_CASA GRANDE_
The soft, tinkling ripple of a fountain in that interior court added to
a feeling of unreality. It was a stage set for a play. Palm trees and
many flowering plants grew in profusion and The Merriweather Girls,
unused to the luxuriant verdure of the south, stood looking about them
in surprise.
Even Kit was astonished, for Casa Grande had been neglected for years
before Judge Breckenridge had bought it and restored its beauty.
Enid's face shone with happiness. She was the first to speak. "Isn't
it glorious!" she cried as she clasped her hands together. "Just think
of being miles and miles away in the desert and having a place like
this. It's like a miracle! I love it!"
"Who wouldn't?" laughed Joy. "You are a lucky girl, Enid. You simply
can't appreciate it!"
"Can't I?" Enid smiled as she gave a little sigh.
Joy noticed the wistful look and hastened to add: "Of course you
appreciate it, Enid. I'm just envious, that's all."
Bet was so moved by the loveliness of the garden that tears stood in
her eyes. "I'd like to stay here always," she said with a catch in her
voice.
"Do you mean it, Bet?" asked Joy. "I think it's great, of course, but
it's too much like a hothouse to suit me. I wouldn't think of living
here forever."
At that moment they were interrupted by the silent appearance of Tang,
the Chinese cook. A tea wagon was being wheeled in by two young
Chinese boys, Tang himself being too dignified to help in the serving.
When he wanted to give an order to his boys he clapped his hands and
they responded as quickly as if he delivered his command in a loud
voice.
Tea was served in small Chinese bowls with preserved fruits, ginger and
wafer-like cakes. A bland smile covered the face of Tang as he glided
softly about the veranda; a well satisfied air expressed his content
with life. He motioned to the boys to place a stool here and another
there beside the chairs. These were to be used as tables.
"Some service!" whispered Shirley in Bet's ear. "Don't you love it?"
"I feel like a million dollars--or maybe two!" answered Bet.
The old professor seemed quite at ease. He accepted the attention of
the servants without the least surprise or embarrassment over his
soiled clothes.
The honking of an auto horn announced the arrival of the second car.
Somewhere during the trip the silent Judge seemed to have lost much of
his reserve. He hailed Tang as if he were an old friend, and the
dignified Chinaman placed the pillows on a reclining chair which
awaited Mrs. Breckenridge, as the Judge carried her into the patio.
The invalid might have been a child, so easily did the tall man lift
her and move her from place to place.
"How lovely this is!" the woman cried. "I'm sure I'll get well now. I
believe all the peace in the world is right here."
Enid was standing beside her mother, arranging and rearranging the
pillows to make sure that the invalid was comfortable.
"Of course you'll get well," laughed the Judge. "Before long you'll be
busting broncos, as Kit says. You can't help but feel better in this
glorious air," he said, stroking her thin hand.
The woman smiled at the happy faces about her then her eyes rested
hungrily on her daughter. Her heart had not yet been satisfied, she
was eager to make up to that daughter for the years of separation.
The Judge had owned the ranch for three years, but this was the first
visit his wife had made to it. The doctors had tried to persuade her
to leave the Long Island home where the memories of her lost daughter
surrounded her, but she had clung to the place, always waiting, always
expecting the child to be returned.
She had had a long wait, but happiness had come at last. And in
finding Enid, they had found The Merriweather Girls, those four chums
that had crept into their hearts.
Tang was once more gliding about the veranda, following after the boys
to see that tea was served properly. And when a sudden shaft of
sunlight struck across the face of the sick woman, Tang clapped his
hands sharply once more and the boys ran to his side. As the older man
indicated the chair, the boys picked it up gently and carried it to a
shaded spot. Not a word had been spoken.
"Service!" chuckled Joy. "That's service!"
Shirley was already busy with her camera. She had it pointed toward
the invalid's chair.
"Don't take a picture of me, yet, Shirley," exclaimed Mrs.
Breckenridge. "Wait a few weeks until I am well."
But Enid interrupted: "No, Mother, we want one now. You know you do
look lovely there, and besides we want a picture to show how much you
improve."
"Before and after taking!" Mrs. Breckenridge's cheery laugh echoed
through the corridors.
The Judge smiled back at her. It was good to see her happy once more.
The old professor had found his way into the hearts of the Judge and
his wife. He had a charm about him. Most people immediately liked
him, and his childlike qualities brought out a protective feeling in
others. And everybody from Tang and his boys to the Judge were eagerly
watching a chance to do him a favor.
And without trying to do it, the professor had gained the Judge's
interest in the Indian excavations. Not that the Judge was interested
in Indian relics in themselves, but the professor had a way of passing
on his enthusiasms to others.
Kit's mother was hovering about the sick woman, eager to serve,
suggesting all sorts of things that might help her. One could see that
already Mrs. Breckenridge was looking toward the mountain woman for
advice.
"They are going to be good friends, those two," whispered Kit to Bet as
she watched them. "Isn't it good!"
"Who could help being friends with your mother, Kit? I love her
already," returned Bet a little wistfully. While Colonel Baxter was
doing his best to make up to his daughter for the loss of her mother,
it couldn't entirely satisfy her when she saw other girls being cared
for.
Suddenly footsteps were heard on the walk outside and a queer couple
introduced themselves to the Judge. The man had the face of a hawk, a
long beak that seemed as if it were prying into the most private
affairs of his audience. His loose-jointed body sprawled as he stood,
leaning against a post.
He was very different from the compact little woman beside him, who
held her plump body stiffly erect.
"My name's Kie Wicks," the man explained. "And this is the missus!"
Then on seeing the familiar face of Mrs. Patten he grew confused for a
moment and added: "Mrs. Patten there can tell you we're O. K. We have
the store over at Cayuga and I thought as how I'd better be a welcoming
committee and drop in and say howdy."
"Come right in," greeted the Judge, amused at the manners of the
mountaineer.
"We'll probably be seeing a good deal of each other, so I says to
Maude, (that's the missus) we'll just go over first thing and get
acquainted."
"That's very kind of you," smiled Mrs. Breckenridge from her chair.
"Do sit down, Mrs. Wicks. There's a nice shady place right here beside
me."
The Judge sized up the pair at once and did not care to be alone with
them at this time. Seeing that Mrs. Patten was getting ready to leave,
he begged her with a glance to delay her departure.
"You was just a-goin' wasn't you, Mrs. Patten?" enquired Kie Wicks.
"Don't let us stop you."
"Oh, I'm not in a hurry. I'll sit a while. It's been a long time
since I've seen Mrs. Wicks."
This did not seem to please Maude Wicks, but were was nothing further
to say. Mrs. Patten settled back in the easy chair and smiled.
Kie Wicks and his wife talked about the weather, the stock and the
sheep men, who should be run out of the country, he asserted
vehemently, and when finally he rose to go he said: "I'll be over some
day and have a talk with you private-like, Judge. There's people in
these mountains that you should be warned against. And I'm willing to
give you the inside facts about them. It's come to such a pass that
you can hardly trust anyone around you."
"Oh, now, Mr. Wicks," laughed Mrs. Patten. "You know that isn't so. I
think the people around here are a fine lot. They're neighborly and
kind when you're in trouble. Only last year when Dad cut his foot, the
men and boys came every day and helped with the cattle."
"Sure, that's right, Mrs. Patten. They _are_ kind hearted even if they
are ignorant," broke in Maude Wicks, her sharp little eyes shining out
from the depths of her fat cheeks.
Kit at that moment made a face behind the back of Kie Wicks and Bet
smothered a giggle and hastily left the veranda, motioning the girls to
follow her. Once outside they ran far enough away to indulge in a good
laugh.
"Where's Tommy?" asked Enid suddenly. "He disappeared and I can't find
him anywhere."
"We're looking for Tommy Sharpe," called Kit to a boy who stood near
the ranch house. He was dark-skinned and handsome.
The boy turned and Joy gasped with surprise. "Who is he?" she
whispered to Kit. "Who is that boy?"
"Oh, just one of the cow hands," answered Kit.
"You mean a cowboy?"
"Sure."
"But Kit Patten, you said there were no _handsome_ cowboys! Did you
notice his eyes?" Joy pulled at Kit's arm to stop her. "He's
wonderful! So romantic!"
"Come along, Joy Evans, and don't be a little fool. That's just a
Mexican boy and I don't see anything romantic about him at all."
"But his eyes!" thrilled Joy. "I don't think I ever saw such beautiful
eyes. Can't I speak to him?"
"No!" snapped Kit. "Not now! Wait until you get a little bit of
sense. We don't make friends with the Mexican laborers."
Joy turned reluctantly away. "Just my luck!--when I find a handsome
cowboy to be told I can't make friends with him."
"Oh, come on, Joy. You're silly!" laughed Bet.
"Don't _you_ think he's handsome, Bet?" asked Joy.
"Well, maybe, a little bit. But if Kit says you're not to be seen
talking to him, that goes. Kit knows the ways of the mountains."
"Yes, and like as not she'll introduce me to some man as ugly as that
fellow who just called on the Judge, and I'll be expected to be
satisfied with that."
"Who is that man, Kit?" demanded Bet. "I don't like him!"
"Few people do like him and those who do are not the kind to chum
around with," answered Kit. "I've known Kie Wicks ever since I was a
little girl, and I've never yet heard any good of him."
"He looks crafty," said Shirley.
"Like a cat that's just eaten the canary," added Enid.
"Well, let's not spoil our day by thinking up mean things about that
man. Let's nail down the furniture and anything that can be carried
away." Bet laughed merrily as she strode toward the center of the
court. "Come on, let's find Tommy."
"Oh, look at that lovely dog!" cried Enid. A large collie was coming
toward them leisurely. "He looks like the owner of the ranch."
"He is! Judge Breckenridge told me about him one day when we were
comparing him with Smiley Jim, my own dear dog. I get lonesome for
Smiley some days. I do hope Auntie Gibbs is looking after him all
right." Bet patted the head of the collie.
"What's his name?" Enid stooped to examine the brass plate on his
collar. "It's Rex. That's a nice name for a dog."
Rex showed his friendship by waving his tail around and going from one
to the other of the girls. But a moment later he growled menacingly
when Kie Wicks and his wife appeared.
"Evidently he doesn't like that pair any more than we do," smiled Bet.
And the dog continued to growl until the couple had gone.
"There's a man we want to steer clear of." Bet was in deadly earnest.
"Rex has warned us."
At that moment Tommy Sharpe appeared. "Come on over and see my home,"
he called.
Bidding good-bye to Mrs. Patten and the professor who were just leaving
and after promising that Kit would be allowed to go home soon, the
girls hurried out to see Tommy Sharpe.
The boy was as proud of his own little corner of the ranch as if he had
an estate. It was the first home the poor fellow had ever known.
Enid took the boy by the arm as they walked across the court toward the
rear wall. Billy Patten was dancing ahead of him eager to show off
Tommy's house. The boy, although a few years younger than Tommy, had
become great friends and Billy was often to be found in Tommy's home.
As they reached the door, the boy took off his sombrero and made a
sweeping bow.
"The Merriweather Girls are welcome in the castle of Tommy Sharpe!" he
said.
"The Merriweather Girls are proud to enter," she answered with a laugh.
"We are honored!"