e began to call again:

"Chicken Little--Chicken Little!"

"Why, Father, how does he know my name?"

"Father's taught him, silly--he makes him say it before he feeds him.
He'll call you every time he wants his grub." Ernest could not resist
airing his superior knowledge.

"Go get him a cracker, Chick, and he will make friends with you fast
enough."

Pete caught the word cracker and observed plaintively--"Poor Pete--give
Pete cracker. Bust my buttons--cracker--cracker!" Then remembering his
latest lesson he called engagingly once more: "Chicken Little!"

"I am afraid it will be a sad nuisance," Mrs. Morton said, laughing in
spite of herself at the bird's absurd talk.

"Let Chicken Little take care of it herself--she's old enough," Dr.
Morton replied.

"Yes, she's old enough, but somebody will have to see that she does it!"

"Pete will see to that--he'll make life a burden for her with his
'Chicken Little' if he is neglected."

Mrs. Morton sent the pretty Indian basket on to Alice with a letter
telling her that Frank and Marian were going West to their new home
early in September. She did not mention Dr. Morton's new plan. She could
not bear to admit even to herself the possibility of their all going.
Her home meant much to her. She looked about the handsome, comfortable
rooms of the old house and she felt that she loved every nook and cranny
of it, though they had owned it but five years. She thought, too, of
Alice's disappointment should her old home again pass on to strangers.
They had taken great pride in restoring the place, which had been much
run down when they bought it. The flower garden was her especial pride
and care. It was lovely now with clove pinks, sweet williams,
mignonette, and a dozen more old-fashioned blossoms, as she looked up
from her letter to rest her eyes lovingly upon it. She had lain awake
nights wondering if it was her duty to give up this home and her friends
for the unknown ranch life. It would be giving up more still. The
nearest church would be nine miles away--the children would have only an
ungraded district school. She shook her head. No, she must take plenty
of time to think all this over.

A day or two after his father's return, Frank caught up with him just
outside the gate. "Heard about Gassett?"

"No--has he had a relapse?"

"No such luck, he has started a suit against Alice to recover those
certificates."

"How did you hear?"

"His lawyer came to me to get Alic