Aunt Jane's Nieces on the Ranch

igar. He looked up, as they entered, and nodded a head as guiltless of hair as was that of Uncle John. But his face was fresh and chubby, d

s of little Jane?" he

, Doc

ace at

, wha

d the doctor, removing

oo

y new touring-car that our Jane is sound aslee

r?" inquired Runyon anxiously,

a deep sigh. "It all seems a terrible mystery and I can thi

eed Dr. Knox. "But I've ju

cried half a

l smoke? And you need refreshment, fo

resently," said Rudolph. "

, as well as the events leading up to it. Now, it seems Mildred Travers

suggestion it conveyed caused th

ion. The Travers family, hearing that Mildred is at El Cajon, drive over here in their automobile and induce the girl to go home with them. She can't l

hen big Runyon voiced the sentime

," said he, "but you're a

ce you," asserted the doctor, unmoved by adverse criti

itor at the Travers Ranch many times. Charlie Benton lives there. There hasn

o hear that. It was such a simple sol

" admitted Runyon. "Ah!

inner, supplemented with sandwiches and steaming coffee. This last the thoughtful Sing

e a cup of coffee. It was noticeable that now, whenever baby Jane was mentioned, they spoke her name in hushed whisper

I feel guilty to be sitting here in comfort whil

ng fears. "You have all done everything that mortals could do, for to-night, and in the morning we will resume the search al

ked Arthur

If ever a mystery existed, here is one, and only a cle

egraph to every place in California,

ne that

n earnestly. "It seems to me that if we knew what object they could have in disappearing, we would be able to guess where th

s a sensible proposition. Give us

ne knew

ldred's coming. Somehow, I always get back to that fact when I begin to conjecture. The

en said Inez brought the baby to the quarters, at about noon, and while there they discovered Mildred watching them

rel. We don't know what happened afterward, except that bo

r a walk. She may have returned. I think she did, for otherwise it was M

om us and leave her beloved baby. I believe the poor girl would rather die than be separ

solution. But if both nurses were fond of little Jane-who is the finest baby I ever knew, by the way-no quarrel or ot

d doctor knew it; but it was a comforting thought, neverthele

s-for Mrs. Hahn was only a girl-sat huddled in one corner, whispering at times and trying to cheer one another. The doctor read in his book. Rudolph smoked and lay back in his chair, gazing reflectively at the ceiling. Bul Run had his feet on a second chair and soon fell into a doze, when he snored in such a hi

omething to further the search, but the night held them impotent a

ther aside and prevailed upon hi

ut," she said, "and for dear baby's sake you

elt the need of rest, so he slipped away and went to the blue ro

nsisted, and she realized that he spoke truly. Just as she abandoned the argument they were all start

ile had ju

it?" h

" called a rich voice in strong German dialect. "I

ked, springing up to c

now he was half running, half tumbling down the stairs in his haste to r

h a bundle in his arms, followed by a weeping, angry Mexican

sion of feeling was so severe that he tottered and almost fell. Runyon grabbed

ble, holding up a fat little Mexican baby, whose

turned away

ney and get rid o

the constab

exclaimed. "Why did you d

he indignant German. "Do his baby gots a sign on id, to say id iss de right baby, vot iss lost unt must be foundt? No, py jimminy! He

od little thing, and plac

d this man find you?" the

burst into a voluble stream of Spanish,

t Mexico vomans or nod," explained the constable. "Bud I brings her mit me

ar note; and then he gave the woman some money an

ught milk for the baby and Uncle John offered the constable a cigar.