the letter sent from pebbly pit to anne stewart was forwarded by the latter to the maynard girls in chicago. it was eagerly read aloud to mrs. maynard by barbara. reaching the paragraph in the letter where mrs. brewster asked anne stewart if she thought five dollars a week for the board of each would be asking too much, barbara dropped the sheet of paper and gasped. an expression of incredulity appeared on the faces of the mother and daughter, while eleanor laughed outright.
"just fancy! five dollars a week!" she cried, throwing herself back on the cushions of the divan.
"it must be a mistake! i trust it isn't meant for fifty a week! that is about the price a good hotel would charge, but i had hoped this place would be more reasonable. however, i am quite sure that figure five is a mistake; no one can possibly give meals at that rate, no matter how meager the fare may be!" declared mrs. maynard.
"the writing is plain enough and so is the figure '5,' mother," returned barbara, referring again to the letter, then handing it to her mother.
mrs. maynard adjusted her lorgnette and studied the figure given. "it does seem to be five, without a doubt!" admitted she.
"oh, well! it really doesn't matter much what the price is just as long as we have a good time this summer!" exclaimed eleanor.
"but, nolla, dear, it does matter! your father is dreadfully upset about our plans. he says my newport season will cost far more than i fancied it would, and you two girls going to a mountain resort like this is an extra cost. he will have to be away all summer on important business connected with the bank, and that will cost extra money. altogether, he feels anything but indifferent," sighed mrs. maynard, handing the letter back to barbara.
"well, we are not responsible for father's worries over the bank's loans, but we are concerned about the style and quality of meals to be served at this brewster place for five dollars a week," scorned barbara.
"i don't believe anne stewart would take us to a place where anything was horrid and cheap! she knows what's good as well as we do!" defended eleanor, who was eager to go to this mountain ranch.
"nolla is quite right, bob. anne is too particular to engage board in an undesirable house or hotel!" added mrs. maynard.
"besides, these brewsters have a farm, you know, and i suppose they raise lots of things that we have to pay such awful prices for—eggs, chickens, butter and vegetables," added eleanor.
mrs. maynard and barbara looked with admiration at the young girl, for that was an idea they had not thought of!
"of course, that's why they can board us so reasonably! then, too, i suppose they do their own marketing for other items of food, such as delicacies and supplies from the baker's! it does make a difference in the accounts, you see, when one markets!" ventured barbara, glancing at her mother who never bothered about anything connected with the housekeeping—leaving it all for the servants to do.
"now, bob, don't criticize your mother's methods. i can't drudge about the house and take charge of the social clubs and welfare work as well," complained mrs. maynard.
"of course not, bob! besides, mother never did know a good cut of beef from a poor one—they never taught domestic science in her day, you see," hurriedly interpolated eleanor, hoping to waive a scene such as was a common occurrence between barbara and her mother.
"nolla, are you sarcastic about my education?" queried mrs. maynard, with dignity.
"mercy, no! i only tried to show bob the difference in present day methods and the past."
mr. maynard entered the room during eleanor's reply, and smiled as he heard his youngest daughter's frank words. it was a keen pleasure to him to have one child fearless in thought and word. his son and elder daughter had been spoiled by fawning tutors and companions, so they had acquired the habit of white-washing facts to suit the needs. eleanor had been too delicate to attend any expensive and fashionable seminary and, being taught by anne stewart while in denver, had acquired many of anne's splendid ways.
"frederick, what do you know about this mountain resort you asked anne
stewart to write about?" asked mrs. maynard.
"well, now that we are all together and have the time to talk this matter out, i will say my say," replied mr. maynard, seating himself and drawing eleanor down beside him upon the divan.
"you remember the first year we were married—i had to visit bear forks to investigate a loan one of our clients at the bank asked us to make on a tract of timber-land? you wouldn't go with me when you heard we would have to camp out at night and ride horses over rough mountain-trails. that is the season you visited your school-friend in the east."
mr. maynard looked at his wife as he spoke and she nodded her head as if the memory was not pleasant to recall. her husband smiled an enigmatical smile and continued his description.
"that is when i met sam brewster and his wife—they had been married about as long as we had, and their happy ranch-life struck me as being the most desirable existence i ever heard of."
mrs. maynard's lips curled in silent derision. she understood her husband's yearning for a simple life in place of the frivolous and empty excitement of the social career she had made for herself and family.
"the country about the sections i visited is beautiful and healthy, and as nolla is ordered to a quiet, mountainous region for a time, i know of no place so suitable. besides, anne stewart has been there, too, and she is wild over the place."
"but you are so old-fashioned in your ideas of living and pleasures, father, and i want to know if this place will suit me. are the brewsters members of the best set there, or will i be left absolutely unaided to find a way to meet young people such as we would like to know?" asked barbara, anxiously.
"the brewsters are by far the wealthiest family in that whole section of country, and i have heard that the ranch and house are the finest in the state. you met young john brewster at the college prom and you can tell what you think of him."
"ye-es, young brewster is all right. every one seemed to think he is exceptionally nice," remarked barbara.
mrs. maynard sighed with relief as she felt that a weight had been lifted from her mind. she was anxious to have her two daughters climb the social ladder to a higher plane than she had been able to reach, so she knew they must be careful to associate with only those who had already arrived there through forbears or ambition.
"then we can wire anne at once to complete arrangements, frederick?" ventured the lady, watching her husband's expression.
"i'll attend to that but when can you be ready to go?" asked mr.
maynard, glancing from one to the other of the trio.
"the same day you start, daddy!" declared eleanor, giving her father a hug.
"why, we simply can't, nolla! father leaves chicago next week and we have so much to prepare before going to a place where we are apt to meet the very elite of society," cried barbara.
"it will take fully two weeks to go through the girls' wardrobe,
frederick, and see that everything is the last word," added mrs.
maynard, explanatory of her eldest daughter's dismay.
"well, fix things up any way you say, but i'm off for the bank when you begin talking dress," laughed mr. maynard.
"now, frederick, don't leave us like this! you know we will need money to fit out the girls, and then you must have some idea of when anne can expect them in denver," hurriedly said mrs. maynard as her husband crossed the room to leave.
"daddy, i don't want another thing to wear; i've got so many things now that it makes me tired to keep changing to suit the thousand and one occasions," declared eleanor, running after her father to kiss him good-by.
"nolla! i declare you will never grow up! pray walk like a lady when you cross a room, won't you?" complained barbara.
eleanor smiled up at her father and he pinched her thin cheek as he stooped to kiss her. then, he waved his hand at the others and left the room. once outside the door and safely out of hearing he chuckled to himself.
"bob pictures a gay resort with troops of male admirers to play tennis and dance away the hours with. she is thinking of dress to captivate her 'moths,' but nolla is thinking of the rural pleasures she has heard me describe to her. if bob knew the truth, she'd never go, and poor little nolla would lose the most wonderful opportunity of her young life. i'd best not prejudice bob or mother, but just pay the bills for finery and whims and bide my time."
soon after arriving at his bank-office he sent a message to anne stewart at denver, advising her to engage the rooms at the brewster home. as an afterthought, he added that he was anxious to have eleanor get away about the time he left home for his trip.
that afternoon he carried home the reply from anne stewart: "have engaged rooms and board from next week on. wire when to expect you at denver. anne."
mrs. maynard had heard from her friends that day that their plans were changed and now they expected to leave chicago sooner than she had thought. this made her agree quickly to having her daughters start the following week.
"but, mother, it can't be done. i need a riding habit, and tennis clothes, and a few new afternoon gowns and evening dresses!" remonstrated barbara.
"you had a new habit last fall, bob," eleanor said.
"but it has a long coat and full bloomers. no one is wearing that style, now. everything is mannish coats and tight knickerbockers," argued barbara.
"i will call up the tailor at once, girls, and have him give us the preference over other work," mrs. maynard replied.
"not for me! i don't like the tight habits. i shall take my bloomer one," replied eleanor, decidedly.
"dear me, nolla! you don't seem to care a fig about your appearance. what will become of you when it is time for you to make your debut?" sighed mrs. maynard, despondently.
"i'm not going to do anything so silly—i'm going into business when i grow up!"
"oh!"
"nolla!"
mother and sister could hardly gasp the words as they turned shocked eyes in the direction of mr. maynard who had been writing out checks for his family. he leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily at the independence of his youngest child.
"frederick! now you see what comes of your petting nolla whenever she says or does anything dreadful!" exclaimed mrs. maynard.
"is business so dreadful, then? anne stewart seems all right, and she is earning her living," ventured eleanor.
"i wash my hands of you, after this, eleanor! if you do anything so unheard of as you threaten, no one will keep up with you," declared barbara, sternly.
"they'll have to travel mighty fast to keep up with me, bob, once i am of age and start in business," laughed eleanor.
"that will do, young lady! remember you are only fourteen, and business is a long time off for you!" mrs. maynard remarked.
then eleanor hung over the back of her father's chair twisting the iron-gray hair into ridiculous points while her mother and barbara forgot her presence and planned many fetching gowns for the summer campaign. both were fair examples of modern society and its aims, and they sacrificed many worth-while plans and pleasures upon the altar of their fickle goddess. so it followed that the fashionable tailors, the modiste and the lingerie-maker stitched and fitted and clipped, on beautiful materials and trimmings, until everything was ready for barbara's summer victory. eleanor steadfastly refused to be annoyed by having new clothes made, so her trunk was packed with the wardrobe she already had on hand.
"of course, nolla's appearance is not of as much consequence as yours, bob, as she still is so young and delicate. it is different with you, however, and i'm so glad you are sensible to appreciate what a difference clothes make," said mrs. maynard, resignedly, as the seven trunks were packed and waiting for the expressman.
"i'm glad your fussing is over at last. if you had much more to sew and fit we never would get away!" grumbled eleanor, watching the man stagger as he carried the heavy trunks downstairs.
"well, i'll soon be reaping the benefit of my patience and you'll be sorry you were so indifferent over your looks," retorted barbara, turning away from the window once her five trunks were safely on the express wagon.
"girls, you're sure everything that celeste wrote down on the list is packed? your complexion cream in case of freckles or tan—and the shampoo mixture for the hair-dresser to use? tell him i never allow you to use ready-made preparations on your hair."
"yes, mother, all the toilet articles are in the small trunk, and the few extra things were packed in eleanor's trunk because she had a corner with nothing to fill in it," explained barbara.
"thank goodness we can eat dinner and go to bed to-night without being served styles and fits!" sighed eleanor, not meaning to be irreverent at her mother's gospel.
anne stewart had not mentioned the need of mountain-shoes and good plain clothing in her letters to the maynards, because mr. maynard particularly requested her to delete such items. anne was bright at reading minds and smiled as she surmised the reason for the restriction. she knew eleanor would glory in old clothes and a good time, but would barbara be so willing to visit pebbly pit farm if she knew the truth about the environment?
anne's single steamer trunk was filled with sensible clothes and the toilet articles she knew she would need for the summer. then she wired the maynards to say all was waiting to hear from them. and barbara wired back that they would meet her at the denver terminal station at the day and time agreed upon.
meantime, great preparations were under way at pebbly pit. john's room had to be cleaned and rearranged for the young ladies. while polly and her mother planned the work, mr. brewster made a thorough search of the countryside in hopes of finding a suitable maid-servant for his wife and polly.
most ranchers need their daughters at home, and as there are no really poor or poverty-stricken families in those farming sections, the task of finding a servant was not an easy one. and mr. brewster realized what it meant, when he read in the papers how difficult a problem it was becoming—this servant-girl question!
at last, as he was about to despair of ever finding any one, he stopped in at the oak creek post office to see if there was any mail. here he met a rancher-friend from the yellow jacket pass region.
"how-thar, sam!" called jim sattler, heartily.
"how-do yourself, jim!" returned mr. brewster, catching hold of jim's hardened hand and shaking it back and forth.
"you-all air a sight for sore eyes, sam! hain't seen hide nor hair of any one of you for nigh onto a year! be'n keepin' pritty busy, sam?" said jim, in a voice that rolled forth like deep thunder.
"mighty busy, jim! john's away to college, you know, and now my leetle chick thinks she can scratch for herself, too. she's bound to go to school, in denver, this coming fall."
"sam, nuthin' like it, these days! a man or woman has to have ddication to rassle with livin'! let her go to it, says ah! it won't be long afore my boys'll be goin' away, too!"
"that's what brings me here to-day. ah have been hunting for some kind of a gal to help the missus this summer and to have her broken in by the time polly leaves home," explained sam brewster.
"git one?"
"not yet! it seems they're as scarce as hen's teeth. ah never dreamed it would be such a job to hunt one up, or ah doubt if ah'd have consented to have those girls come and summer with us."
"see har, sam! ah bet ah knows just the woman for you-all, ef you-all ain't lookin' for a young gal with a figger like a wisp of hay."
"polly's wisp enough for one ranch! so ah'm not looking for style but stock. do you-all know one, jim?"
"ah do that! sary dodd's her name. you know bill dodd, don't yuh—he never 'mounted to much as a rancher."
"seems to me ah do! the name's familiar, anyway. did he come from yellow jacket pass way?" asked mr. brewster, scratching his neck, thoughtfully.
"the same! wall, he died an' left sary with nothing but funeral costs. she had to sell that measly ranch that bill held a quarter interest in to pay bills, and now she hain't got nawthin' but her health. better see sary, sam."
it was the dawn of hope for mr. brewster. since starting on his self-appointed search, he had been growing more and more despondent of success. now he urged his horse towards yellow jacket pass to find sary dodd.
after seeking at various ranches for the elusive sary, he located her. but she was not elusive looking. she was six feet in height and would tip the scales easily at two hundred pounds.
"are you widow dodd? jim sattler sent me to see if you-all would like a place to live out? we-all have company for the summer and my wife needs help," explained sam brewster.
sary beamed and exchanged polite introductions. "you-all tuk me clar off my feet, mr. brewster. yes, ah did think some of goin' in a reel good fam'ly to wuk, but nawthin' come up fer me, so ah'm visitin' the neighbors. do you-all want me immijit?"
the rancher saw that sary was over-anxious to accept his offer of a place, but he was not the man to take advantage of her in financial matters. so he replied:
"ah s'pose we ought to fix the wage, but mrs. brewster wants some one at once, and you-all can settle salary when you-all get there."
"ah've heerd tell what a square man you-all was, mr. brewster, an' now
ah knows it!" suspicious moisture filled sary's eyes as she spoke.
"ah've won a way by being honest in all my dealings, for it pays in the end. but tell me—can you come along?"
"ef you-all kin wait, ah'll tie up my bundle in a minit!" agreed sary, anxiously.
"all right! but don't waste any time packing your ball-gowns, sary," laughed mr. brewster, facetiously, as the load of trouble rolled from his heart. sary was soon perched beside the rancher on the high spring seat of the lumbering ranch-wagon, tenderly holding a half-dead rubber plant. on that drive, her host heard more of every family history of the ranchers for miles around than he had ever dreamed of knowing even if he lived to be a hundred.
sary dodd arrived at the ranch-house the day before the visitors were expected. mrs. brewster and polly were in the midst of a light house-cleaning as the strangers must not find a speck of dust anywhere!
"maw, here's sary dodd! ah got her to help!" shouted sam brewster, pulling up his horse by the side of the porch.
"sary dodd! oh, sary, i'm right glad to see you! come in, won't you?" greeted mrs. brewster, coming to the door.
"just in time, mrs. dodd, to help me shove this press in to the spare room," added polly, arresting her work to smile at the new-comer.
"give sary time to lay off her bonnet, child!" reproved mrs. brewster, pulling out a rocker for the widow.
"laws me! what'cher doin'—a-cleanin' house agin!" cried sary, leaning against the door-frame panting for breath.
"winded, sary? ah told you-all ah'd carry that heavy box from the wagon. but no!" exclaimed mr. brewster.
polly was over by the door by this time, and she stooped to carry the box indoors.
"goodness! what's in the box to make it so heavy?"
"chil', that box hol's all my treasures on arth! some few things bill lef me, our fam'iy album, an' my gran'mother's pieces of reel silver—four plated! and mos' of all, the brittania cake basket bill gave me on our annerversary!" explained sary, pathetically, as she dabbed a black cotton glove at her dewy eyes.
"sam, take the team to the barn and leave sary with us. we'll soon have her feeling at home," said mrs. brewster, seeing a frown coming over her lord and master's face, as he wondered if his home-life was to be shadowed by a sorrowing widow!
the moment mr. brewster left for the barn, his wife returned to the "help," who had plumped herself down into the wooden boston rocker and was fanning herself vigorously with a newspaper.
"let me remove your bonnet, sary," offered mrs. brewster kindly, taking the twisted black strings to undo the knot that was tightly tied under a heavy double chin.
"ah declar t' goodness, miss brewster, ef you-all hain't too good! ah'll jest set t' git my second wind, an' then ah'll tek right hol' of things!" gasped sary.
"don't hurry yourself. just cool off and then you'll feel better after such a long ride. shall i send polly to the spring-house for some cold milk?" asked the lady of the house, folding the flimsy crepe token of sary's state of widowhood.
"g'wan now, miss brewster—i'm no infant!" scoffed sary. "don' cher know a fat bein' mustn't tech milk 'cause it's more fattenin'?"
the hostess refrained from giving her opinion, but she busied herself with unpinning the rusty black plush cape that the widow had donned when she began her journey to new surroundings. being quite rested by this time, sary gripped a hold on each arm of the rocker and managed to hoist her bulky form out from the too close embrace of the senseless wooden arms.
"now ef polly er you-all 'll show me what to bunk, ah ricken ah'll change my sunday-best an' pitch inter work," said the willing help.
"polly, you drag the box in while i show sary her room," called mrs. brewster, coming to the door that opened from the living-room directly into john's chamber—now to be a guest room.
