Huge Sam Slawson, senior, overtopping his wife by fully half a head,
gazed down upon his little hive, from shaggy-browed, benevolent eyes. He
uttered no complaint because his dinner was delayed, and he, hungry as a
bear, was made to wait till a stranger was served and fed. Instead, he
wandered over to where Martha was supplementing "Ma's" ministrations at
the range, and patted her approvingly on the shoulder.

"Another stray lamb, mother?" he asked casually.

Martha nodded. "Wait till the rush is over, an' the young uns abed an'
asleep, an' I'll tell you all about it. Stray lamb! I should say as
much! A little white corset-lamb, used to eat out o' your hand, with a
blue ribbon round its neck. Goin' to be sent out to her death--or
worse, by a sharp-fangled wolf of a boardin'-house keeper, who'd gnaw
the skin off'n your bones, an' then crack the bones to get at the
marrer, if you give her the chanct. I'll tell you all about it later,
Sammy."




CHAPTER III


For days Claire lay in a state of drowsy quiet.

She hardly realized the fact of her changed condition, that she was
being cared for, ministered to, looked after. She had brief, waking
moments when she seemed to be aware that Martha was bringing in her