"Was it not enough that the folks were too far removed from the kitchen to permit Sary to overhear what was said at table, but now they have to walk out at the Sunday door?"
So thought the widow as she left her peep-hole back of the door and stood watching from the open window by the cupboard.
Every one seemed in a pleasanter mood than that of the previous evening, and as breakfast advanced, Eleanor went so far as to ask her sister to remain at the ranch a few days, at least. And Barbara, although she would not admit it, knew the bed was exceptionally good and the breakfast most enjoyable, while the air and scenery were simply wonderful!
When Mr. Brewster came along the path leading from the barn, he stood near a lilac bush for a few moments watching the pretty group under the trees. But he couldn"t understand having breakfast outside the usual place--the kitchen!
"Is this a picnic?" asked he, at length, coming forward.
"Good morning, Paw--Father! Isn"t this fun?" cried Polly.
Mrs. Brewster and Anne exchanged glances at Polly"s error and correction, but Sam Brewster failed to notice the new term. He bowed to the three guests and smilingly took the chair his wife placed for him at the table.
While Mrs. Brewster poured his coffee, she remarked: "This is Polly"s and Anne"s idea. Isn"t it sensible--and much pleasanter than in the stuffy kitchen?"
He nodded approval and Polly felt satisfied. Then as her father sipped his fragrant coffee, she said: "Anne was just saying that I ought to show them the Rainbow Cliffs after breakfast."
"It"s so clear to-day Ah wouldn"t be surprised but what you-all will see PaG.o.da Peak and Grizzly Slide from the Cliffs, Polly," added Mr.
Brewster.
"If we can, they"ll like it; it"s a wonderful sight, Anne, with the sun shining on the snow-capped crests," explained Polly.
"And then you can take them over there some day, Polly. A good lunch can be packed into Choko"s panniers, and with sure-footed horses the ride will be most delightful," added Mrs. Brewster.
"Maw, you can go, too. You agreed to take things easy, you know,"
reminded her husband.
"Oh, Sam! Riding over the Flat Top Mountains would be the hardest work for me, these days!" laughed Mrs. Brewster.
"Pshaw now! You used to ride better than any cow-boy in these parts, and you can"t tell me those days are past," argued Mr. Brewster, dropping the habit of using western terms in his eagerness.
"I"ve heard of Mrs. Brewster"s famous riding," now chimed in Anne.
"She can ride better"n Pa--Father, or any one I ever saw!" Polly maintained.
Mrs. Brewster shook her head in a vain effort to discourage such praise, then she turned to the Maynard girls, saying: "Do you understand western horses? They are rather difficult at times, you know."
"We ride daily when in Chicago," said Barbara, boastfully.
"But city horses are mere nags, Bob. These half-wild animals accustomed to roaming the plains, are something worth while, you will find,"
laughed Anne.
"I"d advise your going to the corral and having Jeb try out the horses for you, before you undertake any long jaunt," suggested Mrs. Brewster.
"We can visit the Cliffs this morning, and try riding this afternoon,"
added Polly eagerly.
"Then Bob and I will have to get our habits from one of the trunks in the barn," said Eleanor.
"Bob and you run along and do that while Polly and I make the beds and clear away the breakfast," ventured Anne, looking at Mrs. Brewster.
Barbara seemed as interested as any one.
So Barbara and Eleanor followed Mr. Brewster to the barn to point out the trunk they wanted to open, while Polly cleared the table and Mrs.
Brewster went with Anne to make the beds. As they worked in the guest-room, they exchanged confidences about the two visitors.
"It seems the lovely morning has had a salutary effect on Barbara"s feelings regarding Pebbly Pit," ventured Anne.
"I hope so," replied Mrs. Brewster, diffidently.
"You see, Eleanor is broad-minded--more like her father, but Bob takes too much after her mother to adapt herself readily to such a radical change as a ranch," continued Anne, apologetically.
"Eleanor appears to be a nice girl."
"Bob will shortly be as satisfied as Nolla, but she just can"t let go of herself and her foolish training in a minute. If we have a few pleasant outings to show her how really wonderful the country is, she will open out in her natural sweet self."
"It certainly isn"t a pleasant surprise, to expect a modern fashionable Summer Resort and then find a forgotten nook in the pit of an extinct volcano," laughed Mrs. Brewster, humorously.
"Yes, Bob was terribly upset last night. I fancy she was regretting those seven trunks filled with expensive clothes," added Anne, smiling at the remembrance.
"I can"t but wonder that such a sensible girl as you seem to be, can be so fond of a girl so different from you in every way," remarked Mrs.
Brewster, looking Anne in the eyes.
Anne flushed. "When you know her as I do, you will see that she really is not sn.o.bbish, but only a.s.sumes it. As I said, she is the result of silly training by a society mother. I have seen the genuine nature buried by habits and I am willing to help her bring it out to establish it permanently. Nolla will develop herself, if she is allowed to express herself without constant ridicule or reprimands. This summer ought to do wonders for both those girls."
Mrs. Brewster showed her approval by nodding her head affirmatively at Anne.
"You had ample time to study the two girls last winter when they were in Denver, I suppose," suggested Mrs. Brewster.
"Yes, I was with them most of the time, and the result of the erroneous influence over Bob was always noticeable after a short visit from Mrs.
Maynard. She only visited her daughters twice in the eight months, but it was generally so unpleasant a time for every one, that we were relieved that she had too many social engagements to come oftener."
Anne bent down to tuck in the sheets as she spoke so frankly concerning her friends" mother.
"But I must not disparage Mrs. Maynard in your eyes--you may find in her many fine qualities that have been hidden from me," quickly added Anne, fearing she had given her hostess a wrong idea.
"Perhaps they are hidden very deep."
Anne laughed. "Mr. Maynard is just splendid. He is so _human! He_ must have found the good qualities in his wife, and she, doubtless, permitted herself to be misled by vain aspirations to reach a social height offered by her husband"s success in business."
"Love is blind, Anne. When a man fancies himself in love with a pretty girl, he seldom seeks for lasting qualities or a strong character. He accepts the transitory beauty as the real thing and wakes up, too late, to find he entertained a dream."
"I think you and I feel alike in this problem; my friends laugh at my--what they call--unreasonable opinions on marriage," said Anne, eagerly inviting a discussion with Mrs. Brewster.
"Some other day, Anne. We still have the task before us of acclimating the city girls," laughed Mrs. Brewster, taking Anne by the arm and leading her from the room.
CHAPTER VIII