TELEGRAMS
Although the children were greatly interested in all they saw, nothing of
an unusual nature had occurred, when, early one morning they reached
Chicago.
The kindly conductor directed them to the other train that would bear
them to their destination, assuring them that on it, also, they would be
guests of Mr. Bethel.
The four young people were standing on the outer edge of the hurrying
throng, gazing about them with interest (as several hours would elapse
before the departure of the west-bound train), when Jane was sure that
she heard their name being called through a megaphone.
"It's that man in uniform over by the gates. He's calling 'Telegram for
Jane Abbott!'" Gerald told her. "May I go get it, Dan? May I?"
The older boy nodded and the younger pushed through the crowd, the others
following more slowly. Very quickly Gerald returned, waving two yellow
envelopes. One was a night letter from Marion Starr. Tearing it open,
Jane read:
"Dearest friend: As soon as I received your message I telephoned your
father, knowing that he could explain much more than you could in ten
words. What you are doing makes me love you more than I did before, if
that is possible. My one wish is that I, too, might go West. I like
mountains far better than I do fashionable summer resorts. Will write.
Your
Merry."
The other telegram contained a short message, but Jane looked up with
tears in her eyes as she said: "It is from father and just for me."
Dan smiled down at her and asked no questions. The few words were: "Thank
you, daughter, for your self-sacrifice. Now I know that Dan will get
well."
But their father did not know how serious Dan believed his condition to
be.
"And he shall not," the girl decided, "not until I have good news to
send."
As soon as they were seated in the train that was to take them the rest
of the journey, Jane said anxiously: "Dan, dear, aren't you trying too
hard to keep up? You look so very weak and weary. Let's have the porter
make up the lower berth, even though it is still daytime. You need a long
rest."
Dan shook his head, though he pressed her arm tenderly, but a coughing
spell racked his body when he tried to speak. The conductor on the Rock
Island was more practical than their former friend, but not more kindly.
He motioned Jane to one side.
"Miss Abbott," he said, "there is a drawing-room vacant. Bride and groom
were to have had it, but the order has been canceled. Since you are
friends of Mr. Bethel, I'm going to put you all in there. It will be more
comfortable, and you can turn in any time you wish."
Jane's gratitude was sincerely expressed. It would give Dan just the
opportunity he needed to rest, and the lad, nothing loath, permitted Jane
to have her way. How elated the children were when they found that they
were to travel in a room quite by themselves. That evening they went to
the diner alone, but Gerald was not as pleased as was his sister.
"I should think you'd be tickled pink," Julie said, inelegantly, "to be
able to order anything you choose and not have Jane peering at what you
write."
The boy replied dismally: "I can't be much pleased about anything. Don't
you know, Jane's staying with Dan 'cause she thinks he's too weak to come
out here? I heard her ask the porter to have their dinners brought in
there. Julie, you and I'll have to keep quieter if we want to help Dan
get well. He's sicker than he was when we started. I can see that easy."
The small girl was at once remorseful.
"I'm so glad you told me," she said with tears in her dark violet eyes.
"I've just been thinking what a lot of fun we're having. I've been worse
selfish than Jane was."
Seeing that her lips were quivering, Gerald said consolingly: "No, you
haven't, either. Anyhow, I think Dan's just tired out. He'll be lots
better in the morning. You see if he isn't."
But when Dan awakened in the morning he was no better.
During the afternoon, that their brother might try to sleep, the
conductor suggested that Julie and Gerald go out on the observation
platform.
"Is it quite safe for them out there alone?" Dan inquired.
"They will not be alone," was the reply. "I'll put them in the care of
Mr. Packard, with whom I am acquainted, as he frequently travels over
this line."
Julie had been very eager to ride on the observation platform, but Jane
had not wished to go outside because of the dust and cinders which she
was sure she would encounter, but now that the small girl was actually
going, she could hardly keep from skipping down the aisle as she followed
the conductor with Gerald as rear guard.
There was only one occupant of the observation platform, and to Gerald's
delight, he wore the wide brimmed Stetson hat which the boy had often
seen on the screen.
"I'll bet yo' he's a cattle-man. I bet yo' he is!" Gerry gleefully
confided to his small sister while their guide said a few words to the
Westerner. Then, turning, the conductor beckoned to them.
The stranger arose and held out a strong brown hand to assist the little
girl to a chair at his side.
"How do you do, Julie and Gerald?" he said, including them both in his
friendly smile. Julie bobbed a little curtsy, but Gerald's attempt at
manners was rudely interrupted by the necessity of seizing his cap.
"We have to watch out for our hats," the stranger cautioned, "for now and
then we are visited by a miniature whirlwind."
Gerald was almost bursting with eagerness. "Oh, I say, Mr. Packard," he
blurted out, "aren't you a reg'lar--er--I mean a reg'lar----" The boy
grew red and embarrassed, and so Julie went to his aid with, "Mr.
Packard, Gerry thinks maybe you're a cow-man rancher like we've seen in
the moving pictures."
The bronzed face of the middle-aged man wrinkled in a good-natured smile.
"I am the owner of a cattle-ranch fifteen miles from Redfords," he told
them.
This information so delighted the boy that Julie was afraid he would
bounce right over the rail.
"Gee-golly! That's where we're going--Redfords is! Our daddy owns a cabin
way up high on Mystery Mountain."
The man looked puzzled. "Mystery Mountain," he repeated thoughtfully. "I
don't seem to recall having heard of it."
Then practical little Julie put in: "Oh, Mr. Packard, that isn't its
really-truly name. Our daddy called it that 'cause there's a lost mine on
it and Dad said it was a mystery where it went to."
The man's face brightened.
"O-ho! Then you must mean Redfords' Peak. That mine was found and lost
again before I bought the Green Hills Ranch. Quite a long while ago that
was."
Gerry nodded agreement. "Yep. Dan, our big brother is most twenty-one and
he hadn't been born yet." Then the boy's face saddened as he confided:
"Dan's sick. He's got a dreadful cough. That's why we're going to Dad's
cabin in the Rockies."
"Our doctor said the al-te-tood would make him well," Julie explained,
stopping after each syllable of the long word and saying it very
thoughtfully.
Gerald looked up eagerly. "Do you think it will, Mr. Packard? Do you
think Dan will get well?"
The older man's reply was reassuring: "Of course he will. Our Rocky
Mountain air is a tonic that gives new life to everyone. Are you three
traveling alone?"
Julie and Gerald solemnly shook their heads, and the small girl, in
childish fashion, put a finger on her lips as though to keep from saying
something which she knew she ought not. It was Gerald who replied: "Our
big sister Jane is with us." The boy said no more, but Mr. Packard was
convinced that, devoted as the youngsters were to Dan, Jane, for some
reason, was not very popular with them.
Then, as he did not wish to pry into their family affairs, the genial
rancher pointed out and described to fascinated listeners the many things
of interest which they were passing.
The afternoon sped quickly and even when the dinner hour approached the
children were loath to leave their new friend.
"Me and Julie have to eat alone," the small boy began, but, feeling a
nudge, he looked around to see his sister's shocked little mouth forming
a rebuking O! and so, with a shake of his head, he began again: "I mean
Julie and I eat alone, and gee-golly, don't I wish we could sit at your
table, Mr. Packard. Don't I though!"
"The pleasure would be mine," the man, who was much amused with the
children, replied. Then, after naming an hour to meet in the diner, the
youngsters darted away and Mr. Packard laughed merrily.
It was quite evident that some one of their elders had often rebuked them
for putting "me" at the beginning of a sentence, he decided as he also
arose and went within.
Meanwhile Julie and Gerald had quietly opened the door of the
drawing-room, and, finding Dan alone, they told him with great gusto
about their new friend. "Mr. Packard says he's a really-truly neighbor of
ours," Gerry said. "How can he be a neighbor if he lives fifteen miles
away?"
"I don't know, Gerald, but I suppose that he does," Dan replied. "I would
like to meet your new friend. I'll try to be up tomorrow."