I. A SEEKER OF NEW TRAILS 1 II. BACK AT LONE-ROCK 24 III. A NEW FRIEND 51 IV. THE WITCH WITH A WAND 68 V. P STANDS FOR PINK 91 VI. TOLD IN LETTERS 111 VII. A DESERT OF WAITING 126 VIII. A GREAT SORROW 144
I. BETTY'S WEDDING 161 II. TOWARDS THE CANAAN OF HER DESIRE 183 III. THE SUPREME CALL 204 IV. "PINK" OR DIAMOND ROW 227 V. MARY AND THE "BIG OPPORTUNITY" 244 VI. PHIL WALKS IN 266 VII. HER GREAT RENUNCIATION 278 VIII. HOW IT ALL ENDED 300
"'I DON'T WANT TO BE JUST AN OLD MAID SISTER IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOME'" (_see page 34_) _Frontispiece_
"THERE WAS ONLY TIME TO . . . HASTILY CLASP THE LITTLE GLOVED HAND HELD OUT TO HIM" 4
"'I'LL SLEEP BETTER IF THEY ARE ON THEIR POLES INSTEAD OF ON MY MIND'" 26
"'I WISH WE COULD SETTLE THINGS BY A FEATHER, AS THEY USED TO IN THE OLD FAIRY TALES'" 77
"SEVERAL TIMES SHE STOPPED JACK IN PASSING TO ASK HIM A QUESTION" 118
"'DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU EVER SAW THIS?'" 167
"GAZING INTO THE SWEET FACE THAT SEEMED TO SMILE HELPFULLY BACK AT HER" 240
"'IT WAS AS IF WE HAD REACHED THAT LAND THAT WE USED TO SING ABOUT'" 310
When the Ware family boarded the train in San Antonio that September morning for their long journey back to Lone-Rock, every passenger on the Pullman straightened up with an appearance of interest. Somehow their arrival had the effect of a breath of fresh air blowing through the stuffy car. Even before their entrance some curiosity had been awakened by remarks which floated in from the rear platform, where they were bidding farewell to some friends who had come to see them off.
"Do write and tell us what your next adventures are, Mary," exclaimed one clear voice. "Your family ought to be named Gulliver instead of Ware, for you are always travelling around to such queer, out-of-the-way places. I suppose you haven't the faintest idea where you'll be six months from now."
"No, nor where I'll be in even six weeks," came the answer, in a laughing girlish treble. "As I told the Mallory twins when we left Bauer, I'm like 'Gray Brother' now, snuffing at the dawn wind and asking where shall we lair to-day. From now I follow new trails. And, girls, I wish you could have heard Brud's mournful little voice piping after me down the track, as the train pulled out, 'Good hunting, Miss Mayry! Good hunting!'"