Part 10 (1/2)

”Thank you,” said the ruffly, and turned away so abruptly that Betty felt as if sonant and Amy put an arm about Betty as she whispered:

”The rain has nearly stopped, honey Don't you think we had better go?”

So, with half-hearted expressions of thanks froret at all fro down the dripping path to where their horses were tethered

Once Mollie looked back toward the cabin, and her indignation burst forth

”Look, he could hardly wait for us to get outside to shut the door,” she said ”Of all the ill-mannered----”

”Oh, I don't think he meant to be ill-er and he whinnied a welcome ”He was just distantly polite, that's all He didn't want to be bothered, probably, and he had a hard tirunted Mollie, as she flung herself upon Old Nick's back and patted hily ”I' folks around He acted hty funny to me,” she said

”Goodness, hear the child!” cried Grace, as they rode swiftly back the way they had co a thief or so out of a perfectly ordinary person”

”Seehtfully

”No ordinary person could play the violin the way he was playing it e came up to the house That sounded like the work of a reed Betty, a faraway look in her eyes ”He plays exquisitely, if he does live in a little house away up in the woods And I can't shake off the impression that I have heard that same selection played in just that sah this first excursion had been soed and in the days that followed they rode alan to know their way about like the natives

Their rides were taken mostly in the open country, however, for in the woods they knew lurked very real dangers But these they avoided more to save Mrs Nelson worry than fromore and more confident of their ability to find their way around alone, they dared venture along a rocky trail that offered wonderful romantic opportunities

”Oh, this is the life!” cried Grace, as Nabob stepped daintily over the rocks and underbrush that alrew the narrow path ”A peach of a horse under you, the whole day before you, and nothing to do but enjoy yourself Whoa-up there, Nabob What's the matter with you?”

for the horse had whinnied softly and shi+ed almost imperceptibly to the side of the trail

At the same time the other horses seeirls were kept busy for the next fewthe scared theo back, girls? This trail see narrower and narrower I don't believe anybody co here very often”

”Well, what of it?” cried Mollie sharply ”That's e are here for, isn't it? If anted people, we could have plenty of theirls,” said Betty, matter-of-factly ”We'll eat pretty soon and that will make everybody feel better” Kindly Mrs

cuirls

”Look!” she cried a moment later, as the trail broadened out and they reached a rather open space in the woods through which they could look straight down--for they were on a considerable elevation--into the thriving littletown of Gold Run ”I didn't know you could see Gold Run from here”

”Doesn't it look funny and tiny?” cried Mollie, reining in beside her

”It ood place to eat?” queried Ahed at her