"I s"pose the story"ll go all over the country and make me ridic"lous,"
he said, gloomily. Feeling the corners of his mouth tenderly: "I thought at first I"d choke to death before I"d let anybody see me. What I"ll do to that cook," his eyes gleaming, "won"t stand repeatin". And if anybody dast say "teeth" to me----"
"Whatever made you do it?"
Too angry for finesse, Pinkey replied bluntly:
"I done it fer you. I thought you"d like me better if I had teeth, and now I s"pose you can"t ever look at me without laughin"."
Miss Eyester flipped a bit of plaster from his shirtsleeve with her thumb and finger.
"I wouldn"t do anything to hurt your feelings, ever."
"Never?"
"Never."
"Then don"t you go ridin" again with that old gummer."
"Do you care, really?" shyly.
"I"ll tell the world I do!"
Miss Eyester fibbed without a pang of conscience:
"I never dreamed it."
"I thought you wouldn"t look at anybody unless they had money--you bein"
rich "n" ever"thing."
"In the winter I earn my living cataloguing books in a public library. I hate it."
Pinkey laid an arm about her thin shoulders.
"Say, what"s the chanct of gittin" along with you f"rever an" ever?"
"Pretty good," replied Miss Eyester, candidly.
CHAPTER XXII
"KNOCKING "EM FOR A CURVE"
It had been put to a vote as to whether the party should make the trip through the Yellowstone Park by motor, stopping at the hotels, or on horseback with a camping outfit.
Mr. Stott, after the persuasive manner in which he addressed a jury, argued:
"We can ride in automobiles at home. That is no novelty. Than horseback riding, there is no more healthful exercise. We are all agreed that we have had enough of hotels, while camping will be a new and delightful experience. In the brief period that we shall lie next to nature"s heart we will draw strength from her bosom. By camping, we can loaf along in leisurely fashion, taking our own time for seeing the wonders of the Yellowstone, and fishing."
The programme he outlined was so sensible and attractive that everybody was in favour of it strongly except old Mr. Penrose, who declared that sleeping on the ground would give him rheumatism, and the fear that bugs would crawl in his ears made him restless. Mr. Stott, however, overcame his objection by a.s.suring him that the ground was too dry to give any one rheumatism and he could provide himself with cotton against the other contingency.
The outlook for a successful trip from every viewpoint was most promising, yet there were moments when Wallie had his doubts and misgivings. He supposed that it was his experience in dry-farming which had made him pessimistic concerning all untried ventures. Certainly it had destroyed his beautiful, child-like faith in the teaching that the hairs of his head were numbered and no harm could come to him. He had noticed that everyone who ever had dry-farmed carried the scars afterward. It was an unforgettable experience, like a narrow escape from lynching.
Pinkey, on the contrary, had no sombre thoughts to disturb him. He was filled with boundless enthusiasm; though this condition was chronic since he had become engaged to Miss Eyester.
Pinkey, in love, was worse than useless. Escorting Miss Eyester was now his regular business, with dude wrangling reduced to a side issue.
Therefore it had devolved upon Wallie to buy teepees, extra bedding, food, and the thousand and one things necessary to comfort when camping.
It all had been accomplished finally, and the day came when the caravan was drawn up beside the Prouty House ready to start toward the Yellowstone.
A delighted populace blocked the sidewalk while they awaited the appearance of Miss Gaskett"s friend, Miss Mercy Lane, who had arrived on a night train according to arrangement.
The cavalcade, if not imposing, was at least arresting. No one could pa.s.s it yawning. There was no one who had come to see the party start who did not feel repaid for the effort.
First, there was Mr. Hicks, driving four horses and the "grub-wagon,"
and leading the procession. He handled the lines with an aplomb reminiscent of the coaching days of Reginald Vanderbilt, together with the n.o.ble bearing of the late Ben Hur tooling his chariot. Mr. Hicks dignified the "grub-wagon" to such an extent that it was a treat to look at him.
Second in place was Pinkey, driving the tent-and-bed-wagon, with Miss Eyester on the high spring-seat beside him. Behind Pinkey came "Red"
McGonnigle, driving a surrey provided for those who should become fatigued with riding horseback. The vehicle, like the stage-coach, was a bargain, sold cheaply by the original owner because of the weakness of the springs, which permitted the body to hit the axle when any amount of weight was put in it. This was a discovery they made after purchase.
Aunt Lizzie Philbrick was the only pa.s.senger, though it was antic.i.p.ated that Miss Mercy Lane would prefer to drive also, since she had had no previous riding.
Behind the surrey was the riding party, even more startling than when they had first burst upon Wallie in their bead-work and curio-store trappings. Mr. Stott was wearing a pair of "chaps" spotted like a pinto, while Mr. Budlong in flame-coloured angora at a little distance looked as if his legs were afire.
Their ponies peered out shamefacedly through brilliant, penitentiary-made, horse-hair bridles, and old Mr. Penrose was the envy of everybody in a greasy, limp-brimmed Stetson he had bought from a freighter. Also he had acquired a pair of 22-inch, "eagle"s bill"
tapaderas. He looked like a mounted pirate, and, in his evil moments, after sleeping badly, he acted like one.
Everyone was in high spirits and eager to get started. Mr. Stott surrept.i.tiously spurred his horse to make him cavort more spiritedly before the spectators, and the horse responded in such a manner that the rising young attorney was obliged to cling with both hands to the saddle-horn.
When he came back, slightly paler, Wallie said curtly:
"You don"t need spurs on that horse."
"I"m the best judge of that," Stott retorted.
Wallie said nothing further, for at the moment the crowd parted to permit the pa.s.sing of the newcomer from Zanesville, Ohio.
As he saw her, Wallie felt willing to renew his promise to Miss Gaskett not to fall in love with her. Wallie was a charitable soul, and chivalrous, but he could not but think that Miss Mercy, who was a trained nurse, must have changed greatly since she and Miss Gaskett were school-girls.
She wore a masculine hat with a quill in it and a woollen skirt that bagged at the knees like trousers. Her hair was thin at the temples, and she wore gold gla.s.ses astride her long, "foxy" nose. Although no average cake would have held the candles to which Miss Mercy"s birthdays ent.i.tled her, she was given to "middy" blouses and pink sweaters.
"Merce has such a unique personality that I am sure you are going to enjoy her," beamed Miss Gaskett in presenting Wallie.
Wallie murmured that he had no doubt of it, and boosted Miss Mercy into the surrey.
With nothing further to detain them, Mr. Hicks swung his lash and the four went off at a gallop, with the cooking utensils in the rear rattling so that it sounded like a runaway milk-wagon.
He had been instructed to drive ahead and select a suitable place for the noon-day luncheon in order that everything should be in readiness upon their arrival, but to the others Wallie had suggested that they ride and drive more slowly to save the horses.