Aunt Jane's Nieces on the Ranch

Hahn were working over her and striving to comfort her. Uncle John, t

rrick, as Weldon and young

went to his wife, bending

dear!" he

dmonition to send the young

d Runyon, his voice reaching high C in h

. "We're a lot of ninnies. Let us think what

some one assume command but feeling themselves pe

ace the facts. Baby Jane has mysteriously

lph. "Let us say the two nurses have also

Louise emphasi

want, just now, is to find baby and get her back home again to her loving friends. She can't have been gone mor

" squeaked Runyon. "Baby didn'

y. We must try to decide who took baby, and why. Then w

standing in our driveway and in the garage. This is a country of great distances, and no matter in what directi

from Louise. "The theory agrees with o

ion?" cried

ith a hasty glance toward Louise;

routes and all take the roa

h dark," s

until morning?" demanded

cue that baby," sa

en you get to Tungar's, come back by the McMillan road. That's a sixty mile jaunt, and

ho longed to be doing something that would count. The others soon

d been missing. He was to carry Major Doyle with him and return by another route. Hahn promised to cover with his own car the only other two roads that remained to be searc

before starting Arthur assisted his wife to her room, where he left

nnounce dinner, but no one pai

th remained in the nursery and left Helen and a maid w

d I must take up that pertinent suggestion made by

a disconsolate tone, "but I fear we two girls are quite

that for granted. Let us be sensible and try to marshal our

," said Beth.

end Bul Run reminded us, can't walk. If she went a

pairingly; "if we knew all

's try to acquir

ontents. The place seemed in its usual order, but many of Mil

that is all. This fact, however, may prove that she expected to be out after dark.

e here!" cried Beth.

d looked at her c

ndicated she had made a discovery. "Do you mean

se well years ago, when she was a girl. She used to visit it

Why didn't she tell us this, when we

I first suggested her coming, but I supposed that

she tell y

t la

se did s

any relatives or friends living

rted Patsy, with a grave fac

't see

teal baby and secrete her, she could take little Jane to her

Travers wish to stea

is richer, and she also knows that dear little Toodlums is the pride of all our

erward," said Beth. "No, Patsy; I don't b

Mildred's cold, hard eyes condemn her as one liable to do anyt

arances were certainly against Mildred Travers and Beth saw no reason to champion her, alth

ider," said she. "What has

l whose eyes repel friendship; who has little to lose by kidnapping Jane in the attempt to secure a fortune. She was fond of baby; I could see that myself; so she won't injure our darling but will take good care of her until we pay the money, w

said Beth; "but I don't

sy, "for otherwise we are fac

ne

ransom. But the Mexican girl worships baby in every fibre of her being. She would di

rily as Patsy uttered t

u m

adly hatred and brooded over her fancied wrongs until she has lost all sense of reason. She feared that in the end baby Jane would be taken away from

dred?" a

res to consider. She may have discovered that Inez

ve Patsy hesitated, appalled

cape the penalty of her crime, she ran away and took baby with her. Eithe

t her cousin

omething to eat; or a cup of tea, at least. Thi

her. Think a moment. Our baby has disappeared. Her two nurses, neither of whom are especially trustworthy, have also disappeared. There's a reason

reful of baby's welf

in any peril I would go distracted, and scream louder tha

chair. "What you call your 'deductions' are terribly tragic, P

e far end of the open space stood huddled a group of men, all of whom bore lanterns. Patsy advanced to the

ane-eh?" he said, questioningl

s in their motor cars, but the country needs searching, too-away from the roads, in th

in the Spanish patois. One by one they turned and

. "They all want to find her, an' ask me t

notice. He did not seem in the least worried or agitated, nor did he appear to attach much import

ink baby is?" sh

wered, and then in E

No one would hurt the

s wrinkled in an

hurt Mees Jane

e has carrie

ged his

she come ba

w more than anyone else about t

s brows, sha

he. "I not worry much

you su

r curiously; almost sus

es nothing. To suspec' ees not to k

t impatiently, for she c

to you, Miguel

the childlike,

es not my family. Not all Mexicans ees-re-spec'-ble. Once I know Ine

ou lik

ees Jane; but-she

hought

avers when she used to l

rted and took

when she ees here?

. Have you ev

not come to

the ranchero and to study him with her dark, clear eyes. But she said nothin

dred Travers

at his hand trembled. For a long time he remained bent over the print-an unnecessar

id as he handed back the picture. "Now I go

d that his steps, as he left the

" said Be

we brought Mildred to this place. There's just one thing you can bank on, Beth: that in