"Very well," replied the squire, "then you can come with us promptly,
for Major Dale will not rest until we get back. Here, you two Dalton
girls, don't smother that child. Save a kiss or two for those at home.
They will want to know Nellie, too," and Dorothy looked from the little
stranger's face to smile at the jolly squire.

When the next afternoon train from the west pulled into Dalton there
alighted from it a party that attracted the attention of all who chanced
to be about the depot. The little blue-eyed girl, Nellie Burlock, was
very pale, but "wonderfully pretty" Tavia declared. Mrs. Mooney had
also that frightened, tired look, but her husband seemed to have left
all Rochester behind him. He was a first-class printer and was to work
on Major Dale's paper, and was not that a bright prospect for an
ambitious man?

Dorothy brought Nellie in alone to the major, He raised his head to kiss
his daughter, then he kissed the fatherless one--a new light came into
his eyes.

"Dorothy," he murmured. "My own Little Captain! You have led us all to
victory! God bless you!"

Of course there were a hundred and one explanations to make, and many
stories to tell besides. Nellie Burlock told of her life with Mrs.
Mooney, and of how she and the woman had been threatened more than once
by Andrew Anderson. To Mr. Mooney the affair was nothing but a mystery
and he had not bothered his head much about it.

"The authorities will take care of Anderson," said the major, and told
the truth, for the rascal was sent to prison for a term of years. Then