The hornet resented the vicious slap and flew straight for Sary"s red head. She unceremoniously ducked and ran. But the insect buzzed after her with evil intent, so Sary ran for her sanctuary, slamming the screen door safely between herself and her pursuer. The audience watching beside the table laughed merrily at the rout.
At the sudden entrance of the maid into the kitchen, Mrs. Brewster asked, without looking up: "Did you place the b.u.t.ter and milk on the table, Sary?"
"It are!" from Sary, curtly.
Mrs. Brewster looked up in surprise. She saw Sary on the safe side of the screen-door glaring at the hornet, which was crawling slowly towards the crack in the opening, while buzzing threateningly, now and then.
"There"s a hornet, Sary--better drive it away before you venture out again."
"Ah are."
"Take the kettle and dash some boiling water on it. It sounds angry enough to sting."
"It am," flared Sary, as if her anger, too, was vicious enough to do as the hornet would. But she turned to get the hot water and when she returned to deluge the plague, lo! it was there no more.
"Sary, what"s wrong with you since this morning? You"ve not been civil in any way," said Mrs. Brewster, impatiently.
"Wrong e"nuff! Jeb an" m"sef havin" t" eat meals all alone in a big kitchen that"s fine e"nuff fer any one. But these fool gals is so high an" mighty they hez t" nibble at a table under the trees!" Sary"s lofty scorn was only equaled by her majestic pose, as she delivered her sentence.
"You"re wrong, Sary, we do _not_ nibble at the table--we leave that for the field-mice," corrected Mrs. Brewster, sweetly.
Sary vented an explosive "Humph!" and grabbed the meat-platter. As she left the kitchen, she sent an insulted glance at her mistress, but the recent correction in speech made her forget the hornet. The watchful insect had been sitting directly over the door, and now eagerly resumed its drive on the enemy.
Despite her resolve to be dignified and scornful, Sary had to take flight before the group seated about the table. The girls laughed. One of the maid"s loose shoes flew off during the race around the table and the hornet would have conquered her had not Mr. Brewster risen to the occasion and downed the insect with his newspaper. His heavy boot finished the career of the "Hun-net" and Sary went back to the house, picking up her shoe as she pa.s.sed its resting place.
Once more in the kitchen, she returned to the argument. "Ef it warn"t that you-all hed this comp"ny an" would be worn out in no time, alone, Ah"d pack an" git, this day!" But in her heart the widow knew horses could not drag her from such luxury as she had only recently enjoyed.
Besides, there was Jeb; he offered future possibilities of curtailing her widowhood.
While Sary delivered her opinion, Mrs. Brewster finished creaming the potatoes and now dished them up. As she started for the screen-door, she turned to the maid and said:
"Either you have a severe attack of indigestion coming on, Sary, or you are falling in love again. Both diseases present similar symptoms in their first stages."
"_Mis"_ Brewster!"
But the mistress refused to look back even though the temptation to see Sary"s face was great!
"Oh, Mis" Brewster! How kin you-all say that--so soon after Bill"s funeral, an" the expenses not all paid yit!" howled Sary, rushing to the door that her mistress might hear her lament.
But the call fell upon deaf ears. Miss Brewster deigned no reply, so Sary sat down heavily upon a strong kitchen chair and took thought for herself. How did Miss Brewster guess her half-formed idea? Had she discovered in some uncanny manner, that Sary had slyly removed Bill"s post-card photograph from her Bible and cremated it that she might feel freer to accept a second proposal of marriage--if it came?
"She coulden" hev foun" _that_ out, cuz Ah locked th" box sence then.
She mus" be one of them brain-readers by nature, Ah rickon, an" she jes" reads me like a book!"
Never dreaming of the turbulence created in Sary"s mind by her casual remark, about dyspepsia and love, Mrs. Brewster took her chair at the table. Immediately after giving thanks, the host stood up to carve the roast. Then, to the surprise of all present, it was seen that the rancher had donned his second-best black coat and had taken the trouble to wear cuffs and a starched collar.
Trying to avoid Polly"s eyes, Mrs. Brewster met the gaze of Anne. But the two understood and exchanged a fleeting glance of satisfaction and approval.
"Well, girls, did you visit Rainbow Cliffs--and how did you like them?"
asked Mr. Brewster, having finished the carving.
"Oh, they are just wonderful!" declared Eleanor.
"I hear they are very valuable," remarked Barbara.
Mr. Brewster sent her a sharp glance and then frowned at Polly. "Ah never give that a thought. There they"ve stood for ages before Sam Brewster saw them, and Ah reckon there they"ll stand for ages after Sam Brewster is dead and forgotten!"
"Not if I can coax Polly to sell enough of the loose stones to buy an automobile and go off to school!" said Eleanor, emphatically.
An annoyed look from Mr. Brewster and a surprised one from Mrs.
Brewster made Anne and Polly feel uncomfortable at Eleanor"s lack of tact. But the hostess was equal to the situation.
"Polly, who do you think came to the kitchen door to ask for you while you were at the cliffs, this morning?"
"Here--to ask for me, Mah--mother!" exclaimed Polly, in surprise.
"Yes, and she felt deeply offended because you had not asked for her health or even sent word to her by Jeb--and she so lonely after her accident, too!" Mrs. Brewster managed to express great pathos with her words.
"Oh, my darling Noddy! Mother, did she come to the door?" laughed Polly, sympathetic tears starting in her eyes at the picture called up by her mother.
"Yes, and she said it was simply inexcusable in you. She was willing to carry you anywhere you wished to go, but now she will disown you forever, unless you make peace with her, this afternoon," said Mrs.
Brewster, smiling as she saw how she had succeeded in her effort to change the thoughts and conversation of her family.
"And Jeb said he had the horses ready for you girls as soon as you wanted to try them out," added Mr. Brewster.
Dinner was dispatched hastily after this announcement, and the girls ran to don their habits. All idea of Barbara"s wiring for return-ticket money that day was forgotten as they went gayly towards the corral to try out different horses.
The entire afternoon was given over to exciting sport, as the girls, and even Mrs. Brewster, tried to outride each other about the great enclosure. Polly made Noddy happy by mounting her silky little back and whispering fond nothings in the long ears. Anne was pleased to find her Chicago friends could ride so well on the restive western horses, and both Chicago girls were surprised to find what a magnificent rider Mrs.
Brewster was. She was slowly rising in their private opinions of her.
During the following days, the girls took short rides to points of interest in Bear Forks Valley and nearby mountains. And then came Sunday. Barbara had not openly declared her satisfaction with the ranch or time spent with its people, the past week, but neither had any one heard a hint of her returning to Chicago. In fact, so much had been crowded in the days just gone by, that no moment had been found in which to _think_ of returning home. The trunks had not been opened since the habits had been removed, as there was no need for changes of costumes, and the traveling bags had contained all the girls needed for a few days.
The ranchers of the Rocky Mountains are so strict about observing the Sabbath Day, that everything pleasurable, or in the form of work, has to end at twelve o"clock Sat.u.r.day night. Every one goes to "meetin"" on Sundays, some driving a distance of twenty miles, or more. Once a month, an ordained preacher crosses the Flat Top Mountains to hold a regular service, and on other Sundays the leading ranchers read the Bible and conduct prayers.
The weather throughout summer in this section of Colorado is generally fine and clear. Should a heavy thunder storm arise, it as quickly pa.s.ses over again. The nights are cool and dewy and the days glorious and exhilarating. Hence one has no dread of foggy or prolonged rainy days as in the East.
The plan of dining under the trees had proved a good one, and as the weather remained fair, no meals had to be eaten in the kitchen since that first day.
When the family gathered about the table that Sunday morning, they all seemed cheerful and animated, but Mr. Brewster had not yet made his appearance.
"Has Mr. Brewster had breakfast so soon?" asked Anne.
"No, he has not come out yet; he is reading the Sunday lesson for his cla.s.s in School," replied Mrs. Brewster.
"Sunday School! Do you go? Where is the church?" asked Eleanor, wonderingly.
"Down at Bear Forks School-house. We use it for church, as well as for other important purposes, besides day-school," Mrs. Brewster replied, smilingly.
Soon after the girls appeared at table, Mr. Brewster came out. He said good morning in a very sedate manner that surprised the girls who were not accustomed to his Sunday manners.