Then impulsively she leaned toward the lad and placed a hand on his arm as she said pleadingly, “if you were my brother I would suggest that you ride to the north where the mountains are nearly impenetrable and stay there in hiding until this search is over. I do wish that you would go, Tom, this very night.” The lad shook his head. “I can’t go—not tonight, Miss Virginia,” he said. “You two girls are all alone on V. M. Ranch and your brother trusts me to look after you. I will stay right where I am until your brother returns or until—well—until I am found.” When the repast had been cleared away the three young people sat about the fireplace watching the burning log. They talked little. The eastern girl felt strangely uneasy and every little while she would glance at one of the uncurtained windows as though she expected to see a face peering in at them. At last the clock chimed the hour of nine and Tom arose. “Miss Virginia, Miss Margaret,” he said as he held out a hand to each, “I want to thank you for having been so kind and sisterly to me. Do not be concerned about me. I promise to ride north as soon as you are well protected. Goodnight.” The two girls lay awake for hours waiting for, they knew not what. It was nearly midnight before they slept. Half an hour later Margaret sat up suddenly and listened intently. Had she heard something, she wondered, and if so, what? Again she heard the noise which she believed must have awakened her. Someone was trying to enter the house, of that she was sure. Springing up and throwing her bathrobe about her she ran into Virginia’s room and shook her friend. “What is it?” that girl asked, on the alert at once. “Hark!” whispered Margaret. “Can’t you hear someone at the kitchen door?” The western girl listened, “I surely do,” she replied, “but my dear Megsy, it must be someone who feels he has a right to come in, for he is not trying to be quiet and he is using a key.” “Do you suppose that it is your brother, Malcolm, returning?” “Maybe,” Virginia replied as she arose and slipped on her robe. “Whoever it is has opened the door and has entered the kitchen. I’ll light a candle and investigate.” “Oh, Virg! Please, please don’t go out there alone! Can’t we call Tom or someone?” But it was too late for the girls could hear that whoever had entered the house was approaching Virginia’s bedroom. Margaret clung to her friend. Even Virginia was puzzled, but the thing that gave her confidence was the fact that the intruder was not trying to be quiet. A moment later there came a tap on the door. “Who is it?” the girl asked, and, with a sigh of relief, she recognized the voice that replied, “Miss Virginia, dearie. Don’t be skeered. It’s jest me a comin’ home after all these weeks away. It’s yo’ old Uncle Tex, Miss Virginia, dearie.”