"Where are you staying?" went on Mrs. Jallow. She must have known of the feeling between her daughter and the other girls, but she was credited with being a very curious person, and she may have been willing, for the sake of acquiring information, to sink her personal feelings. Naturally she would side with Alice. "Oh, we are in one of the cabins my father owns," said Grace. "Going to stay long?" "We don't know." "That is the way with us," went on Mrs. Jallow. "Jim--that's Mr. Jallow, you know--has quite a lot of timber to get out of that new tract, and he wants to finish before Spring. So as I was sort of run down I thought I'd take a rest and come up with him and the girls and boys. Your folks all well?" "Yes," went on Grace, who seemed to have had the office of spokesman thrust upon her. "I'm sorry about the trouble you had with Hank Smither," went on Alice's mother. "Hank Smither?" questioned Mollie. "Yes. He's one of Mr. Jallow's men, you know. He ordered you off, the other day. But you must excuse him. He was only carrying out our orders, and I've no doubt Mr. Jallow will be glad to let you come over and see us." "Oh, Mr. Smither didn't annoy us," said Grace easily. "We realized that the poor man was only carrying out his orders. Thank you for the invitation, but I don't know as we will have much time for calling. We are up here to get as much fresh air as we can." "Humph!" sneered Alice audibly. "Well, we mustn't let business quarrels interfere with we women folks being friendly," said Mrs. Jallow in what she probably meant for a conciliatory tone, but which she only succeeded in making patronizing. "No, indeed, we don't intend to," said Betty, calmly. "We hope you will enjoy it here." "Well, the young folks do, if I don't," said Mrs. Jallow. "I like more conveniences than you have in a log cabin. But then it may do my nerves good to get a rest." There was a little pause--rather an awkward one--and then Grace said: "Well, girls, we had better be getting on. It's late." "Yes, and I must see about supper," said Mrs. Jallow. "I wish you'd come over." She did not heed the eye-telegraphic signals her daughter was flashing at her. But the other girls understood. "Thank you," said Grace again, non-committally. "Well--good-bye!" said Mrs. Jallow, a farewell in which Kittie joined faintly, but Alice, without a word, turned her back and marched toward the cabin, where the two boys still were. "She tried to find out all she could," said Mollie when the outdoor girls had gotten out of sight in the woods. "That's all she talked for." "Yes, and I believe they just came up here camping because they heard we were here," went on Betty. "Oh, I do hope we don't get into any trouble with them." "It will have to be of their making," said Grace firmly. "I'll never set foot on that land Mr. Jallow claims if I can help it. It might complicate legal matters."