"Why--Virginia!" he gasped and then he clutched at his heart and reached out quickly for the fence. "Why--why, I thought that was all settled! I certainly understood it was--and what authority had you to interfere?" "Wiley's power of attorney," she answered defiantly, "I fired that crooked lawyer, after you'd got him all fixed, and hired a good one with my stock." "My Lord!" moaned Blount, "and after all I'd done for you!" And then he collapsed and was borne into the house. But Wiley, who had been so calm, suddenly leapt for the letter and read it through to the end. "Holy--jumping--Judas!" he burst out, running over to the Colonel who was standing with lack luster eyes. "Look here what Virginia has done! She's bought all Blount's stock, under that option I had, and cleaned him--down to a cent. She's won back the mine, and we can all go in together----" "Virginia!" spoke up the Colonel, beckoning her sternly to him. "Come down here, I wish to speak to you." She came down slowly and as her father began to talk the tears rose quickly to her eyes, but when Wiley took her hand she smiled back wistfully and crept within the circle of his arm. THE END