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Presently the boy Bobbie arrived for further orders. Arlie went

to her desk and wrote hurriedly.

"You're to give this note to my father," she directed. "Be sure

he gets it himself. You ought to find him down in Jackson's

Pocket, if the drive is from Round Top to-day. But you can ask

about that along the road."

When the boy had gone, Arlie turned to Fraser.

"I want to tell father you're here before Jed gets to him with

his story," she explained. "I've asked him to ride down right

away. He'll probably come in a few hours and spend the night

here."

After they had eaten supper they returned to the living room,

where a great fire, built by Jim the negro horse wrangler, was

roaring up the chimney.

It was almost eleven o'clock when horses galloped up and Dillon

came into the house, followed by Jed Briscoe. The latter looked

triumphant, the former embarrassed as he disgorged letters and

newspapers from his pocket.

"I stopped at the office to get the mail as I came down. Here's

yore paper, Ruth."