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Phoebe watched the two unhappily, sighed when they disappeared around the corner of the house, and set her bowl of butter upon the broad, flat rock which just ain

"I' to work," shelived much of her life in the loneliness which the West means to women, frequently talked to herself "She's such a nice little thing--but the boys don't take to her like I thought they would I don't see as she's having a mite of influence on their manners, unless it's to make them act worse, just to shock her Clark USED to take off his hat when he corief! Now he'd wear it and his chaps and spurs to the table, if I didn't make hiot to give that girl a good talking to"

She mounted the steps to the back porch, tried the kitchen door, and found it locked She went around to the door on the west side, opposite the gate, found that also secured upon the inside, and passed gririef! I didn't know any of these doors COULD be locked!" she rily "They never have been before that I ever heard of" She stopped before Evadna's , and saw, through a slit in the green blind, that the old-fashioned bureau had been pulled close before it "My grief!" she whispered disgustedly, and retraced her steps to the east side, which, being next to the pond, was more secluded She surveyed dryly aleft wide open there, gathered her brown-and-white calico dress close about her plu-roo soul, the carpet was daily well-sanded with the tread of boys' boots fresh froarette stubs decorated every -sill, and the stale odor of Peaceful's pipe was never long absent

She went first to all the outer rooed doors which, unless in the uproar and excite one another all over the place with ood-natured threats of various sorts, had never before barred the way of any ht

Evadna's door was barricaded, as Phoebe discovered when she turned the knob and attenant push, and heard a muffled shriek within, as if Evadna's head was buried under her pillow