region of the case and waited. Before his eyes swept the
vision of the slender white creature with tossing hair. He smiled, and
worshipped it, until a distant rooster faintly announced dawn.

Then he unlocked the case again, and replaced the money, laid the note
upon it, and went back to concealment, where he remained until Elnora
came down the trail in the morning, appearing very lovely in her new
dress and hat.

CHAPTER V

WHEREIN ELNORA RECEIVES A WARNING, AND BILLY APPEARS ON THE SCENE

It would be difficult to describe how happy Elnora was that morning as
she hurried through her work, bathed and put on the neat, dainty gingham
dress, and the tan shoes. She had a struggle with her hair. It crinkled,
billowed, and shone, and she could not avoid seeing the becoming frame
it made around her face. But in deference to her mother's feelings
the girl set her teeth, and bound her hair closely to her head with a
shoe-string. "Not to be changed at the case," she told herself.

That her mother was watching she was unaware. Just as she picked up the
beautiful brown ribbon Mrs. Comstock spoke.

"You had better let me tie that. You can't reach behind yourself and do
it right."

Elnora gave a little gasp. Her mother never before had proposed to do
anything for the girl that by any possibility she could do herself. Her
heart quaked at the thought of how her mother would arrange that bow,
but Elnora dared not refuse. The offer was too precious. It might never
be made again.

"Oh thank you!" said the girl, and sitting down she held out the ribbon.

Her mother stood back and looked at her critically.

"You haven't got that like Mag Sinton had it last night," she announced.
"You little idiot! You've tried to plaster it down to suit me, and you
missed it. I liked it away better as Mag fixed it, after I saw it. You
didn't look so peeled."

"Oh mother, mother!" laughed Elnora, with a half sob in her voice.

"Hold still, will you?" cried Mrs. Comstock. "You'll be late, and I
haven't packed your dinner yet."

She untied the string and shook out the hair. It rose with electricity
and clung to her fingers and hands. Mrs. Comstock jumped back as if
bitten. She knew that touch. Her face grew white, and her eyes angry.

"Tie it yourself," she said shortly, "and then I'll put on the ribbon.
But roll it back loose like Mag did. It looked so pretty that way."

Almost fainting Elnora stood before the glass, divided off the