Tabitha's Vacation

acation day

hem with rig

s halls we

s pleasant

, and hungrily sniffed the fresh, sweet morning air, for, although the first week of June was already gone, the fierc

e hours will

vacation

'll all in

e to our sc

set where the singer was rummaging to find hooks for her wardrobe, w

girl on the threshold, abruptly ceasing her song. "It's as old as

m the dark closet, flushed but triumphant. "There! I've hung up the last dud I could find room for. The res

, shaking her finger reprovingly at the red-haired girl now busily collecting the remainder o

only hard work and worry, gathering fruit in the hot sun or digging vegetables and peddling them around from door to door; while school m

are my sister now, and there won't be any more goats and gardens to bother about. You have left off using one crutch altogether, and do

giving the slender figure in the doorway an affectionate hug. "And I suppose I shall be as

don't like it now, do you? I never c

still seems queer to me with its heaps of rocks and no trees except the stiff old Joshuas. I wonder why they

ty with its red and yellow carpet? May is the month to see the desert in its glory, though. Then it is truly beautiful. No one could think it ugly. But come, let's run over to Mercy's house. We have swept and dust

do they

place-that queer brow

shelf of rock, overlooki

m the depot. Mr. McKittrick always called it t

aglets are there besides Merced

. Then come Susanne, or Susie, as they call her; the

ther!" sighed Gloriana wistfully, thinking of her own orpha

win instead of Irene's. Janie is a regular little mischief, too, but such a darling! You are sure to love her, though Rosslyn is my

ious eyes looked heavy and worried, her childish face pale and frightened; but at sight of the two approaching figures, a smile of relief suddenly curved the drooping lips, and she exclaimed eagerly, "Oh, girls, I was just going for you! Are you on

uld she put her thought into words when Mercedes was already so dreadfully

kitchen. I am afraid papa is worse, for 'twas right af

you don't mind. You can follow more slowly with Mercedes. I-p

eft the little mother without a ray of hope; and so she fell in step beside the anxious Mercedes, and began to chat in spritely, diverting

she intended to say or do. A glimpse through the screen of a huddled figure bowed despairingly over the kitchen table drove every other though

ffled voice of the distracted woman, as she imp

. I don't know what is the matter, but if you will tell me

ympathetically above her, and once more burst into a flood of tears, sobbing wildly, "It ain't any use, Tabitha! You couldn't help if you w

rick is worse?"

ead nodded

e isn't g

se, and hundreds of dollars; and not a cent coming in from anywhere. The children are too young to earn, and I can't work with him to nurse and six youngste

her father, fighting what seemed like a hopeless battle with death, she, too, had fel

ayes is doing. He'd just say the same thing, and there wouldn'

wn house on the bluff, and with Gloriana following silently at her heels, set out for home. Not a word passed between them as they hastened down the main street of the town, until, jus

ll do it! Mr. Carson will fix everything.

's thoughts, and wondering what errand was taking her into the low, dimly lighted shack from

how badly off Mr. McKittrick is, he

sid

that 'inside,' though I never could see why. Please, M

another idea had occurred to Tabitha, and turning away from the operator with the blank in her hand, she whispered to Gloriana in dis

rite a

travel that far. It might be too lat

he slip in her hands and passed it to Gloria

agles. Must get rich quick. Ask Ca

tha

t I can't help it. I'm willing t

ana, privately thinking it the silliest piece of nonse

her when we were little. We called it cipher. Of course i

"I suppose five hundred silver headed eagles means five

was superintendent of the Silver Legion then, instead of one of the owners, and as Mr. McKittrick was working there when Rosslyn was born, the miners made him their mascot, and Mr. Carson us

eemed so ridiculous t

s he will, but I don't believe so. He is quick to understand things. Now we will skip back to the post-office and I'll scratch him a letter of explanation,

of baffled curiosity and bewilderment, and assuring him that it was worded exactly as she wanted it sent, sh

the Catt cottage, and, without the formality of knocking, burst into th

Angeles. Now he can get well. That is what has been worrying her so much. The doctor said he would die unless he was operated on and mamma hadn't the money to ge

and Tabitha, studying the flushed, shining face, wondered t

had not known anything about the telegram before. "What are the rest

iss Davis' house with a note, but she isn't there; and the woman next door says she has gone to Riverside for two weeks. I s'pose we'll have to find someone else instea

get the house righted," Tabitha found tongue to s

sy little housekeepers in the hollow locked up their orderly cot

who usually saw her coming a long way off, and met her half-way down the mountainside with a boisterous shout of welcome. To-d

molested," suggested Gloriana, letting her keen gray eyes sweep the steep, rock

, "though I should have thought-why,

over a row of the most woe-begone, utterly miserable looking figures they had ever seen,-Mercedes, Susie, Inez, Irene, R

a, equally amazed. "What are yo

abbing savagely at a tear which suddenly brimm

ith Mercy," gulped Susanne, striving hard t

Inez, who had earned the title of "Susie's shadow," because she p

s too late," mourned gentle Irene, gazing sorrowfully

n't nobody else to housekeep for us," R

little Janie dejectedly, seeming to comprehend the tra

oriana's gray eyes bravely met the questioning

bitha mechanical

r let you-

ught we wanted to; but

two

is gets back-or

s. McKittrick wo

rried accents. "It's a chance for him. I belie

ough about k

perfectly saf

ing we

t of the conversation they had just overheard, fell in behind the two, and marched in solemn procession up the path, feeli

on her arms as they had found her the day before, but this time Tabitha did not he

n that account! Glory and I will take charge of the house. Really, we know how to cook and can manage splendidly, I'm sure, if you will let us try. Miss Davis will soon be bac

rom one foot to the other, and looking so much like the frank, outspoken, bungling Tabitha of old, that Mrs. McKittrick could not refrain from laughing. It was an odd, hysterical, little laugh, to be sure, more pathetic than mirthf

father? He won't listen t

rding the battle as good as won. "Daddy won't care a mite! Two

r-take Janie. She

ou want to be free to take care of your-patient. Now, where is your trunk? What clothes do you need to take? If you will tell us where to f

l from Mercedes, quietly trooped forth into the June sunshine once more, and, with r