Summary

Alice goes to the Horners’ house for her normal delivery, and is surprised to learn that the Jim Horner’s daughters have taken a real liking to reading. Jim himself is even pleasant to Alice, and even apologizes for his previous behavior. He says that he was still grieving from when his wife passed, but seeing his daughters so happy with the books brought him back to himself again. Alice convinces him to send his girls to school. Meanwhile, during the library’s off hours, Margery is writing letters to the residents of Baileyville, especially those who live way out in the mountains, to warn them that the mining company is trying to drive them out of their homes. Down at the mines, one of the tunnels collapses, injuring a young man. Sven investigates, and it turns out that the collapse was caused...