Part 16 (1/2)

She had little difficulty in finding the place, and went timidly up to the desk.

She stood still, not knowing just what to do until the clerk, looking up, said, ”Well, little girl, what is it?”

”I want to send a telegram;” she answered.

”Where?” asked the man, pulling a blank toward him.

Edna carefully unfolded the letter from Louis. ”Pasadena, California,”

she said.

”Name?” continued the man.

”Mr. William Morrison.”

”Well, what is the message?”

Edna looked doubtfully at him.

”Have you forgotten it?” he asked.

”No, but I--but I--”

”Well, then, out with it.” The man was a trifle impatient.

”I think I had just better say Louis has runned away.”

The man looked at her a moment, and a smile came over his face. ”O, you are sending it yourself, are you?” he said.

Edna nodded.

”Do you want to pay for it, or shall it paid at the other end?”

Here was another dilemma; but Edna concluded that since the contents of her little purse might not cover the expense, it would best be paid for at Pasadena. Then having asked her name, the man told her it was all right, and she left with a sense of relief.

She was making her way home again as fast as possible, when suddenly she stood still with terror, for coming up the street, directly toward her, was a herd of Texas cattle on their way to the stock yards.

If there was anything that Edna feared, it was these creatures; their wide-spreading horns seemed to menace her even a block away, and as the foremost one was quite near, she turned in a perfect agony of fear and went tumbling pell mell up the first high flight of steps which she happened to see. It seemed to her that she would never be able to get out of the way of those dreadful horns, and the rus.h.i.+ng sound of hoofs and the bellowings which were issuing from the creatures appeared to surround her completely.

How she reached the top step she hardly knew, but, scrambling, falling, in her haste she gained her place of safety, sprawling flat on her face as she did so.

Chapter XII

THE RUNAWAY.

Meanwhile Uncle Justus had returned and was told by Ellen that Edna had arrived.

A pleased look came into Professor Horner's face. ”Send her to me, Ellen,” he said, and Ellen hastened up stairs to do his bidding.

Failing to find the child in her room, she hunted high and low, but no Edna, and she returned to Professor Horner in perplexity.