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XXXV

ASHLEIGH MAKES NEW PLANS

WHEN Henry Jackman saw the wife of Joseph Ranger, whom he had known at the tradingpost in Utah as Mr. Addicks, and understood the full significance of her arrival as a welcome visitor and relative of the Ranger family, he shrugged his shoulders and walked away, exclaiming: "I 'm dummed!"

"No wonder Uncle Joe was captured by that fine creature," said Jean to herself. "She must have been as handsome in her girlhood as Le-Le." And for the first time in her life she fainted away.

When she awoke to consciousness, which was not till the next morning, she was on the big white bed in the spare chamber, whither she had been carried by loving friends and treated through all the watches of the night by the Little Doctor with the untiring faithfulness of a devoted friend.

"Take that Indian away! I cannot bear the sight of her," cried Jean, as her copper-colored aunt approached her, proffering kindly offices.

"She must be humored in her whims till she has had time to recover, Mrs. Ranger," said Mrs. McAlpin, aside. " There's a love story and a disappointment behind all this. Her antipathy is not against you, but another Indian princess whom she thinks she has cause to remember."

"I didn't come here to make wounds, but to heal them," faltered Mrs. Ranger, as, with an indistinct conception of the trouble, she left the room, followed by Sally O'Dowd.

"I want you to know that you have healed my wounds," said Sally. "I was miserably and unr