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was a picturesque little thing； even through whose childish
timidity there was a certain self…sustained air which is apt to
come upon children who are left much to themselves。 She was
holding under her arm a rag doll； apparently of her own
workmanship； and nearly as large as herselfa doll with a
cylindrical head； and features roughly indicated with charcoal。 A
long shawl； evidently belonging to a grown person； dropped from her
shoulders and swept the floor。
The spectacle did not excite Mrs。 Tretherick's delight。 Perhaps
she had but a small sense of humor。 Certainly； when the child；
still standing in the doorway； again asked； 〃Is it Mamma？〃 she
answered sharply； 〃No； it isn't；〃 and turned a severe look upon the
intruder。
The child retreated a step； and then； gaining courage with the
distance； said in deliciously imperfect speech：
〃Dow 'way then！ why don't you dow away？〃
But Mrs。 Tretherick was eying the shawl。 Suddenly she whipped it
off the child's shoulders； and said angrily：
〃How dared you take my things； you bad child？〃
〃Is it yours？ Then you are my mamma； ain't you？ You are Mamma！〃
she continued gleefully； and before Mrs。 Tretherick could avoid
her； she had dropped her doll； and； catching the woman's skirts
with both hands； was dancing up and down before her。
〃What's your name； child？〃 said Mrs。 Tretherick coldly； removing
the small and not very white hands from her garments。
〃Tarry。〃
〃Tarry？〃
〃Yeth。 Tarry。 Tarowline。〃
〃Caroline？〃
〃Yeth。 Tarowline Tretherick。〃
〃Whose child ARE you？〃 demanded Mrs。 Tretherick still more coldly；
to keep down a rising fear。
〃Why； yours；〃 said the little creature with a laugh。 〃I'm your
little durl。 You're my mamma； my new mamma。 Don't you know my ol'
mamma's dorn away； never to turn back any more？ I don't live wid
my ol' mamma now。 I live wid you and Papa。〃
〃How long have you been here？〃 asked Mrs。 Tretherick snappishly。
〃I fink it's free days；〃 said Carry reflectively。
〃You think！ Don't you know？〃 sneered Mrs。 Tretherick。 〃Then；
where did you come from？〃
Carry's lip began to work under this sharp cross…examination。 With
a great effort and a small gulp； she got the better of it； and
answered：
〃Papa； Papa fetched mefrom Miss Simmonsfrom Sacramento； last
week。〃
〃Last week！ You said three days just now；〃 returned Mrs。
Tretherick with severe deliberation。
〃I mean a monf；〃 said Carry； now utterly adrift in sheer
helplessness and confusion。
〃Do you know what you are talking about？〃 demanded Mrs。 Tretherick
shrilly； restraining an impulse to shake the little figure before
her and precipitate the truth by specific gravity。
But the flaming red head here suddenly disappeared in the folds of
Mrs。 Tretherick's dress； as if it were trying to extinguish itself
forever。
〃There nowstop that sniffling；〃 said Mrs。 Tretherick； extricating
her dress from the moist embraces of the child and feeling
exceedingly uncomfortable。 〃Wipe your face now； and run away； and
don't bother。 Stop；〃 she continued； as Carry moved away。 〃Where's
your papa？〃
〃He's dorn away too。 He's sick。 He's been dorn〃she hesitated
〃two； free； days。〃
〃Who takes care of you； child？〃 said Mrs。 Tretherick； eying her
curiously。
〃John； the Chinaman。 I tresses myselth。 John tooks and makes the
beds。〃
〃Well； now； run away and behave yourself； and don't bother me any
more；〃 said Mrs。 Tretherick； remembering the object of her visit。
〃Stopwhere are you going？〃 she added as the child began to ascend
the stairs； dragging the long doll after her by one helpless leg。
〃Doin' upstairs to play and be dood； and no bother Mamma。〃
〃I ain't your mamma；〃 shouted Mrs。 Tretherick； and then she swiftly
re…entered her bedroom and slammed the door。
Once inside； she drew forth a large trunk from the closet and set
to work with querulous and fretful haste to pack her wardrobe。 She
tore her best dress in taking it from the hook on which it hung：
she scratched her soft hands twice with an ambushed pin。 All the
while； she kept up an indignant commentary on the events of the
past few moments。 She said to herself she saw it all。 Tretherick
had sent for this child of his first wifethis child of whose
existence he had never seemed to carejust to insult her； to fill
her place。 Doubtless the first wife herself would follow soon； or
perhaps there would be a third。 Red hair； not auburn； but REDof
course the child； this Caroline； looked like its mother； and； if
so； she was anything but pretty。 Or the whole thing had been
prepared： this red…haired child； the image of its mother； had been
kept at a convenient distance at Sacramento； ready to be sent for
when needed。 She remembered his occasional visits there on
business； as he said。 Perhaps the mother already was there； but
no； she had gone East。 Nevertheless； Mrs。 Tretherick； in her then
state of mind； preferred to dwell upon the fact that she might be
there。 She was dimly conscious； also； of a certain satisfaction in
exaggerating her feelings。 Surely no woman had ever been so
shamefully abused。 In fancy； she sketched a picture of herself
sitting alone and deserted； at sunset； among the fallen columns of
a ruined temple； in a melancholy yet graceful attitude； while her
husband drove rapidly away in a luxurious coach…and…four； with a
red…haired woman at his side。 Sitting upon the trunk she had just
packed； she partly composed a lugubrious poem describing her
sufferings as； wandering alone and poorly clad； she came upon her
husband and 〃another〃 flaunting in silks and diamonds。 She
pictured herself dying of consumption； brought on by sorrowa
beautiful wreck； yet still fascinating； gazed upon adoringly by the
editor of the AVALANCHE and Colonel Starbottle。 And where was
Colonel Starbottle all this while？ Why didn't he come？ He； at
least； understood her。 Heshe laughed the reckless； light laugh
of a few moments before； and then her face suddenly grew grave； as
it had not a few moments before。
What was that little red…haired imp doing all this time？ Why was
she so quiet？ She opened the door noiselessly； and listened。 She
fancied that she heard； above the multitudinous small noises and
creakings and warpings of the vacant house； a smaller voice singing
on the floor above。 This； as she remembered； was only an open
attic that had been used as a storeroom。 With a half…guilty
consciousness； she crept softly upstairs and； pushing the door
partly open； looked within。
Athwart the long； low…studded attic； a slant sunbeam from a single
small window lay； filled with dancing motes； and only half
illuminating the barren； dreary apartment。 In the ray of this
sunbeam she saw the child's glowing hair； as if crowned by a red
aureole； as she sat upon the floor with her exaggerated doll
between her knees。 She appeared to be tal