"Who are they?" asked Helen.

"I don't know them all. I know of only half a dozen. Th