into his deep blue eyes. "I have never done anything wrong before--and
I can see, now, how silly I was."

"I am not going after the officers," said Dorothy, "but you must know
that you have done very wrong--you might have hurt me seriously."

"Oh, please let me go!" he pleaded. "I will promise you anything, and
I never want to play Wild West again!"

"It was too real for play," retorted Dorothy. "But you need not be too
alarmed. My cousins are good boys."

"Your cousins?"

"Yes, the White boys. Do you know them?"

"Ned and Nat? Of course I do! Oh, don't tell on me! Really I shall be
disgraced forever."

He was crying. Dorothy felt herself weakening.

"I'll tell you where everything is, and I'll promise you anything in
the world if you will only not--give me up. I can't bear to think
of--poor mother. I could stand it--but she----"

"Is she ill?" and Dorothy quickly counted what a disgrace it would be
to a good mother to find her son in such a plight.

"Yes, she is away from me all the time--with the nurses, and I haven't
seen her in a week. It would kill her to know what I've been doing."