" He nodded toward the west. "But
she's got to stay here with us. Boarding at Sol Tibbs's with that old man
won't do; and she's no girl to live in two rooms. You fix it up with her--
you make her stay."
"She must," answered his daughter as she knelt beside him and patted his
coat and handed him several things to eat at the same time. "Mr. Fisbee
will help me persuade her, now that she's bound to stay in spite of him
and the Sherwoods, too. I think she is perfectly grand to do it. I've
always thought she was grand--ever since she took me under her wing at
school when I was terribly 'country' and frightened; but she was so sweet
and kind she made me forget. She was the pet of the school, too, always
doing things for the other girls, for everybody; looking out for people
simply heads and heads bigger than herself, and so recklessly generous and
so funny about it; and always thoughtful and--and--pleasant----"
Minnie was speaking sadly, mechanically; but suddenly she broke off with a
quick sob, sprang up and went to the window; then, turning, cried out:
"I don't believe it! He knew how to take care of himself too well. He'd
have got away from them."
Her father shook his head. "Then why hasn't he turned up? He'd have gone
home after the storm if something bad wasn't the matter."
"But nothing--nothing _that_ bad could have happened.
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