It was a bright November morning three years later that two heavily
loaded automobiles were tearing their way along the Scenic Highway that
had been constructed from St. Paul to Seattle. Each car contained three
passengers besides the drivers, and piled high on the running boards and
strapped on the back of each car was the baggage and camp equipment of
the party.
At a point in the desert along the eastern boundary of which the Highway
ran, it paralleled the railway, and ran thus for several miles, and was
intercepted by roads leading from homes that could be seen farther back
across the sagebrush covered plain. These homes were not numerous, but
each in the bright sunlight that caused the shimmering, dancing mirage
to hover over the patches of dark green alfalfa and orchards that
surrounded them, showed the tourists plainly that the conquest of the
desert, in some instances, had been accomplished.
On this particular morning, a wagon, drawn by four splendid horses and
loaded high with bales of alfalfa that still retained the green of the
field from which it had been cut, so perfect had been the process of
curing, was being driven from one of these homes by a man by whose side
sat a chubby faced boy of some eight or nine years.
The wagon had just turned into the highway a short distance ahead of the
rapidly moving cars, and as they approached with their horn coughing a
dusty warning, the driver drew out to one side to await their passing.
The first car rushed by and disappeared in a cloud of dust, and the one
in the rear, seeing the trouble the driver was having with his now
thoroughly frightened team, came along beside the wagon more slowly and
asked if they could be of assistance in straightening out the tangled
horses.
Travis Gully, for it was he and Joe who were on the wagon, said if
someone would go to the head of the leaders until he could get down, he
thought he could manage them until the car had gone by. One of the men
sprang from the car and was advancing to seize the horses bridles, when
looking up, he stopped short for an instant and reaching his hand up to
Gully, exclaimed, "Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Gully. How are you?"
Travis Gully, taking his attention from the horses which had now quieted
down since the car had stopped, looked at the man on the ground for an
instant, and bursting into a laugh as he recognized Thomas Dugan the
surveyor, he half climbed and half fell from the wagon, and grasped
Dugan by the hand and shook it cordially.
By this time another occupant of the car, who proved to be Mr. Palmer,
came forward, and after greeting Gully, inquired as to the health of the
rest of the family. Upon being assured that they were doing nicely, Mr.
Palmer said, "I am certainly glad to hear it. We will probably be out
your way tomorrow. We left Spokane early this morning and are going
through to Wenatchee for lunch. The owners of the land you cleared are
in the car that just passed."
Dugan had helped Joe from the wagon, and was commenting on his growth,
when Mr. Palmer asked Gully if they could assist him with his horses, if
not they would go on as they wished to overtake the other car in the
village just ahead.
Gully assured him that he could manage the team, and with the promise
that "we will see you tomorrow or the next day," Mr. Palmer and Dugan
entered the car, and proceeded on their journey.
Travis Gully watched them as they disappeared down the road in a cloud
of dust, and wondered what motive could be bringing them back to the
land on which they had already lost so heavily, but, with the hope that
they probably had some information relative to the irrigation project
that had now almost become a forgotten subject, he placed Joe back on
the wagon and climbing back to his own seat, spoke to the horses and
drove on to the village, with his load of hay.
Travis Gully had prospered, and his dream of a home just as he wanted
it, was fully realized. He had not developed all of his land, because
the original forty acres upon which he had pumped water from his well,
had proven so productive that it was more than he could handle alone, so
he did not see the necessity of developing more.
His home, as it was, seemed an ideal place. The trees which he had
planted at the root of which he had buried tin cans, were now affording
ample shade and serving the purpose of a wind break for his house--not
that the wind had any terror for him now. It did not harm him now as he
had mastered the situation and was reaping the reward of his
perseverence.
He could now gratify his cherished ambition for nice horses and his
alfalfa fields and paddocks were the play grounds for some beautiful
colts he was raising. Numerous cattle roamed at large over the open
sagebrush range, and fattened on the succulent bunch grass, coming daily
to the Gully home for water. They all bore the Gully brand and were a
source of income to him.
His wife and family were happy, and retained their health as all those
who lived in this favored country did. Ida was now a finished young
lady. She had gone to school in one of the coast cities, a school, the
selection of which had been left to Miss Anderson, who had accompanied
her during her first term.
Jack Norton had fulfilled his threat made the morning after the storm
three years before, to install a pumping plant on his place, and under
the guidance of Gully was doing well. Miss Anderson, though never having
put down a well, was residing on her claim, and with what she earned
teaching the little school, was comfortable and happy. The main source
of her happiness, however, was in watching the course of the lives of
Jack and Ida, there was no longer any doubt or secret of their devotion
to each other. It had come about as naturally as the other changes had
come, and was looked upon as a matter of course. There had been no
ardent wooing, no rivals with which to contend, just a companionship
that had grown dearer as the year passed, and the time for its final
culmination in a marriage had been set for the coming Holiday season.
Minnie Gully was happy. She had never known that such happiness was
possible. She only asked for one other blessing and that was that her
parents would come and share their home. She and Travis had written
repeatedly, making this request, but always the same answer came from
the old people. They felt that they were too old to make the change, and
wanted to spend their remaining days among the surroundings they had
known so long.
When Travis Gully returned from the village on the evening of the day
that he had come so unexpectedly upon Mr. Palmer and Dugan as they were
passing in the car, he eagerly told of what had happened, and upon his
telling his listening family of their intended visit to the company's
land within the next few days, they all expressed their satisfaction at
the changed conditions that would enable them to extend to the visitors
the hospitality that they had been denied on their former visit.
Mrs. Gully and Ida, with true feminine instinct, immediately began to
plan, and offer suggestions for the most befitting way in which to
entertain. In this they were at a disadvantage, as they did not know
whether they intended to make a visit of several days, or would return
immediately after looking over the land. In any event, they decided that
they would prepare for them one splendid meal, the material used in the
preparation of this meal should be from the products of their desert
home, and with an unlimited supply of fresh eggs, young and tender
fowls, vegetables and milk and butter, the feast promised to be a
bounteous one.
In the mean time Joe had recalled the fact that Mr. Dugan promised him a
ride in the automobile, an experience he had never enjoyed, and he was
excitedly telling his sisters how much faster it ran than Daisy his pony
could go.
The morning after Gully had brought the news of the probable coming of
the party he went to Jack Norton's to acquaint him of the fact and he
and Jack discussed the probable cause of their visit, and agreed that it
must be for the purpose of irrigation, as they had never attempted to
cultivate the land since the first year that had proven such a dismal
failure. So they decided to get together that evening and prepare a
concise statement of their experiences and methods that would contain
all the information for which the land owners would probably ask.
For Gully and Norton this would be a comparatively easy task, for they
had kept an accurate record of the items that effected the peculiar
conditions in the locality in which they lived, and had applied them in
a manner that had been very largely responsible for the success they had
attained. The accumulation of this data, such as the varieties of seed
to be used, time for planting and the conditions under which water
should be applied to the land had been brought about by the
introduction into their literary society, which still held regular
meetings, of the reading weekly of a paper prepared by some homesteader
as an educational feature.
Miss Anderson was also told of the return to the neighborhood of Mr.
Palmer and Mr. Dugan, and returned from school with the children that
afternoon to learn more of their coming.
And when young Norton drove over to the Gully home after supper that
evening, his arrival completed the circle of faces that had gathered at
the same place on the day of the surveyors departure three years before,
and the thought that was uppermost in the minds of those present was:
"What will they think of the change that has been wrought?"
It was agreed that should the party of visitors arrive the following
day, and their arrival could be plainly noted from both the school house
and Norton's home, Jack was to come over immediately and Miss Anderson
was to accompany the children home. After plans for their reception had
been completed, Jack with Miss Anderson accompanying him in his buggy,
left the Gullys, and after seeing her safely home, the night being fine,
Jack drove for several miles along the dusty road in the bright
moonlight, and as he allowed the horse to choose his own gait, he took
no notice of his surroundings or the distance he had come.
He wondered to himself what motive had prompted his actions, he might
have remained at Gully's and spent a happy hour or more with Ida and
plan for the future with her, as was their custom when together. But
tonight he wanted to be alone.
The announcement of the unexpected return of Palmer and Dugan had
recalled his experience with these men on the first day they had met at
the hotel and he smiled as he thought of the opportunity it had afforded
him to match wits with them, and the satisfaction he had derived from
the occurrence.
Since their departure he had not allowed his mind to be diverted from
his one purpose, the subduing of the desert sands and the forcing of the
land to yield as his analysis of it had proven it capable of doing. He
had, on two occasions during the past two years, accompanied the
Professor on a trip to the Grand Coulee and had spent days of delightful
research that had resulted in more firmly convincing him that the
country as a whole was a wonderland.
But this night, while alone on the desert, driving aimlessly along a
most miserable road, his mind would dwell on his old home, on his past,
and his old Dad, whose only child he was, of how he had left and had now
for over four years, kept his whereabouts a secret, just to satisfy a
hastily made resolve to make proper restitution for a boyish prank. Now
that he was in a position to make good this resolution, another factor
had come into his life--Ida Gully.
At the thought of Ida, Norton's blood tingled, and tightening up his
reins suddenly, stopped his horse. "I am foolish," he said to himself.
"I must return and get some rest," and turning his horses head toward
home, thought how proudly he would stand by Ida's side and receive
congratulations of Palmer and Dugan for they should know of their
engagement, and he would watch with pleasure, the expressions of
astonishment their faces would betray when they noted the stately
bearing she had acquired, and heard with what grace and ease of manner
she acknowledged their expressed wishes for her future happiness.
Reaching his home Jack cared for his horse, and going into the house saw
that it was almost midnight. He smiled and said, "Quite a visit I have
had with myself," and lost no time in retiring.
Owing to the expected arrival of the strangers and the part he was to
have in their entertainment, Jack had not planned any work for the
morrow, so he lay and rested the following morning, much longer than was
his custom. Upon arising, he went leisurely about preparing his
breakfast. After eating he attended to his horses, and left the barn
door open so that all except his driver could go at will into the
alfalfa field. Returning to the house he dressed more carefully than
usual, for he realized that the Gullys, whose real guest he was to be on
this occasion, would put forth exceptional efforts in honor of the
strangers arrival. His toilet completed to his satisfaction, he
concluded that he would drive over to Gullys, in advance of the arrival
of the party, and have an opportunity to explain to Ida his hasty
departure of the night before, feeling that his appearance a little
ahead of time would not be a breech of etiquette under the
circumstances.
Upon his arrival at the Gully home, he found the family assembled out in
the yard, looking in the direction of the village a few miles out from
which, along the Scenic Highway could be distinctly seen the dust being
raised in clouds by two moving objects.
Travis Gully turned at Jack's approach and pointed in the direction of
the moving objects, and remarked: "Guess they are coming, all right."
Jack answered that he supposed it was them, and bidding Mrs. Gully and
Ida good-morning, approached Ida, and taking her by the hand led her
into the house.
Gully upon noticing that Jack had left his horse tied where the
automobiles would probably be driven, and fearing that he might become
frightened, took him to the barn, and after seeing that he was cared
for, was just returning to the house as the first of the cars came up
the driveway that led to his gate.
Gully went out to meet them and recognizing Palmer and Dugan as the
occupants beside whom a stranger sat. As they drove up and greeted him
and introduced the third member of the party, Gully invited them to get
out and await the arrival of the other car, and then go into the house.
This they did, and as the driver of the car prepared to move ahead to
make room, he, through force of habit no doubt, sounded his horn.
Jack Norton, who was still in the house, was startled by the familiar
sound of the auto horn. It was the first intimation of their arrival he
had been given, so busy was he talking to Mrs. Gully and Ida. Being
anxious to greet Mr. Palmer and Dugan, he asked the ladies to excuse him
and went immediately out to the group of men who had now entered the
yard. Recognizing his acquaintances he approached them with outstretched
hand and was laughing and chatting. As the second car drove up and
stopped, he turned slightly and seeing Gully approach to welcome them,
continued his conversation with Dugan.
The clicking of the latch on the gate, after the party had entered,
reminded him that it was time for him to meet the new comer, and as he
started to turn, someone remarked: "You have a nice place here, Mr.
Gully." Jack Norton's face blanched, and the words of greeting stuck in
his throat, for just one instant, and turning quickly around with a cry
of "Dad," stood face to face with his father.
The elder Norton stopped as if paralyzed, but instantly recovering
exclaimed, "Jack, my boy," seized Jack in his arms and pressing his head
back, the father brushed Jack's hat from his head and pushing his hair
back, began rumpling and towseling it, just as he was wont to do when
Jack was a small boy. Then recovering himself, glanced behind him as if
in search of some thing, and simply said, "I must sit down."
Jack Norton and Mr. Palmer assisted the old gentleman to the house,
where they were met by Mrs. Gully and Ida, who had witnessed the meeting
of Jack and his father, but not understanding the meaning of the strange
proceedings, had started to come out, thinking something was wrong. They
had only reached the door when they met Jack and Mr. Palmer, and
returned to prepare a comfortable place for the stricken old gentleman
they were supporting between them.
Ida, immediately sensing that the occurrence had in some way materially
affected Jack went, as soon as the old gentleman was comfortably seated,
to Jack, and placing her hand upon his shoulder, inquired what was
wrong. Jack laughingly assured her and told her that everything was far
from being wrong, that the old gentleman was his father, and that they
had met by the merest chance, adding that he would explain in a few
moments, as soon as he was assured that his father was all right.
Mrs. Gully hastily secured a glass of cold water, which revived the old
gentleman, and the rest of the party came in with Travis Gully and Mr.
Dugan. Introductions immediately followed the entrance into the room of
the strangers, and as Mr. Norton had sufficiently recovered to be able
to arise, he went to where Jack and Ida were standing, and with an
amused twinkle in his eyes asked of his son: "Am I entitled to an
introduction to this estimable young lady, Jack?" Jack was plainly
embarrassed by his thoughtlessness in not having taken Ida to his father
at first, and introduced his father to her, with apologies for his
oversight.
The occurrence had taken place in so short a time and so unexpectedly
that the importance of it, except to Jack and his father, had not had
time to impress those present.
Travis Gully was at a loss to understand the situation, but felt sure
that an explanation would be given in due time. His wife's greatest
concern was that the excellent dinner which she had prepared for the
expected guests was in a fair way of being spoiled by the delay caused
by the occurrence. The simple fact of Jack and his father having met
after an extended separation did not impress her as being very
extraordinary. As for Ida, she realized fully the meaning of the
happening, but did not take into account the probable effect it would
have on the future as far as she and Jack were concerned. She had
noticed, however, that Jack had introduced her to his father as Miss
Gully instead of Ida, and in her simplicity she had not known that he
had but conformed to the usages of polite society. She had never heard
him speak of her as Miss Gully except in jest, and she was annoyed.
The party of strangers, accompanied by Gully and Jack, the latter
clinging to his father's arm, had again gone out in the yard and were
admiring the beautiful scenery of the mountains that could be seen at an
advantage at the noon hour under the bright glare of the fall sunlight.
Jack and his father stood apart from the rest, and Jack was pointing
with apparent pride in the direction of his place, while his father
stood in an attitude of listening to his evident enthusiasm.