O r j 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 . ... Vk . 1 
 
 fT
 
 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 A Tourist Tale of California 
 
 BY 
 ANNA E. SATTERLEE 
 
 Author of "Love's Equality," etc. 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 SHERMAN, FRENCH & COMPANY 
 1915
 
 %,.<?>'' l '"'-' " 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1915 
 SHERMAN, FRENCH <&* COMPANY
 
 To 
 
 tourists who have visited Los 
 Angeles on their way to 
 and from the Panama-Cali- 
 fornia and Panama-Pacific 
 International Expositions 
 
 330430
 
 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 As glad as spring, as gay as June; 
 From fear of trouble quite immune; 
 Her heart with summer warmth o'erflows, 
 And melts for Age its winter snows. 
 
 A Wonder Girl, who brings to youth 
 A realistic sense of Truth, 
 And proves that he who largely gives, 
 Receives full measure while he lives. 
 
 AUTHOR.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I GUESTS ANTICIPATED 1 
 
 II Two OF THE PROSPECTIVE GUESTS . . 10 
 
 III OTHER Two AND A "THIRD PARTY" . 18 
 
 IV WESTWARD, Ho! 28 
 
 V THE SURPRISE 39 
 
 VI SIGHT-SEEING 49 
 
 VII THE ARRIVAL OF AUNT LUCINDA . . 59 
 
 VIII THE PICNIC AT EASTLAKE PARK . . 69 
 
 IX AN EVENING WITH AUNT LUCINDA . 80 
 
 X DREAMS 91 
 
 XI THE OLD WAY AND THE NEW . . . 102 
 
 XII THE MACHINE 112 
 
 XIII ON, TO SAN GABRIEL 123 
 
 XIV AN "AT HOME" 133 
 
 XV MR. NICHOLSON ENTERTAINS . . . 149 
 
 XVI AN IMPORTANT CALL 163 
 
 XVII FURTHER SURPRISES 172 
 
 XVIII LITTLE JOURNEYS 182 
 
 XIX GOOD-BY , ,195
 
 CHAPTER I 
 GUESTS ANTICIPATED 
 
 The news came late in the month of January. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Morley were at breakfast in their 
 pretty dining room, where dazzling rays of Cali- 
 fornia sunshine poured in gloriously through plate 
 glass windows, giving the polished floor and azure 
 tinted walls, the panels and mirrors of the ma- 
 hogany buffet and its array of silver and cut- 
 glass, a glowing touch, while a part danced merrily 
 over the wavy brown hair above Mrs. Morley 's 
 right temple. 
 
 A maid brought in, on a silver tray, the letter 
 containing the neAvs and laid it beside the lady's 
 plate. 
 
 Mrs. Morley glanced at the postmark and 
 passed the missive on to her husband. 
 
 " From your Brother George's wife," he said 
 in a declaratory tone, as he returned the letter 
 unsealed. 
 
 " Yes," she answered. 
 
 There was little of interest within, except men- 
 tion of a proposed visit, of which Mrs. Morley 
 read aloud: 
 
 ' ' Sister Ruby intends going to Los Angeles about 
 a month from now, with a party on their way to the 
 
 1
 
 2 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Panama-Pacific Exposition and the other fair at San 
 Diego. If convenient, she would like to spend a few 
 days with you, and with your permission, will bring 
 a girl-friend, Carol Wilton. Nothing has been said 
 to Carol about it, so if you would rather not consent, 
 it will be perfectly all right ; but I know you love com- 
 pany of the proper sort, and it would be worth all it 
 would cost you to hear the young lady laugh. Be- 
 sides, she sings equal to a whole chorus of birds, 
 began caroling around the house when a mere baby, 
 her mother told me. For that reason she was eventu- 
 ally christened Carol, though at first they had named 
 her Ruth. 
 
 ' The Wiltons are new people here, settled in 
 our neighborhood last year; but we know they are 
 genuine. They came from Illinois so Mr. Wilton 
 could be nearer his mining interests. By the way, he 
 has relatives in New England who know Charles's 
 Uncle Eben. 
 
 ' The rest of the party will stop at a hotel. They 
 all want to visit Los Angeles, even those who have 
 been there before. Strange, think you? I wish I 
 could go myself, but George would have a spasm if I 
 left him to " bach it," and you know this is his busiest 
 season.' " 
 
 Mrs. Morley had once looked up during the 
 reading to observe the effect on her husband. At 
 the time he was apparently absorbed in seasoning 
 a soft-boiled egg which he had just broken into an 
 egg cup. Now, regardless of other interests, she 
 drew a long breath and exclaimed: 
 
 " What do you think of that, Charles Henry? "
 
 GUESTS ANTICIPATED 3 
 
 When Mrs. Morley addressed her husband by 
 both his given names he knew that by some means 
 she had been particularly impressed. Though a 
 thorough business man, he was of the sociable 
 kind, and inclined to hospitality, so he answered 
 cleverly : 
 
 " Good ! It will give us a change, something 
 interesting as a recreation." 
 
 " Phil is coming then, too, isn't he ? " she asked 
 with a perhaps-you-may-have-forgotten-it air. 
 
 " That needn't make any difference. We have 
 an extra guest room, haven't we; and plenty of 
 dishes and things ? " 
 
 " Ye-s but two girls and one young man ! 
 Rather one-sided it looks to me." 
 
 " We might write Phil to hunt up another bach- 
 elor and bring him along, or ask him to defer his 
 visit until some other time." 
 
 " Oh, I wouldn't put him off for anything. I 
 haven't seen him since he was in knee trousers ; 
 but he was a nice boy then. Now he is a uni- 
 versity graduate. I wonder if he is a ladies' man, 
 if the girls would bore him? " 
 
 " They ought not. There were three in Un- 
 cle Eben's family, you remember. Possibly they 
 spoiled him. But I should suppose he must have 
 had any priggishness taken out of him at college. 
 Most fellows have." 
 
 " You know by experience, of course ; yet I've 
 seen some college graduates with conceit enough 
 to sail an airship."
 
 4 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Ha-ha! Have I got it as bad as that? " 
 
 " I didn't say you had, and Phil wasn't that 
 sort either, when he was a kid." 
 
 " No ? If he's anything like Uncle Eben he 
 has plenty of self-esteem all right." 
 
 " I thought your uncle very modest in talking 
 about himself. He has a fine quality of brain, 
 anyway ; and such a man may be pardoned a few 
 eccentricities. Most men have them, even you, 
 Charles ; like hanging your hat on a sofa pillow 
 and mislaying the clothes brush. Where do you 
 suppose I found it the last time you had it? " 
 
 " Under the doormat? " 
 
 " On top of father's portrait in the hall. I had 
 to call Mattie to bring the stepladder in getting 
 it down." 
 
 " That comes of being so small." 
 
 Mrs. Morley smiled condescendingly, and re- 
 verted to the news under consideration : " If 
 Phil would bring a friend, we could be sure of 
 couples for shows, dancing, and so on. No girl 
 likes to feel that she is personally unattended, and 
 a partnership business is even less satisfactory. 
 You don't suppose Phil has a girl East, do you? " 
 
 " Pie may have ; but we have had no notice of 
 an engagement. Now I think of it, your letter 
 stated the Wiltons have relatives in that vicinity. 
 Possibly Phil has met the girl, Carol, somewhere 
 in New England." 
 
 " It's not improbable, there, or elsewhere ; 
 distances are trifling in these days."
 
 GUESTS ANTICIPATED 5 
 
 "Well, shall I write Phil?" 
 
 " Don't tell him it's inconvenient, now. He 
 would be disappointed, I'm sure; just tell him the 
 whole story, who the girls are, and that he may 
 bring some one else if he thinks best. That ought 
 to relieve us of responsibility as far as he is con- 
 cerned. Then I'll write Sister Helen all about it, 
 too, and tell her we shall be happy to entertain 
 the girls." 
 
 " All right, that's settled, and I hope your con- 
 science, ditto." 
 
 Mrs. Morley ate part of her muffin in silence. 
 The news was suggestive of many things which 
 did not, altogether, concern guests. 
 
 Mr. Morley, a well-built man of vivacious tem- 
 perament, plainly expressed in a pair of hand- 
 some, dark brown eyes, was evidently enjoying his 
 beefsteak and coffee, and had a look of complai- 
 sance which promised well for one of the sugges- 
 tions, at least, and his wife resolved to make it 
 known. She began cautiously, by calling to 
 mind a suggestion of his own. 
 
 " I was just thinking of your Uncle Eben's 
 house," she said. " They had been painting it 
 recently, when we were there on our wedding-trip, 
 a leather-brown, and it made such a lovely 
 background for the green rosevines and honey- 
 suckle. You remarked that when we had a house 
 of our own you would like to have it that color." 
 
 " I had forgotten." 
 
 " Yes, and our house looked really pretty in the
 
 6 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 straw color and white when we bought; but it 
 needs painting again; and why not do it now, be- 
 fore the friends come? And, Charles, couldn't 
 we have the bow window for the den we have 
 talked of so often ? " 
 
 " We might, perhaps." 
 
 " And a roof garden ? I've thought how de- 
 lightful it would be, over the east wing." 
 
 " An ideal place for lovers," laughed Mr. Mor- 
 ley ; " I see you're expecting 'em." 
 
 Mrs. Morley smiled, but said seriously : " It's 
 quite a responsibility taking in these young peo- 
 ple." 
 
 " They are not children, I surmise, and are 
 probably possessed of common sense." 
 
 " Common sense doesn't always count, though, 
 in heart affairs." 
 
 " Intuition leads, eh ? So much the better. 
 Well, we will talk over this matter of repairs again 
 this evening. I must be going to the office; ex- 
 pect a man to meet me at nine o'clock." 
 
 Mrs. Morley picked a raveling from the collar of 
 his light overcoat as she helped him to adjust it, 
 and when he was quite ready to start, bade him 
 good-by with a merry heart. " Charles is a kind 
 man," she thought, and caught herself humming 
 songs all through the day. Because she was a 
 happy wife, she permitted herself to imagine Carol 
 and Ruby in a cozy pavilion in her new roof gar- 
 den, with Cupid conveniently lodged at their el- 
 bows. And why not? Wasn't love the sweetest
 
 GUESTS ANTICIPATED 7 
 
 thing in the world, and the best ? What if 
 sometimes it did give people heartache? That 
 should be better than to never know one has a 
 heart that is anything more than a mere machine 
 for pumping blood through one's veins. 
 
 The house was subjected to the throes of re- 
 juvenation the very next day. 
 
 " 'Twas ever so dear of you, Charles, to be will- 
 ing to do so much to please me," complimented 
 Mrs. Morley. 
 
 " I suppose I'll get a little good out of it my- 
 self," he answered, smiling. 
 
 " I hope so, surely ; and so will all our friends," 
 she replied. 
 
 For a few weeks the lady was strenuously busy, 
 was obliged to decline various invitations to social 
 functions and club meetings, and felt herself as 
 closely confined at home as a seamstress, or the 
 mother of several small children with no maid. 
 
 " But what of that ? We have everything so 
 prettily arranged at last, Charles," she said. 
 
 A neighbor called one morning when all was 
 " spink and span " and Mrs. Morley conducted her 
 over the place. 
 
 " It is perfectly grand ! " she exclaimed. " And 
 what a lovely Persian rug in the den ! " 
 
 " Yes, it's the prettiest of its size I saw any- 
 where." 
 
 " You have such excellent taste, Mrs. Morley ; 
 but I want especially to see your roof garden. I
 
 8 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 almost envied you when I saw Steve setting out 
 the plants." 
 
 On the way up, the neighbor declared : " The 
 only thing I miss over here is children running 
 about and upsetting things. You should have 
 seen my Jamie this morning. While I was 'phon- 
 ing the grocery order, he stole into the cook's pan- 
 try and helped himself out of the egg basket. He 
 sat right down on the floor and broke five, then 
 stuck his fingers in the ' gavy ' as he called it. I 
 caught him lapping them off." 
 
 " A terror, isn't he? Do you suppose he would 
 break eggs on my new rug? But he's awfully 
 cute, and when you tire of him send him over here. 
 I'll adopt him." 
 
 " I'll remember that." 
 
 As they reached the landing, the lady exclaimed : 
 " What a perfect place: rustic chairs, settees, pot- 
 ted plants, climbing vines, and the pavilion ! 
 Did you plan it all, Mrs. Morley ? " 
 
 " Every bit." 
 
 Underneath the pavilion, on a cushioned seat, 
 lay Pug, the family dog. Entering, the neighbor 
 patted him, graciously, saying : " What a nice 
 lounging place for him, and for tired people, 
 and lazy people ! " 
 
 " And for guests. I'm expecting some soon, 
 quite a party." 
 
 " Do tell me about it." 
 
 " They are to be here "
 
 GUESTS ANTICIPATED 9 
 
 " Somebody's wanting Mrs. Doane at her tele- 
 phone," shouted Mattie from below. 
 
 "Now isn't that always the way?" said the 
 lady " just when one is most interested in some- 
 thing else. But you'll come over. I shall want 
 to hear about the guests, you know. Good-by." 
 
 Returning to her own home, she met Mr. Mor- 
 ley. 
 
 " Well, what do you think of the preparatory? " 
 he asked, and seeing her puzzled look : " Did you 
 ever hear, Mrs. Doane, of a woman expecting com- 
 pany who didn't think it necessary to rebuild and 
 refurnish? " 
 
 " Ha, ha. It makes a good excuse, Mr. Mor- 
 ley, and most of us like a change now and then, 
 even the men. Mrs. Morley has done you proud." 
 
 " I guess you're right. She usually does," he 
 acquiesced ; " but don't tell her I said so. She is 
 feeling quite vain already." 
 
 " Oh, no ! I never tell secrets," laughed Mrs. 
 Doane.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 TWO OF THE PROSPECTIVE GUESTS 
 
 In the city of Boston, enjoying an evening at 
 his club with a particular friend, sat " Phil," a 
 tall, broad-shouldered youth of twenty-five. His 
 face was ruddy with health, for he was a farmer's 
 son. Benefitted in the years of his adolescence by 
 the strict regime of the parental home, the effect of 
 his early training had not been dissipated by col- 
 lege life. While reasonably studious, he had en- 
 gaged in most sports permitted by the faculty, not 
 to mention others of which they were supposed to 
 have no definite knowledge. There had been pri- 
 vate suppers in private suites, and evening func- 
 tions where he had met fair maidens of Cambridge 
 and the Back Bay, and of other localities of re- 
 nown in and about Boston, besides many of other 
 cities, who, as visitors at the " Hub," had been 
 pleased to make the acquaintance of " Harvard 
 Boys." 
 
 Several times, indeed, he had been half in love 
 with a pretty face, or a sweet voice, or a pair of 
 absorbing eyes ; and once or twice, at least, he had 
 imagined that his fate lay in the hands of some 
 charming girl. But thus far the imagery wrought 
 about the fair one had been dispelled, leaving him 
 
 adrift on the Sea of Bachelorhood. 
 
 10
 
 TWO GUESTS 11 
 
 After completing the regular college and law 
 courses, he had gone abroad on a business and 
 pleasure trip with an elderly uncle; had seen all 
 that most tourists see of London and Paris, of Lis- 
 bon and Madrid, of mountain and fen in Switzer- 
 land, of bustling Berlin and quaint old Amster- 
 dam, of St. Petersburg, Naples, Venice and Rome. 
 Furthermore, he had crossed the Mediterranean, 
 sailed up the Nile, had a glimpse of sphinx and 
 pyramid and of African marts, and a tour of Pal- 
 estine. 
 
 He resolved that he would never forget to be 
 grateful to this uncle with money and a talent for 
 spending it, especially with so estimable a purpose 
 as the education by observation of a nephew; and, 
 too, that he understood and appreciated youth so 
 thoroughly as to have exacted no more than good 
 comradeship, permitting him to wander off at will 
 wherever his fancy dictated, and to return with as 
 small an apology for his absences as he chose to 
 offer. 
 
 " I believe I can trust you, Phil ; if I hadn't 
 thought so, I shouldn't have asked you to come 
 with me," he said, before they had gone far on 
 their journey; and this remark, spoken with much 
 sincerity, acted always as an incentive to good be- 
 havior. Consequently, the trip had been a sup- 
 plementary school of no mean order, and the 
 younger man had broadened mentally and so- 
 cially. 
 
 Much that he had learned from books, he there
 
 12 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 realized for the first time. Places that had been 
 in his mind but little more than a name, became 
 potent agencies in moulding memory-images and 
 coloring his conceit. Art, in bronze and marble, 
 on stretches of canvas, in frescoed galleries, on 
 carven pillars, in fountains and magnificent pal- 
 aces and grand cathedrals, took on a new and 
 vivid form of existence. They emphasized the 
 uses of development in mental and spiritual as well 
 as in physical lines. The rhymes of Greek and 
 Roman poets and the prose of ancient philoso- 
 phers with which he was familiar enabled him the 
 better to comprehend scenes in which they had 
 moved and of which they wrote. Everywhere, 
 amid the new of the old world, he saw ruins, re- 
 minders of past centuries and their peoples, 
 kings and subjects, priests and peasants, noblemen 
 and slaves, warriors and statesmen, artists, musi- 
 cians, and literati. 
 
 Young as he was, and seldom inclined to moral- 
 ize upon life's duties or pleasures, he had felt 
 strangely solemn at times, and desirous of achiev- 
 ing for himself a name which should be considered 
 worthy of perpetuation in the new world across the 
 sea. 
 
 At present his face was not only ruddy with 
 health, but glowed with a form of intelligence one 
 likes to study. His features were well-balanced, 
 brow overtopping chin evenly, and the nose, not 
 too prominent, but giving firmness to the contour 
 of the face ; a fine mouth which might befit an ora-
 
 TWO GUESTS 13 
 
 tor; eyes blue, of a deep shade; eyebrows but 
 slightly curved, and of an auburn hue matching 
 the luxuriant growth of hair on the massive head. 
 
 The friend mentioned was a college chum, an- 
 other athlete in point of size, one who would be 
 quickly noticed in a crowd of men by his distingue 
 air. He was of the blond type, generous-hearted 
 and a thoroughly likeable young man, despite the 
 evidences of pride in his demeanor. His immedi- 
 ate forebears told of the blood of English royalty 
 in their veins. It was natural for him to carry his 
 head as if it were accustomed to a crown. 
 
 Phil, whose full name was Philip Winthrop 
 Tracy, and this big blond, Hubert Marshall, had 
 been intimate friends since the Freshman year at 
 college. They had roomed together, eaten at the 
 same table, pored over the same books, and played 
 much the same games, though Marshall had ex- 
 celled at rowing, while Phil had championed foot- 
 ball. 
 
 Now they were planning a business partnership 
 in some city not yet decided upon. Marshall fa- 
 vored the home city, Boston ; but Phil was for 
 pushing Westward, and had ever at his tongue's 
 end, as an answer to Marshall's entreaties to re- 
 main where both were best acquainted, the time- 
 worn advice of Horace Greeley to aspiring young 
 men. 
 
 Sometimes Marshall would rebel and, forgetful 
 of his inheritance, mutter a veritable swear-word ; 
 but it had small effect on the determined Phil.
 
 This evening Phil had an inducement to offer, 
 and did not mention Horace Greeley. 
 
 While the two were chatting amicably over their 
 cigars, he made known the incentive to go West. 
 
 " What do you say to a trip to the Pacific 
 Coast early in March, Bert? " he began. 
 
 " An investigating tour? " questioned Marshall, 
 without enthusiasm and with the inception of a 
 bored look about the eyes. 
 
 " Not at all. At least, not primarily. I have 
 an invitation for self and friend at a cousin's in 
 Los Angeles. There is to be a sort of house- 
 party, I infer. Some acquaintances from Denver 
 are to be there." 
 
 " Anyone we know ? " 
 
 " I think not, but we could soon learn." 
 
 "Girls?" 
 
 " Well, yes, the Denver friends are young la- 
 dies. You see I wrote Cousin Charles that I in- 
 tended going out to see the exposition, probably 
 in the early spring, and would like to stop over 
 in his city a few days." 
 
 " Ah, I see." 
 
 " One of the young ladies is sister-in-law's sis- 
 ter, or some such connection, of Cousin 
 Charles's wife, and the other is a Miss Wilton." 
 
 " Wilton Wilton. Pve heard that name be- 
 fore, somewhere." 
 
 As a third member of the club, and an insistent 
 one, approached at this juncture to make an ap- 
 pointment with the two for the morrow, Marshall
 
 TWO GUESTS 15 
 
 relinquished an intention of chasing his memory 
 after a something which resembled a bird's song. 
 
 Later, when the intruder had departed, he 
 caught it, as hunters say, on the wing. 
 
 " Phil, that Miss Wilton is an Illinois girl, I'll 
 bet you a souvenir. I met her in Chicago a year 
 or so ago, at a charity ball. Do you know if her 
 intimate friends call her ' Carol ' ? " 
 
 " That happens to be her appellation ; but this 
 one lives in Denver, and Wilton isn't so uncommon 
 a name. Don't feel too sure of yourself, Bert." 
 
 " I confess it does seem ridiculous, but I believe 
 it is the same girl. Mighty bright! Makes one 
 think of a nightingale, tuberose and ripe cherry, 
 all in one. I had two dances with her and sat out 
 a third. She can waltz and no mistake, hardly 
 touched the floor at all, seemed to be swinging on 
 air. Well, you may count on me, old man." 
 
 "Good! Then we'll call it done. I'll write 
 Charles our acceptance. But look here, Bert, you 
 will give me a chance to speak to her now and then, 1 * 
 won't you ? " 
 
 " Isn't there another? I understood you to 
 mention a plural number." 
 
 " Yes, Miss Guild, Ruby Guild." 
 
 " Well, you have my full permission to converse 
 with and to accompany Miss Guild whenever and 
 wherever that young lady gives her sanction." 
 
 " Ha, ha ! I foresee a bachelor in matrimonial 
 ties. No doubt they will become you first-rate. 
 But we must get out our * shingle ' previously."
 
 16 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Can hang it in Los Angeles, can't we? " 
 
 "How about Boston?" 
 
 " ' Go West, young man, go West ! ' " Thus 
 reiterating Phil's advice Marshall slapped him 
 heartily on the shoulder; but to prove his sanity, 
 demurred : " I guess the old * Hub ' will stand a 
 pretty good show alongside of those California 
 towns, Phil. Why, Los Angeles can't hold a can- 
 dle to her in development. Look at our public 
 buildings and higher schools of learning, our gal- 
 leries of art, our parks, and our men of letters." 
 
 " Ever been to Los Angeles ? " 
 
 " No. But one doesn't need to visit a place in 
 these days to know all about it. Why, an author 
 may go to our public libraries and read, then write 
 up a story, or description of a foreign city, just 
 from the information derived, which will actu- 
 ally excel anything its oldest inhabitant can re- 
 late ; true in every detail, too." 
 
 " You just wait," responded Phil, dryly. 
 " Furthermore, let me remind you of the old ad- 
 age : ' Experience is the best teacher ' ; and I be- 
 lieve it will hold especially good in this case. Los 
 Angeles is said to be enchanting of itself. Los 
 Angeles, plus nightingales, ripe cherries and what- 
 not, with human form divine, the gift of fascinat- 
 ing speech, the glance of wonderful orbs which 
 may convey a hundredfold more than word of 
 mouth and the play of soul, which is more 
 subtle and charming still than all else, because it 
 may be felt rather than seen, why, Bert, what
 
 TWO GUESTS 17 
 
 may we not find that is supreme: akin to the bliss 
 of most elevated spheres, to gods and god- 
 desses ? " 
 
 The cigars were burned low. Marshall tossed 
 his into the near-by grate, and returned : " I'm 
 going home. You are getting too much for me, 
 Phil." 
 
 Nevertheless he waited for his friend. 
 
 At a considerably later hour the chums sepa- 
 rated for the night. The old Tracy farm had 
 been converted into a fashionable Boston suburb. 
 Marshall's home was on one of its broad acres, 
 Phil's, on another.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 OTHER TWO AND A " THIRD PARTY " 
 
 " What shall we do with Patsy? " 
 " I repeat : What shall we do with Patsy ? " 
 " If only we hadn't told him we should depend 
 on him." 
 
 " If only " 
 
 " Well, those two words belong to the regretta- 
 ble and not to the needy side of the question. 
 Please give me your unbiased opinion of the may- 
 can-and-must-be's." And Miss Ruby Guild, sit- 
 ting in front of the broad mirror of her dressing 
 table, in her cozily appointed boudoir, brush in 
 hand, held it idly as she spoke. Her long, dark 
 hair hung loosely about her shoulders, which were 
 enveloped in a pink-figured kimono ; and her hazel 
 eyes and the firmly set curves of her small mouth 
 betokened a serious consideration of the subject 
 named. 
 
 Beside her, on a cushioned window seat, sat her 
 friend, Miss Wilton, dressed for calling. Her 
 pretty blue, tailored suit of chiffon broadcloth, 
 and her hat of blue velvet trimmed with ermine, 
 brought out, in artistic fashion, the cream and 
 
 cherry tints of her face, the wood-violet-blueness 
 
 18
 
 OTHER TWO AND A THIRD 19 
 
 of her eyes and the brown-golden hues of her 
 fluffy hair. 
 
 " But you have known him so much longer than 
 I," she answered. " Any shot of mine might fall 
 short of the target." 
 
 " Do you think it would do to show him Mrs. 
 Morley's letter? " 
 
 " It seems to me that would be like firing with 
 the gun halfcocked." 
 
 " There ! You see you can help me, after all. 
 Now keep on your thinking-cap and give me some 
 more ideas." 
 
 " I think I should make the information as im- 
 pressive as possible by telling it with the aid of 
 imagination." 
 
 " I should spoil it, my dear, but you could do 
 it, Carol. You have so much tact. I seem to 
 have none at all, when I need it most. And he is 
 coming up this evening ! " 
 
 Carol Wilton bit her red underlip slightly, and 
 the next instant she laughed, in a soft, rippling 
 way. 
 
 " May I come, too? " she asked. 
 
 " Oh, will you come? But you are invited out 
 to the Pringhams', aren't you?" 
 
 " I'll send regrets. It's just an informal, any- 
 way, tell them it's a message from Boston, re- 
 quiring immediate attention." 
 
 "Good! And you'll report to Patsy?" 
 
 " I'll help. Now please hurry, or we shan't 
 get halfway around with our calls."
 
 20 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Quite unexpectedly, Mr. Guild brought home 
 a friend from out of town to dine, and it was 
 somewhat late when he departed, and Mr. and 
 Mrs. Guild took up sheets of an evening paper 
 in the library, leaving the living room to Ruby 
 and Carol and the unsuspecting Patsy, who was 
 no less an individual than Mr. Guild's junior part- 
 ner in business, Mr. J. Burke Nicholson, a bach- 
 elor of Scotch-Irish descent. He was of medium 
 height and weight, had bluish-gray eyes express- 
 ing honesty and friendliness, a rather long nose, 
 flexible mouth, often compressed in moments of 
 deep thought, but easily relaxed into smiles of 
 good nature; a chin, indicating sufficient will 
 power for all purposes of necessity, and hair just 
 beginning to show iron-gray above the ears. 
 
 Mr. Nicholson had known Miss Ruby since her 
 years were told in single digits, and had seemed 
 much like a relative of the family during the later 
 years of his connection with her father's busi- 
 ness interests. Since she had finished school and 
 had gone into society, he had often acted as her 
 escort. His friendship had become more marked 
 and the girl was beginning to resent what ap- 
 peared to her to be almost a monopoly of herself. 
 As a schoolgirl she had not been unwilling to 
 accept occasionally his kind offers to chaperon 
 her to places of amusement and to and from the 
 meetings of her music club, or church. Now, she 
 very much desired that he would not anticipate 
 such privileges, especially as she was continually
 
 OTHER TWO AND A THIRD 21 
 
 making new and agreeable acquaintances among 
 younger, marriageable men. 
 
 And this prospective trip to California ! He 
 had been invited to join the party by Dr. and 
 Mrs. Merriman of Denver. Ruby and Carol 
 playfully intimated at the time that if he ac- 
 cepted he would have to pay for the pleasures in- 
 volved by " reading up " all places of prominence 
 on the route, and later, conveying his knowledge 
 to the rest of them. To this he had readily con- 
 sented, and Ruby, at least, was fully aware that 
 he intended to comply. She knew, also, that any 
 retraction on her part would be likely to disap- 
 point, perhaps to offend. She did not wish to 
 offend and would be sorry to disappoint, because 
 of his unmistakable kindness. But those " Bos- 
 ton fellows " ! Going right to Mr. Morley's, too ! 
 What could be done with Patsy that would seem 
 discreet? She had Phil in mind, particularly. 
 He was young, cultured, traveled, and handsome. 
 And Carol Wilton had not forgotten a charity 
 ball in Chicago, where she had met a young Mr. 
 Marshall of Boston, whose acquaintance she hoped 
 to renew. 
 
 Ruby resolved to say nothing of the matter un- 
 til Carol should first have introduced it to their 
 visitor. 
 
 He was accustomed to their casual frivolity, 
 and it disturbed him as little as the frolics of 
 young kittens disturb a demure old cat. He was 
 even used to the nickname Patsy, which title had
 
 22 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 been assigned him on a St. Patrick's Day, when 
 he had strongly upheld the devotion to that re- 
 nowned saint, and presented each of the young 
 ladies with a badge of green. But this evening, 
 he was surprised by their seriousness and their 
 formal " Mr. Nicholson." They had drawn 
 chairs in front of the glowing grate, for the night 
 was cool, and he was leaning comfortably against 
 the cushioned back of a large rocker. 
 
 " You do look so contented, Mr. Nicholson," 
 Carol said ; " and it seems too bad to spoil a per- 
 fect present environment by assuming dim un- 
 certainties, doesn't it? " 
 
 " It depends upon what the dim uncertainties 
 promise," he answered. 
 
 " Oh, nothing like that big easy-chair by this 
 delightful coal fire. I was just thinking what a 
 prodigious undertaking it is to go away out on 
 the Pacific Coast ! " 
 
 " That's it, is it? Well, I don't know. I be- 
 lieve a man should be willing to sacrifice himself 
 for the good of others, you know, to a certain ex- 
 tent, I mean. Of course, I expect to get some 
 benefit personally out of the contemplated jour- 
 ney. It's a good thing to get away from business 
 once in awhile, for instance." 
 
 " I fear you'll not be much benefitted, unless 
 we release you from your promise to show us all 
 the interesting sights, and tell us all about every- 
 thing worthy of notice," interposed Ruby. 
 
 " It would be fatiguing, certainly, this keeping
 
 OTHER TWO AND A THIRD 23 
 
 your eyes open, en route, lest you miss something 
 worth while; and furthermore, Mr. Nicholson, you 
 are quite liable to have four on your hands, in- 
 stead of two." 
 
 " Four? " curiously. 
 
 "Four," nodded Carol. 
 
 " Who are the superfluities ? I had supposed 
 it was all arranged." 
 
 " So we had supposed," she declared, with a 
 brief display of dimples. " We learned differ- 
 ently to-day." 
 
 " The Merrimans at fault ? Some other young 
 people crowded themselves in, or what? " 
 
 " Not exactly crowded, I think, just happened 
 in. They are not to start from Denver." 
 
 " Someone from somewhere else," said Mr. 
 Nicholson, absently. 
 
 " Two from elsewhere," corrected Ruby, cau- 
 tiously, too carefully, perhaps, for Mr. Nichol- 
 son with increased interest asked abruptly: 
 " Two young chaps, eh? " 
 
 " Ah, you're guessing ; but they do happen to 
 be young men," conceded Carol. " They had 
 planned to visit the Morleys, or one of them had 
 anyway, before the Morleys knew of our going. 
 He is a cousin of Mr. Morley, Mrs. Mack said. 
 And Mrs. Morley wrote not to let it make any 
 difference about our plans. They would be only 
 the more glad to see us, as she knew she could 
 depend on us to help entertain. We are wonder- 
 ing, Ruby and I, if these young men would think
 
 24 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 it strange if we were off every day with our own 
 party and didn't invite them to go along. They 
 will be strangers there, like ourselves, you know." 
 
 "I see." 
 
 " And if they should go all about with us, we 
 should need to call upon you to help make it agree- 
 able for them." 
 
 " What luck, for the other fellows ! You 
 wouldn't rather go without me, of course ? " doubt- 
 fully. 
 
 " No, surely not. Nevertheless, it would be a 
 great deal to demand of you, to be a Cicero for so 
 many strangers." 
 
 " Both strangers to you? " 
 
 " I met one of them once last winter just be- 
 fore I came here." 
 
 " And the other? " 
 
 " He is the cousin of Mr. Morley, and lives in 
 Boston." 
 
 " Do you know the cousin, Ruby ? " inquired 
 Mr. Nicholson, with a turn of the head. 
 
 " Only by reputation. Mrs. Morley wrote he 
 had lately returned from a trip abroad, and was 
 looking for a business location." 
 
 " Incidentally a better-half, probably. Well, 
 this chair is mighty comfortable. Guess I'll stay 
 right here." 
 
 "And let us wander without a guide? We've 
 depended on you, you know," and, in a sym- 
 pathetic tone, " I wouldn't blame you though, a 
 mite, if you stayed. It's a most unpromising pre-
 
 OTHER TWO AND A THIRD 25 
 
 dicament. We couldn't be rude to the Morley 
 guests, now could we? " Carol's eyes wore a be- 
 seeching look, and Ruby's face was drawn into a 
 pucker, as she gazed at the blazing coals. Carol 
 was actually making it appear that if Mr. Nichol- 
 son went to Los Angeles he would need to become 
 a martyr for their sakes. 
 
 " It would be self-denial with a vengeance, 
 wouldn't it? " she pleaded. 
 
 " I should say so ! Two young dudes, who, 
 whenever I pointed to a lovely bit of landscape, 
 would have eyes only for you two girls. I still 
 think I had better resign." 
 
 " But we want you to go," averred Carol. 
 
 " Certainly," added Ruby. 
 
 " M-m-m-m-m, I see. If there were to be but 
 one, I could stand it," he continued reflectively. 
 
 " You will promise not to back out, won't you? " 
 persisted Carol. 
 
 " And let those two Easterners rake me over the 
 coals?" 
 
 " Couldn't you endure that, if necessary, for 
 our sakes? Besides, they wouldn't. We wouldn't 
 let them if they wanted to. I would tell them 
 you had been good to Ruby, a sort of protector, 
 next to her father and mother, you know, ever 
 since she was a tiny little girl." 
 
 "Gracious, what a length of time!" he ejacu- 
 lated, ironically, smiling at Ruby. 
 
 " It really is quite a while to have been a pro- 
 tector" she laughed.
 
 26 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Well," he sighed, " I'll go with you to Los 
 Angeles ; but it isn't likely those Boston chaps will 
 care for me as a cicerone, and it is likely they will 
 be more than glad to tie up to a couple of pretty 
 girls like you. I'll stop at a hotel as I planned 
 at first, and give them full swing. But if, by any 
 chance, by any chance, they should leave you 
 in the lurch, in the lurch, mind, you can send 
 me word and I'll come to the rescue." 
 
 " You are generous, Mr. Nicholson," said Ruby 
 with feeling. 
 
 " To the Boston chaps," admitted Carol. 
 " And you'll promise to call at the Morleys' to 
 see us, won't you, Mr. Nicholson ? We don't want 
 the other fellows to think they are the ' only- 
 onliest '." 
 
 " That will depend. And see here ! If either 
 one of you * Mr. Nicholson ' me again this even- 
 ing, I shall go back on the whole agreement." 
 
 " Patsy," said Ruby sweetly, " you're awfully 
 good and kind, and I'm going to ask Carol to sing 
 ' The Duckling ' for you in part payment. She 
 does it the cutest you ever heard." 
 
 " Do," he said. 
 
 Ruby went to the piano and played a soft, little 
 prelude, while Mr. Nicholson looked gravely at 
 the fire. 
 
 Carol's voice, however, won his attention, and 
 her manner was enchanting. The gravity of his 
 countenance lessened, and when the song was
 
 OTHER TWO AND A THIRD 27 
 
 finished, his mouth had expanded into a pleased 
 smile. 
 
 " Music hath charms. Have you another 
 duckling piece? " he urged. 
 
 Carol sang again ; then Ruby brought a dish 
 of sweetmeats, and the trip to the Pacific Coast, 
 if not forgotten, was but a faint background for 
 nearer delights. 
 
 After Mr. Nicholson had left them, Carol, who 
 had come to spend the night, said to Ruby, " It 
 wasn't so difficult, after all." 
 
 " You're capital at conciliating, my dear," ex- 
 claimed Ruby. " But tell me ! What if those 
 young men should ignore us ? " 
 
 " Why then, we have Patsy," answered Carol. 
 " They won't, though," she asserted confidently, 
 with a twitch of her red lips.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 WESTWARD, HO! 
 
 A Pacific Limited was speeding its many miles 
 an hour toward the " Golden State." In one of 
 the Pullman Palace sleepers, berths had been re- 
 served for a party of seven from Denver, which 
 consisted of Dr. and Mrs. Merriman, Mr. Win- 
 throp, a wealthy patient with " a belief " in im- 
 paired digestion, Miss Winthrop, his sister, a 
 lady of mature years, the Misses Guild and Wil- 
 ton, and Mr. Nicholson, all of whom were on 
 board. 
 
 It was nearly nine o'clock, A. M. Ruby and 
 Carol had emerged from the dressing room with 
 freshened faces and graces, and were awaiting 
 their turns in the dining car, talking gaily, mean- 
 while, with new acquaintances in the vestibule. 
 When at length opportunity offered, the young 
 ladies sought seats at one of the tables. Ruby 
 was in advance, and Carol, as she entered, had a 
 glimpse of her opposite-to-be. His face was en- 
 tirely unfamiliar. She was ravenously hungry, 
 and just beside her, on the table, lay a menu card. 
 Ruby had found another. 
 
 " Baked apples and cream," she read : " Fish. 
 
 Omelets. French fried potatoes " 
 
 28
 
 WESTWARD, HO! 29 
 
 A waiter interrupted by placing glasses of 
 water before them, and the conductor laid a pencil 
 by Carol's card. Taking it up she consulted Ruby 
 and proceeded to fill an order slip. That 
 finished, she lifted her glass and sipped the water, 
 one, two swallows, and then her eyes wan- 
 dered toward sights beyond the car-windows. 
 Half way she caught an amused look in another 
 pair of eyes, blue like her own. Her gaze be- 
 came riveted on the face of the opposite nearest 
 the window, the straight nose, proud lift of the 
 head, the blond hair were those of Hubert Mar- 
 shall. 
 
 " Pardon the interruption," he observed, still 
 smiling. 
 
 " I think you must have come in through the 
 window and changed places surreptitiously with 
 some one else," she answered soberly, and held out 
 her hand across the narrow table, a hand as 
 pretty and delicate as a white-petaled lily, it ap- 
 peared to Marshall. He was almost afraid of 
 crushing it. Even the slight pressure he gave it 
 seemed to extract fragrance, lily or violet, he 
 hardly knew which. In reality, the hand had re- 
 cently been plunged in violet water; but anything 
 so prosaic failed, for the moment, to enter the 
 gentleman's mind. 
 
 " My friend ' Phil,' Mr. Tracy, you know, 
 Miss Wilton," he said, turning toward the big au- 
 burn-haired seatmate. 
 
 Again Carol gave her hand.
 
 30 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " It is like meeting an old acquaintance, Mr. 
 Tracy. We have heard pages about you." 
 
 " I hope they were well gotten up," replied Phil. 
 
 " Indeed they were, most properly . . . Ruby, 
 your sister's brother-in-law's cousin, is that cor- 
 rect ? and Mr. Marshall. Miss Guild, gentle- 
 men." 
 
 Ruby followed Carol's example and shook 
 hands. 
 
 " I had supposed that we knew every soul on 
 this train, by sight. We were off at every stop- 
 ping place yesterday, and everyone else, it seemed 
 to us, was off, too," she said. 
 
 " We got on late last evening," Marshall 
 acknowledged. " Came over from Salt Lake. 
 Phil, here, has to be humored in his search for a 
 business location, so we have been looking along 
 the way. I think I shall have him cured of his 
 passion before we are through with our journey, 
 unless he is bewitched at Los Angeles." 
 
 " I should have supposed that you might have 
 found Salt Lake City attractive," said Carol, bit- 
 ing her lip. 
 
 " It did look as if one ought to be able to do a 
 large amount of courting there, of one kind or 
 another. The dissensions between Gentiles and 
 Mormons keep things somewhat lively, it appears. 
 But Phil said if we were to settle under the shadow 
 of the Mormon Temple, where Mormon influence 
 is in its stronghold, we might in time become 
 polygamists, and it would cost more to keep sev-
 
 WESTWARD, HO! 31 
 
 eral wives in gowns and other apparel than we 
 would be likely to make by means of the Gentile 
 opposition. So we gave up the idea." 
 
 " Print gowns are inexpensive," suggested 
 Ruby. 
 
 " Yes, if women would be satisfied with prints, 
 the expense would be nominal," continued Mar- 
 shall. " Unfortunately, polygamy has not de- 
 stroyed the Mormon woman's taste for silks and 
 jewels." 
 
 " One at a time is the rule, isn't it ? First wife 
 humored until the second wife steps in," said Carol, 
 laughingly. 
 
 " Our Eastern-bred notions of chivalry pre- 
 vented our delving into details, Miss Wilton," re- 
 plied Phil. 
 
 Ruby gave this " Cousin Phil," as she had re- 
 peatedly heard him called, a glance of approval: 
 He even exceeded her expectations. He had a 
 magnificent physique, was well-groomed and had a 
 sensible face, she concluded ; not that she was un- 
 interested in Marshall, but she had wanted par- 
 ticularly to like Phil. 
 
 Carol felt inclined to question further. 
 
 " No joking, Mr. Tracy, there's a State law 
 against polygamy, isn't there, and a church mani- 
 festo, beside? " she returned. 
 
 " Yes, but I apprehend it's a case of inherited 
 tendency," he answered. " A Mormon is prob- 
 ably as sincere in his convictions as a Hard-shell 
 Baptist is in his. It is astonishing to what
 
 32 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 lengths people will go to support their denomina- 
 tional prejudices. They become as much a part 
 of us as our bodies. They are even closer than 
 heartbeats, for there's an end to those; but our 
 beliefs, or prejudices, or whatever you may choose 
 to designate our adherence to sect, will quite pos- 
 sibly cling to us till we're well into the next sphere. 
 These Mormons are making plenty of converts, 
 right now, in this country and abroad. They're 
 spreading like the proverbial green bay tree. Of 
 that I am sure ; and I hardly think it wise to treat 
 them as a joke." 
 
 " Doesn't he make a capital pleader? " asked 
 Marshall of Ruby. " If I were a Mormon in need 
 of an attorney, I should like to employ Phil." 
 
 " Wouldn't he do as well for the other, the Gen- 
 tile class? " she replied, semiseriously. 
 
 " I don't know. I have never heard Phil in a 
 divorce suit. But to set aside a subject which I 
 confess I took up rather frivolously, what a piece 
 of good fortune it is that we are saved a formal 
 meeting at the Morleys'. I've been dreading it 
 all the way." 
 
 " Crossing the bridge before we arrive is usu- 
 ally a worry-trip, I believe. I've found it so," 
 answered Carol. " But as the bridge in this in- 
 stance has proved a myth, we might resolve to take 
 flight in psychological airships and cut out the 
 bridges in future. What do you say? " 
 
 " How would you manage if the airship should 
 take a plunge ? "
 
 WESTWARD, HO! 33 
 
 " Oh, the right ' make ' never plunge, and I 
 would be careful not to patronize the other kind." 
 
 " Some sort of a patent-right affair with a dis- 
 tinguishing mark, I suppose? You see I want to 
 be sure about it," the questioner persisted. 
 
 " Well, no and yes. Anyone may ride in it, 
 or claim a right to it for that matter. It is patent 
 only in the sense of being public and conspicuous, 
 and doesn't need any special distinguishing mark, 
 same as a smile, or a sunbeam, don't you 
 know?" 
 
 " Ah, thanks. And begging your pardon, law- 
 yers are quizzers invariably, how may one know 
 that the thing isn't a copy? These are days of 
 imitation ; besides, smiles differ, some are de- 
 ceitful, and danger lurks in many a sunbeam." 
 
 " Tell him to use common sense in judging," 
 suggested Phil, laughing. 
 
 " All right, I will," laughed Carol in turn, " and 
 trust intuition," she added, smiling at Marshall. 
 Then : " Do you expect to like California, Mr. 
 Tracy?" 
 
 " Certainly. Why not? It is our American 
 Italy, and most people I have met who have been 
 there speak highly of it." 
 
 " And you have lately returned from the Euro- 
 pean Italy? " 
 
 " I came directly home from Palestine, though 
 I visited Italy some time previously." 
 
 " Palestine ! Think what is in store for us, 
 Ruby."
 
 34 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " You'll have enough of it before you are 
 through with him, Miss Wilton, I assure you," 
 said Marshall. " He even talks of khans and cata- 
 combs in his sleep." 
 
 " So we may have fresher experiences than we 
 had thought." 
 
 " Miss Wilton was abroad last year, you 
 might have met," said Ruby to Phil. 
 
 Waving his hand, he replied : " Here's to re- 
 grets that we were not aware of each other's 
 proximity." 
 
 " But we may still compare notes," she said. 
 
 " Meanwhile, Miss Guild and I may mount the 
 * Angel's Flight,' or some other eminence in Los 
 Angeles, to keep pace," suggested Marshall, 
 " that is, unless she wishes to compare notes, too." 
 
 " My trip abroad is prospective, and I should 
 much prefer taking notes to comparing old ones," 
 she answered lightly. 
 
 " Were you back before the war upset things 
 so over there? " asked Phil of Carol. 
 
 " No, we were caught in Switzerland, and had 
 some rather difficult experiences; but came out 
 safely, baggage and all, fortunately. And 
 yourself? " 
 
 " I returned early in the fall without any se- 
 rious trouble. We were almost too far South 
 for it then. The Turkish warships of the Golden 
 Horn were comparatively peaceful, and British 
 and French war fleets hadn't commenced churn-
 
 WESTWARD, HO! 35 
 
 ing the Mediterranean on their way to the 
 Dardanelles." 
 
 " Didn't you almost wish you belonged over 
 there, and were a captain of artillery, on land, 
 or of a submarine, in the navy ? " queried Ruby 
 curiously. 
 
 " No, not over there. There's something cour- 
 ageous and fine about fighting where and when 
 one feels it a duty ; but when I am called to be a 
 soldier, if ever, I hope it will be in a righteous 
 cause. Nobody seems to know what the war is 
 really about over in Europe. It doesn't look much 
 more reasonable than the way they are going at 
 it down here in Mexico. There seems to me to be 
 considerable selfishness at the bottom of things." 
 
 " If there weren't, there couldn't be war," said 
 Carol, as the waiter brought finger bowls, and re- 
 turned order slips. 
 
 When bills were paid and tips left on the wait- 
 er's tray, Carol said to the young men : " We 
 want you to meet our Denver friends. Though 
 perhaps just now you would prefer cigars." 
 
 " Cigars can wait, eh, Bert ? " answered Phil. 
 
 " To be sure. Any bachelors in your party? " 
 
 " Yes, two," answered Carol promptly. 
 
 " Can't you coach us a little ? " 
 
 Lifting her left hand daintily with the right, 
 she folded down the thumb and third and fourth 
 fingers. Touching the uplifted first finger, she 
 began a description, as follows : " The eldest,
 
 36 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 that is this one, you see, is oh, immensely 
 wealthy ; owns oil wells and copper mines and rail- 
 road stock and Denver real estate and an interest 
 in several buildings " 
 
 " Oh, spare us," exclaimed Marshall. " I ob- 
 serve a bridge to be crossed already. Please help 
 me find the airship." 
 
 " His money doesn't concern him so much," she 
 said, smiling, " as what he considers his functional 
 disorders. So your bridge is another delusion; 
 you won't even need to resort to an airship. This 
 Mr. Winthrop is a patient of our Dr. Merriman, 
 who is trying to infuse a hope of recovery into his 
 mind. He's succeeding rather well, too. The 
 doctor has great faith in the power of sugges- 
 tion, don't you know ; and it's very little in the 
 drug line Mr. Winthrop gets." 
 
 " Well and good. If he is young, he will prob- 
 ably imbibe enough optimism to cure him." 
 
 " He lacks several years of being three score 
 and ten. Besides human life is gaining on its 
 limit. He may survive a hundred." Carol's eyes 
 were luminous. Pointing at the slim second finger, 
 she continued : " The other bachelor is, well 
 I really think I should leave a description of him 
 to Ruby. He is her father's junior partner." 
 
 " Ah? " said Marshall, looking inquiringly at 
 Ruby. 
 
 " Come and see for yourself. I presume we may 
 find him in the observation car," she answered. 
 
 The bachelor in question was occupying a chair
 
 WESTWARD, HO! 37 
 
 at the extreme end of the drawing-room. Others 
 of the party were in their own coach. 
 
 " We were looking for you, Patsy," said Ruby, 
 familiarly. " We met these gentlemen in the 
 diner. They are the friends of the Morleys whom 
 we had expected to meet later on." Then followed 
 a formal introduction. 
 
 " You are from Boston, I believe," said Mr. 
 Nicholson. 
 
 " Not long since," answered Phil, " yet long 
 enough to realize that we live in a pretty big 
 country." 
 
 " Do you notice any difference in Western peo- 
 ple? " 
 
 " A little, in some of them, though I must ad- 
 mit that divisions according to points of compass 
 have been largely guesswork. One meets mostly 
 Easterners on these West-bound trains, and we 
 find them wherever we go. Your Westerners 
 have the reputation of being broad-minded, less 
 conservative than our New Englanders, for in- 
 stance." 
 
 " Well, you have fair specimens of Westerners 
 in these young ladies here. You'll need to watch 
 out for them. They have few equals in setting 
 traps for the unwary." 
 
 " Oh, Patsy ! " exclaimed Ruby, with a pretense 
 of chagrin. 
 
 " Why, bless me ! That's nothing against you. 
 It's only another way of saying you're brainy." 
 
 " Then I beg your pardon," she replied.
 
 38 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Patsy,' " repeated Marshall. " That sounds 
 exceedingly refreshing after so many days of trav- 
 eling among strangers. It sounds homelike, too." 
 " So it does," agreed Phil. " I wish " 
 But the wish remained unspoken, and though 
 Carol, looking up quickly, interpreted it, she did 
 not offer to bring about its realization then.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 THE SURPRISE 
 
 Mr. Nicholson held a book in his hand, and 
 Carol noticed that while talking with them he kept 
 a finger on the page he had been reading. 
 
 " You are interested in that story, don't let 
 us disturb you, Mr. Nicholson," she said. 
 
 " It's something I picked up at the Salt Lake 
 Station," he explained, " not so absorbing, though. 
 Sit down." 
 
 " I think I would rather go outside," confessed 
 Ruby. " There's more of this lovely air out 
 there." 
 
 It followed that the four from the diner were 
 soon seated on the rear platform, watching in- 
 dolently the receding track and passing scenery, 
 yet quite awake to mutual interests. 
 
 " Let me think," mused Marshall. " Didn't 
 you tell me, Miss Wilton, when we met at that 
 charity ball last year, that you were studying 
 voice, or was it something I learned from a 
 friend of yours ? " 
 
 " Quite possibly it was I, though I haven't any 
 
 recollection of doing so," was the reply. 
 
 39
 
 40 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Carol is a Nordica in disguise," declared 
 Ruby, and Carol returned the compliment by say- 
 ing: "And Ruby is splendid at the piano." 
 
 " Good, Marshall has his flute along," confided 
 Phil. 
 
 " And Phil his guitar," said Marshall. " I sur- 
 mise there is music in store for us all." 
 
 " Oh, and do you both play all kinds of ac-< 
 companiments ? " asked Carol, growing excited. 
 
 " Just a few, speaking for myself," answered 
 Phil. " Marshall does better." 
 
 " You are hardly the one to judge," replied 
 Marshall. 
 
 " You'll do, both of you ! " exclaimed Carol, 
 clapping her hands. " We'll teach you anything 
 you may lack, won't we, Ruby? " and without 
 awaiting Ruby's decision, she went on : "I have 
 a most vivid recollection this minute of music 
 I heard in Venice every night, such wonderful 
 music, right under our windows, in the gardens, 
 on the water, everywhere ! Why can't we surprise 
 the Morleys that way, stop over a train, do 
 something unexpected? " 
 
 " A capital idea, Miss Wilton," conceded Phil. 
 " They would take it all right, and they aren't 
 looking for us fellows to-day, anyway. Besides, 
 I know of a costumer in Los Angeles, used to be 
 at Cambridge, who could rent us some Italian 
 outfits, say tambourines for you ladies, and any- 
 thing else we should need." 
 
 " I suppose the Morleys will be at the station
 
 THE SURPRISE 41 
 
 to meet this train. Sister wrote we should be 
 there this afternoon," said Ruby. 
 
 " Send a telegram," advised Phil. " I'll do it 
 for you at the next station, if you say so." 
 
 " All right. I'll sign my name to it," agreed 
 Ruby. " We might say : ' Met friends. Will 
 stop off a short time,' or something like that." 
 
 " I presume we would better take our Denver 
 friends into the secret, too. And shall we include 
 Mr. Nicholson in the serenade ? " As she spoke, 
 Carol's lips parted in a smile which displayed her 
 very even rows of white teeth. 
 
 Phil sought Ruby's eyes, and tried to read there 
 if she had more than a friendly liking for this Mr. 
 Nicholson, but he did not find them particularly 
 communicative. Nevertheless, his youth forbade 
 anxiety on that score. Both he and Marshall were 
 inclined to believe that gentleman a sort of charit- 
 able individual, upon whom the two young ladies 
 might wish to rely in an exigency. 
 
 Directly, Mr. Nicholson, tired of reading, 
 sauntered out on the platform. 
 
 " We were speaking of you," said Carol, ad- 
 dressing him. 
 
 " So I surmised," he answered nonchalantly. 
 
 " I wonder if you would enjoy personating an 
 Italian, in our contemplated troupe, an Italian 
 versed in English, who would act as an interpreter, 
 and commend us to the Morleys. We are plan- 
 ning to surprise them by arriving late, and play- 
 ing and singing at the door as mendicants."
 
 42 
 
 "They'll enjoy that, no doubt; but I think 
 you'll have to excuse me. I was never any good 
 at trying to be somebody else, and besides, Dr. 
 Merriman and I have an engagement for the even- 
 ing. I'm sorry if it will inconvenience you." 
 
 Ruby had anticipated a little showing of jeal- 
 ousy, in spite of his declaration in Denver. Mr. 
 Nicholson was acting very cleverly, if he were 
 acting. 
 
 After lunch, the four made out their programme, 
 sang for each other, taught each other melodies, 
 all in a quiet way, and retired to their berths 
 humming songs, " just in time to pack up," Mrs. 
 Merriman reminded them. 
 
 The train arrived at its destination promptly. 
 Dr. Merriman had engaged rooms for the Denver 
 party at one of the large hotels, and the young 
 people who were to be guests of the Morleys ac- 
 companied them thither. Soon after, they went 
 in search of costumes, Phil keeping close watch of 
 passers-by, lest he encounter Mr. or Mrs. Morley. 
 Fortune seemed to favor them, and they returned 
 to the hotel laden with various packages, not wish- 
 ing to wait for a messenger. 
 
 After dinner there was a rehearsal in Dr. and 
 Mrs. Merriman's private suite. 
 
 " I wish I could see you act it all out at the 
 Morleys'," said Mrs. Merriman, " but you will 
 come down to-morrow, I hope, and tell me about 
 it."
 
 THE SURPRISE 43 
 
 " Yes, indeed, Mrs. Merriman, if we possibly 
 can," answered Ruby. 
 
 It was half past eight o'clock, when, dressed 
 in elaborate street costumes of Italian styles and 
 laden with mandolin and tambourines, the young 
 men having been unable to procure their own in- 
 struments in time, the belated guests left a taxi- 
 cab at a near-by corner, and ascended the terrace 
 steps to the Morley lawn. The house was bril- 
 liantly lighted, and through lace draperies a 
 charming picture of the interior of a typical Los 
 Angeles home was visible. The lower front rooms 
 were unoccupied, and the four ventured along the 
 cement walk at one side of the house, and hearing 
 voices, looked upward, to find a mass of over- 
 hanging vines and flowers. 
 
 " A roof garden," exclaimed Carol, under her 
 breath. 
 
 They listened a moment. 
 
 A woman's voice said : " Do you think we shall 
 hear from them again to-night, Charles? " and a 
 bass voice replied : " Possibly. We won't have 
 to worry anyway. It isn't as if they had been 
 delayed by a wreck." 
 
 " No, that would have been awful," said the 
 other. " The cook had baked a fresh cake, but 
 it will keep all right." 
 
 Below, there was suppressed excitement. Two 
 girlish hearts beat forcefully beneath unaccus- 
 tomed habits. Two gallant youths bade them take 
 courage; then, a strain of melody arose to Mr.
 
 44 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 and Mrs. Morley's ears, which quite astonished 
 them, so rich and deep, so sweet and weird it 
 sounded on the evening air. 
 
 " Charles Henry ! What does it mean ? " she 
 questioned eagerly. 
 
 " It's a serenade, evidently. Some of your 
 friends have heard of the completion of your new 
 roof garden and have come to help dedicate, per- 
 haps," said her husband. 
 
 Again, 'a strange, sweet, Italian song from a 
 throat made for music. It was Carol's voice, and 
 Phil strummed an accompaniment on the bor- 
 rowed mandolin. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Morley drew to the edge of the 
 garden wall and looked down over the railing. 
 Lights from below revealed dimly the strange faces 
 and stranger garb. 
 
 A pair of slender hands held up an inverted 
 tambourine. Would madam give " a leetle," to 
 help the poor? They were wanderers, these four, 
 and wanted to earn " monies " to pay their pas- 
 sage back to dear old Italy. No work such as 
 they did at home could they find in this country. 
 Very, very poor were they. Carol interspersed 
 some broken sentences in Italian. Her voice was 
 pathetic and bewildering. 
 
 Mr. Morley was puzzled; but a quarter wasn't 
 much to lose. He threw one down to the appar- 
 ently fair Italian, saying: "Do you know you 
 are subjecting yourselves to arrest? But go 
 ahead, sing some more."
 
 THE SURPRISE 4,5 
 
 Carol complied, her voice tremulous with laugh- 
 ter; but the listeners on the roof thought it might 
 be tears. 
 
 Once more the tambourine was lifted. " We so 
 poor, so far from home," she pleaded. 
 
 Mr. Morley threw down another quarter, his 
 wife protesting. 
 
 " I don't know how we could get more fun out 
 of fifty cents," he said, without an attempt at 
 privacy. 
 
 " Thanks, much, indeed very much," said 
 Carol, and encouraged by Mr. Morley's demeanor : 
 " Would the kind padrone permit us to sleep one 
 leetle night in the gareege, costs so much monies 
 for place to sleep. We so poor! No friends 
 here, know nobodies ! " 
 
 " Sleep in the garage? Oh, my man has charge 
 of that. He is rather particular about his guests. 
 But where did you learn so much English ? " 
 
 " I was one time with lady in Naples. She 
 Engleesh. She teach me." 
 
 " You are all brothers and sisters, I suppose, 
 down there ? " said Mr. Morley, his mouth twitch- 
 ing perceptibly in his efforts to keep back a 
 smile. 
 
 " Yees, we brother and sister, all of us." 
 
 " Well, go around in front of the house and I'll 
 come down and have a look at you." 
 
 Perhaps Mr. Morley thought the menticants, 
 if such they were, would sneak away before 
 he could reach them ; but they obeyed implicitly.
 
 46 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Steve, see here," called the owner of the es- 
 tablishment to his man. 
 
 " All right, sir," came from the rear yard, some- 
 where. 
 
 " Did you hear that music just now? " 
 
 " I reckon I did. Mighty fine, I call it." 
 
 " Well, those musicians claim to be poor Italian 
 travelers. They would like to sleep in your quar- 
 ters to-night." 
 
 " Sleep in the garage? Will you hear 
 that? Earthquakes an' cinders! Why they'd 
 be off with the machine before mornin' ! " 
 
 " With you there to watch them? " 
 
 " Did you take notice of the size o' them fel- 
 lers? Corbett and Sullivan, not to mention John- 
 son ! The machine 'd be a goner, or there'd be a 
 murder, sure, likely both ! " 
 
 " Don't think we'd better shelter 'em, eh? " 
 
 "No siree!" 
 
 " Well, I'll tell 'em you object." 
 
 " Better let me fix 'em," Steve muttered, loiter- 
 ing a moment. 
 
 At the front steps, just a little away from the 
 glare of the lights, stood the pretenders. 
 
 Through the front hall came Mr. and Mrs. Mor- 
 ley, followed by a maid and Stephen. The gleam 
 of a pistol was seen beneath the man's rough, right 
 hand. Through a closed screen, Marshall caught 
 sight of the weapon. 
 
 " Gad, girls, they are coming after us with a
 
 THE SURPRISE 47 
 
 gun ! " he said in a whisper. " Off with the head- 
 rigging, quick ! " 
 
 In an instant the head gear was removed, ex- 
 cept Phil's, which persisted in clinging. 
 
 Mr. Morley threw open the screen. Before him 
 stood as charming a vision as human eyes may 
 behold: a petite, graceful form, in soft rainbow- 
 hued draperies ; a face which reminded him vaguely 
 of snowflakes and pink geraniums ; a pair of grave, 
 violet eyes, and a crown of disheveled, gold-tinted 
 hair, glinting in the blaze of the porch light. A 
 little in the shadow were other forms, two, tall 
 and straight as Indians, and one quite small, when 
 viewed comparatively. 
 
 " I'm sorry," began Mr. Morley, " but Steve 
 thinks we haven't any spare room in the garage. 
 It wouldn't be comfortable for you there, anyway, 
 if there were." And gazing curiously at the beau- 
 tiful face : " It would be more appropriate in 
 the house." Almost he guessed the truth. 
 
 " What's that, Charles? " interpolated his wife. 
 
 " You'll have to go to some lodging house, I 
 think, unless you can induce Mrs. Morley here to 
 admit you," he continued, smiling. 
 
 Ruby stepped out from the shadows. 
 
 " Oh, Mrs. Morley, don't you remember me ? 
 We met among the Rockies, not so many months 
 ago." 
 
 " Met you? Why why Charles 
 Henry," she cried. " It's Ruby ! "
 
 48 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Stephen with his pistol was close at hand. He 
 had his eyes on the tall figures beyond, shaking 
 with laughter behind the rosevines. 
 
 Mrs. Morley rushed down the steps and clasped 
 Ruby tightly in her arms. " Oh, you dear little 
 witch," she laughed, as she kissed her affection- 
 ately. 
 
 " And here is Carol, Mrs. Morley," said Ruby ; 
 and pointing to their companions : " There are 
 your Cousin, Mr. Tracy, and his friend, Mr. Mar- 
 shall. We met on the train, quite unexpectedly, 
 and, well, can you take us in ? " 
 
 *' Charles Henry, would you COULD you 
 have believed it? " Mrs. Morley exclaimed 
 breathlessly, as she greeted each in turn. 
 
 " Well, bless me ! " said Stephen with his fore- 
 finger on the trigger of his pistol. 
 
 " Go and shoot yourself, Steve," commanded 
 Mr. Morley, laughing, as he caught sight of the 
 weapon for the first time. 
 
 But Stephen made no reply, as he retreated 
 with the maid to the kitchen, where, with the cook, 
 they talked for an hour, in unison with the party 
 in the living room, of a foiled tragedy ; the dif- 
 ference being that in the latter place there were 
 frequent peals of ringing laughter.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 SIGHT-SEEING 
 
 " Everything is so perfectly delightful about it 
 all! How can you ever bear to leave your home 
 to go anywhere, out of town, I mean? You ought 
 to feel quite satisfied, and very happy," said Carol 
 to their hostess, after a partial tour of the prem- 
 ises next morning. 
 
 " Wait till you see the roof garden ! That is 
 the crowning point. We'll go up right away," 
 answered Mrs. Morley. 
 
 The invitation included Ruby and Carol. They 
 had left the men of the party enjoying morning 
 papers, cigars, and easy chairs on the wide, front 
 porch. 
 
 Pug was already comfortably stretched on the 
 cushions of the pavilion. 
 
 " Such laziness ! " exclaimed Mrs. Morley, as 
 he blinked at them sleepily; and after a series of 
 pats on his small, brown skull, she pushed him 
 somewhat unceremoniously aside. At this, he 
 winked apologetically, and wended his way toward 
 an isolated corner. 
 
 " Have seats, girls," she urged, re-arranging 
 the cushions. 
 
 " Pug shows good sense in choosing this place 
 49
 
 50 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 for his naps, Mrs. Morley, quiet, lovely draper- 
 ies and pillows, flowers, palms, and sunshine to 
 view. I shall want to be lazy too, every day," 
 volunteered Ruby. 
 
 "Call me ' Ida,' both of you. I don't like 
 formality among intimates, at least not much of 
 it. But you mustn't expect to have a great deal 
 of time all to yourselves. There will be trips and 
 trips, and with those young men to share them 
 with you, your opportunities will be too good to 
 waste." 
 
 " Thank you, Ida. I imagine the men will like 
 best to go off hunting by themselves, or fishing, 
 as the mood takes them. Women are considered 
 something of a bore in traveling. Aren't they? " 
 
 " Confess that you believe they couldn't be hired 
 to go without you, girls, if they supposed you 
 would enjoy going in their company, and would 
 be willing to rough it a little, as they like to do ; 
 and that it is no secret with you, that a pretty 
 girl moves a man at her will as she would an au- 
 tomaton." 
 
 " Even without much brains ? " said Carol, 
 amusively. 
 
 " Without displaying too much," laughed Mrs. 
 Morley. " It's proverbial that men prefer as a 
 wife a woman of unaffected simplicity, unso- 
 phisticated, except in domestic concerns, which she 
 is at liberty to elevate to the top-notch of su- 
 periority. I've little fault to find as far as I am 
 personally involved; but in any case, one mustn't
 
 SIGHT-SEEING 51 
 
 expect to be perfectly contented and always happy. 
 It is quite too much for mortals to hope for. If 
 either of you win as kind a husband and one who 
 provides as well as Charles, you may be thankful. 
 He thinks Phil and his friend are exceptionally 
 nice men." 
 
 " I believe they are, if one may trust appear- 
 ances. I had my faith somewhat shaken in col- 
 lege men when I was among them, a * co-ed,' ' 
 declared Carol, seriously. " Such goings on as 
 were had right under our very eyes : the boys acted 
 as if they suspected we were blind to their follies. 
 Our ' frat ' houses were not far apart, don't you 
 know, and, oh, dear ! I almost thought that if 
 ever I married, it must be to a man especially made 
 for me." 
 
 " Perhaps this same familiarity with the short- 
 comings of our brothers has made some of us more 
 particular and discreet in our final choice. But 
 you know, dear, we women have our failings, also, 
 and it will hardly do for us to be stubborn in our 
 prejudices. And to be personal, I'm sure you 
 won't allow yourself to be prejudiced against Phil 
 and Marshall." 
 
 " I'm determined I won't be. In fact, I was 
 hardly thinking of them at all, when I spoke of 
 marrying." 
 
 " I should suppose not," said Ruby. 
 
 " They are of fine old families, that means a 
 great deal," suggested Mrs. Morley. 
 
 " And quite possibly engaged," added Ruby.
 
 52 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " I think not. Phil acknowledged as much to 
 Charles, last evening, and said it was very thought- 
 ful of us to plan such delectable things for them." 
 
 " The excitement acted as a tonic, perhaps." 
 
 " Especially Steve's part," laughed Carol. 
 
 " Poor Steve," deplored Mrs. Morley. " He 
 was so ashamed of that . . . Now I'll run down 
 and give some orders, and if you girls will put 
 on your street suits, we'll go for a drive by and by. 
 I think Charles means to take the men down to his 
 place of business, and you wouldn't be specially 
 interested in farm implements, I presume." 
 
 " Anything you say will be all right for us, Ida, 
 the drive would be fine," consented Ruby. 
 
 " Splendid ! " said Carol. " But I must write 
 a line home, so I'll go right down stairs, too." 
 
 " And I," said Ruby. " I wish we might use a 
 long-distance telephone, instead. I wonder if any 
 one will write with a pen when such messages be- 
 come common." 
 
 " Oh, yes, * lest we forget,' " quoted Carol. 
 
 The Morley car, with Steve at the wheel, started 
 briskly down the avenue, about mid-forenoon. 
 Mrs. Morley directed the drive over several miles 
 of beautiful streets in the Westlake district, in- 
 cluding broad Wilshire Boulevard. On all sides 
 were charming homes, a commingling of wood and 
 cement, and of red and gray stone. Many were 
 decorated with stucco work, others painted in hues 
 that were borrowed of the flowers, and not a few
 
 SIGHT-SEEING 53 
 
 were grandly patterned after English and Old 
 Colonial homes ; looking much like huge snow- 
 houses, in coats of glistening white. 
 
 Everywhere were enchanting lawns which held 
 almost every conceivable flowering shrub and plant, 
 luxuriant in growth and marvelous in beauty. 
 There were borders of calla lilies, hedges of gold 
 and scarlet cannas, orange lantanas, tall red and 
 pink and white geraniums, feathery heliotrope, 
 and magnificent roses ! Blue myrtle and nastur- 
 tiums were imbedded at the feet of graceful palms, 
 whose corrugated trunks were wound about with 
 ivies and smilax and asparagus ferns. The sweet- 
 scented jasmine, bougainvillea and other vines, 
 laden with myriads of blossoms, climbed over 
 porches and walls ; clung to cement and clapboard 
 and shingle ; great scarlet-leaved poinsettias and 
 fluffy red bells of hibiscus, tossed at the tips of 
 their slender stems, against backgrounds of pearl 
 and canary, dove-color, olive and deep wine. 
 
 Trees and blossoming vines thrived between 
 pavement and curbing. There were the towering 
 eucalyptus, spreading magnolia, the acacia, 
 camphor tree, and the willowy pepper with its 
 drooping sprays of fine, white flowers and of blood- 
 red berries, amid the dainty green of tiny, cluster- 
 ing leaves. 
 
 In the distance, northward and westward, were 
 the mountains : the ragged, snow-capped peaks of 
 the Sierras, over the lower green of the foothills, 
 like an artist's dream. The glow of dazzling sun-
 
 54 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 shine pervaded all, and the mild, fragrant air was 
 like that of June in New England. 
 
 " It is wonderland ! " cried Ruby, delighted be- 
 yond measure. 
 
 And Carol said : " One can easily imagine elves 
 and fairies at work at the roots of things." 
 
 " We will drive around Westlake Park, Steve," 
 said Mrs. Morley, as they neared the place on the 
 homeward drive. 
 
 Various persons were lounging in the pavilions, 
 on benches under the trees, or idly rowing on the 
 lake, where were hundreds of ducks and several 
 large white swans. The trees and flowers, the 
 bright green of the well-kept turf along the path- 
 ways, and the sunlight filtering through leafy 
 spaces, made the place seem Elysian. 
 
 Later, on the same day, automobiles carried the 
 whole party, including the Denver friends from 
 the hotel, over other portions of the city, down 
 South Figueroa Street and up West Adams, 
 through St. James Park and Chester Place, where 
 were many more elegant homes, and a wilderness 
 of flowers and waving palms and playing foun- 
 tains ; out on the heights, too, among palaces and 
 towers and pergolas and terraces copied from 
 those of Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, China, 
 Japan, and India, in truth from all the world, 
 for the residents of the city are cosmopolitan, and 
 have sought this sunny land for health, or wealth, 
 or happiness, and, perchance, have found all com- 
 bined.
 
 SIGHT-SEEING 55 
 
 Over paved boulevards, the party rode to Venice, 
 which they explored on foot, agreeing that it was 
 another Coney Island. On, through lovely Santa 
 Monica by the placid Pacific, they went to Beverly 
 Hills, where stands a far-famed hostelry amid a 
 sea of blossoms; then back, via Hollywood, 
 nestled among the hills, once the home of Paul 
 de Longpre, honored as the world's most famous 
 painter of flowers. 
 
 " I only wish you might have seen his garden," 
 said Mrs. Morley to her companions in the car. 
 "It was just beautiful and his studio! Too 
 bad everything has been changed and turned over 
 to ordinary use. I think the people here should 
 have made it a permanent home of art." 
 
 The sun had set and dusk was drawing on, as 
 they rode into Los Angeles. 
 
 " Quite a change in the atmosphere," remarked 
 Phil. 
 
 " Yes," replied the host, " no warm nights here 
 to bother one, even in summer. Best ever for 
 sleeping and surprises. Any more on hand, 
 Phil?" 
 
 " Can't tell what may develop," answered Phil, 
 wisely. " One thing surprises me, right now, and 
 that is your roads. I had no idea they were so 
 grand." 
 
 " Oh, we aren't so far behind the times, if we 
 are on the edge of the world," said Mrs. Morley. 
 
 Rather oddly, another surprise awaited Mr. and 
 Mrs. Morley as they were passing through the
 
 56 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 lower rooms, fastening doors and windows, pre- 
 paratory to retiring for the night. A sharp ring 
 was heard at the door-bell. 
 
 " Some one trying to find a number in our vicin- 
 ity, I suppose," said Mr. Morley, proceeding to 
 open the front door. 
 
 He was confronted by a messenger with a tele- 
 gram, and as he opened the ominous yellow en- 
 velope, he speculated on its contents, but was far 
 from guessing the truth. When spread out be- 
 tween his fingers, he lifted his brows, then lowered 
 and slightly contracted them. 
 
 Dismissing the messenger, he carried the dis- 
 patch to Mrs. Morley and informed her brusquely : 
 " It's from Aunt Lucinda. She's coming." 
 
 Mrs. Morley smiled as she read it over, and an- 
 swered : " ' It never rains but it pours,' you 
 know, Charles." 
 
 " She'll reign all right, and pour, too, if you'll 
 let her. There wasn't a woman in New England I 
 so dreaded to see when I was a boy. Her pe- 
 riodical visits at our house turned things pretty 
 generally upside down. She seemed to have a 
 grudge against me, because I was a boy, I pre- 
 sume, and apt to be a little careless about things. 
 If she saw me idle about the house for a few min- 
 utes, she would say to mother : ' Sary, ain't yeou 
 got suthin' for that boy to dew? If he was mine, 
 I'd set him to sproutin' potaters, or shellin' beans, 
 and if I hadn't any o' them on hand, why he 
 could be pilin' up stuns.' She believed in early
 
 SIGHT-SEEING 57 
 
 marriages to keep young people busy with some- 
 thing besides foolishness, and she picked out a wife 
 for me before I was twenty, a sallow-faced girl 
 who, so she said, had never been to theater nor a 
 dance in her life, and who was always at prayer- 
 meeting, storm or shine. I told her I knew there 
 must be something out of whack with a girl that 
 had such a complexion. She must be either a 
 hypocrite or an ignoramus." 
 
 "How dare you?" laughed Mrs. Morley. 
 " But your aunt wasn't much better pleased with 
 your choice than you were with hers, if reports are 
 true. We will make her welcome, though, and per- 
 haps she may change her mind." 
 
 " When did she ever say anything against you, 
 Ida? " 
 
 " Oh, at our wedding. She remarked that 
 Charles's wife carried her head like a woman she 
 knew in Coventry, and she guessed Charles would 
 find she'd pull pretty strong on the bit." 
 
 " Ha, ha ! She struck it right that time ; but 
 I'm not sorry you're that sort, wifey. And, say, 
 I've a plan for to-morrow. We are all going 
 somewhere ; if Aunt Lucinda arrives of course she 
 will need rest." 
 
 " Perhaps she will wish to go somewhere with 
 us." 
 
 "We'll tell her it wouldn't be prudent. She 
 might get overdone." 
 
 " Why, Charles, you're really, you don't 
 mean to be inhospitable ? "
 
 58 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Not a bit. The house shall be at her disposal 
 while we are away." 
 
 " Just leave her to me, dear. I'll manage some- 
 way." 
 
 " Put her up in the attic with the cook, make a 
 bed on the roof, give her our room and we go to 
 the neighbors, or what ? And you'll warn the 
 maids ? " 
 
 " Yes, I'll tell them she's coming, of course. 
 But what would she have said to the doings last 
 evening? Seriously, though, I'll send Mattie home 
 to sleep for a few nights. Her people live on a 
 car line and she won't mind going. Then I can 
 arrange her room for your aunt. I'm glad it's 
 such a pretty room, new blue paper, you know, 
 and the daintiest, dotted Swiss curtains, bedcover 
 and stand drapes, and a new blue rug to match the 
 walls." 
 
 " Here's to luck ! " said Mr. Morley, pouring a 
 glass of water from a silver tankard and passing it 
 on to his wife. " But, Ida, I'll bet she'll quit us 
 as she comes, the same woman I knew in New Eng- 
 land when I wore top-boots and overalls. She has 
 made it her boast that nothing short of solemn duty 
 could induce her to change her style of dress, her 
 language, or her religion. ' Remove not the old 
 landmarks ' was a favorite adage, and her land- 
 marks were all laid among the rocks and huckle- 
 berry bushes where she was born. She is provin- 
 cial to the last degree ! "
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 THE ARRIVAL OF AUNT LUCINDA 
 
 " I do hope Mr. Morley's aunt likes young peo- 
 ple," said Ruby, as she settled herself comfortably 
 in the roof garden with a copy of colored illustra- 
 tions of buildings and grounds at the Panama- 
 Pacific International Exposition. 
 
 " She probably does, or she wouldn't be coming 
 to visit the Morleys," answered Carol. " But we 
 shall not long be left in doubt, if the train is on 
 time." 
 
 " No, and instead of speculating on the lady's 
 likes and dislikes, you would advise studying up the 
 exposition scenes, wouldn't you? Here, I'll be 
 generous and let you look over. They say it's 
 simply magnificent! I hope we can stay long 
 enough to make it worth while." 
 
 For a few moments the booklet proved absorb- 
 ing, then Carol's eyes caught a cartoon on a maga- 
 zine page spread out at her feet which represented 
 " Uncle Sam " as patting a favorite son on the 
 back for one of his creditable performances. 
 
 " Don't you sometimes wish you were a ' favor- 
 ite son,' Carol? " Ruby asked abruptly, following 
 Carol's gaze. 
 
 " No," said Carol, looking up quickly. " Think 
 of the pretty clothes we may wear, for instance. 
 
 59
 
 60 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Would you exchange your lovely party gowns for 
 a suit of conventional black and stiff linen accom- 
 paniments such as men wear? " 
 
 " But do acknowledge that most men have more 
 freedom than we," replied Ruby, amusively. 
 
 " A man may propose marriage, which is an act 
 denied to us; but we have the right to reject his 
 offer, which is by far the greater privilege," sub- 
 mitted Carol. 
 
 To which Ruby responded : " A shrewd man 
 wouldn't propose marriage, unless he were reason- 
 ably sure of acceptance, I should think." 
 
 " Oh, but they do sometimes. Girls will 
 draw a man on," and with half hidden mischief 
 lurking about lips and eyes, Carol explained: 
 " I'm not meaning to be personal, my dear, and I'll 
 confess it is difficult to comprehend " 
 
 Involuntarily she stopped, as her ears caught 
 the sound of footsteps on the stairs, heavy foot- 
 steps they were, and from more than one pair of 
 feet. 
 
 " What is it that is so almost impossible of com- 
 prehension ? " asked Phil, directly, peering over 
 the railing at the top. 
 
 ' When from the earth the animals 
 Went off the boat in pairs, 
 Who was it that first heard the sound 
 Of boots upon the stairs ? ' ' 
 
 quoted Carol, recovering herself. 
 
 " I'll give it up," he said after a little reflection.
 
 ARRIVAL OF AUNT LUCINDA 61 
 
 " I've never been able to guess, myself," she told 
 him. " But I wish I could, I might win fifty 
 pounds, so the author said. Maybe he's dead by 
 this time. It was a good while ago." 
 
 " That's the usual luck. But who would have 
 thought you girls would have been sitting here 
 propounding such conundrums to each other? " he 
 continued, winking at Marshall. 
 
 " How long were you standing on the stairway, 
 just out of sight? " 
 
 " Oh, we came right up." 
 
 " Sure? " she queried, while Ruby generously 
 offered seats, and presented the real question un- 
 der discussion : " Which sex has the more privi- 
 leges?" 
 
 Phil, replying, declared : " I can answer that 
 immediately. A woman has all the privileges when 
 she is around ; a man's come in when she is ab- 
 sent; but as that seldom happens, the woman has 
 the ' lion's share.' " 
 
 " I think that could hardly be called an impar- 
 tial statement, Mr. Tracy," replied Carol. 
 " Men may vote in all our states, while women 
 have equal political rights but in part." 
 
 " True. But isn't that because most women 
 incline to domestic rather than political privi- 
 leges ? " he continued. " Now I honestly believe, 
 when women lack rights and really want them, 
 they find a way to get them, just as men do." 
 
 " Men would use combustibles to win, and 
 women tractables, I suppose," interpolated Ruby.
 
 62 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Acknowledge you couldn't do much with tract- 
 ables, which I take you to mean is moral sua- 
 sion, if guns didn't pave the way," said Mar- 
 shall, who had remained standing. 
 
 " First destruction, then construction," ob- 
 served Carol. 
 
 " Well yes ; but only because the destructive 
 method is also the constructive, as for instance in 
 our war with Spain. It destroyed much property 
 and some lives ; but it conserved the best interests 
 of Cuba." 
 
 " That was the idea of some of our English sis- 
 ters, to be sure. And wasn't it lovely of them to 
 drop all their plans for women's rights and work 
 so loyally for the English men as soon as they 
 began to fight ? " 
 
 " Wonderful, equal to the ' short cut ' to ' Tip- 
 perary ' ! " said Marshall ; and Phil, shaking his 
 head solemnly, added : " Mrs. Pankhurst and all 
 the rest of the militant suffragists over there will 
 certainly deserve to share the pie half and half 
 if there is any left when the war is over," and, 
 smiling at Carol, he admitted : " I really think 
 they will be entitled to about two-thirds. They 
 are not only brave, but they have shown themselves 
 to be unselfish and generous in the extreme ; be- 
 sides, their faith in their men should command re- 
 spect in return." 
 
 " Good for you ! " exclaimed Carol, and as his 
 eyes roved over the garden : " Isn't it pretty fine 
 up here ? "
 
 ARRIVAL OF AUNT LUCINDA 63 
 
 " I should say it is. I wouldn't mind spending 
 the forenoon, if we might; but we came up to de- 
 liver a message. Charles has planned a picnic at 
 Eastlake Park, and Ida has consented to go and 
 take lunch along, if you girls say so." 
 
 " Oh, we do," they agreed. 
 
 " I wonder if I may have a flower," said Mar- 
 shall, walking toward the railing. 
 
 " There's no one to say you * nay,' " answered 
 Carol, and obligingly she broke off a spray of pink 
 ivy geranium and fastened it to a revers of his 
 coat, then stepping back, she complimented: 
 " That is quite smart." 
 
 " The flower, or its effect on the coat? " he ques- 
 tioned. 
 
 " Both," and turning quickly, she saw Ruby 
 gathering violets. 
 
 " Those go beautifully with auburn hair," she 
 suggested. 
 
 " No reflections cast on auburn hair, I hope, 
 Miss Wilton," said Phil, deprecatingly. 
 
 " By no means. I think auburn hair is glori- 
 ous ! I have often wished my own were that 
 color," she responded. 
 
 " Do you hear that, Phil? " asked Mar- 
 shall. 
 
 " Guess I do. You'll have to dye yours, now, 
 Bert, sure." 
 
 " Oh, his is all right. He wouldn't look well 
 with auburn hair," said Ruby, presenting the vio- 
 lets to Phil and smiling upon Marshall with her
 
 64 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 brown eyes, which if less bewildering than a cer- 
 tain pair of blue ones, closer by, were honest in 
 their expression, and Marshall thought Miss Guild 
 improved by acquaintance. 
 
 The four were grouped about the piano in the 
 living room when Mr. Morley came with Aunt Lu- 
 cinda, who was, in reality, a sister of his paternal 
 grandfather. They were apprised of her pres- 
 ence by Mr. Morley, and turned to meet a tall, 
 thin-visaged woman, evidently not far from four- 
 score years of age, yet betraying the energy of 
 one much younger. Her gray hair was still abun- 
 dant, and worn in the old-fashioned corkscrew 
 curls at the side, and a tightly wound knot at the 
 back, beneath her black bonnet. Her eyes were 
 dark and keen. She was gowned in a dull black 
 alpaca, without trimming, and she carried a black 
 alpaca bag, a black-handled umbrella, and a shoe- 
 box, carefully tied with white tape. Mr. Morley 
 was burdened with a heavy gray camel's-hair shawl 
 and an antique satchel. 
 
 " I'd no idee yeou had sech a family, Charles," 
 she exclaimed, as the gentleman disposed of the 
 baggage, piece by piece, on the floor and table. 
 " I s'posed yeou and Ida wuz all alone, and I had 
 sech a good chance tew come eout, along with the 
 Seldens. Miss Selden's mother wuz a second or 
 third cousin, I d'n'no' jest which, tew yeour 
 grandfather, on yeour mother's side. She wants 
 tew call on yeou afore she goes back East. They 
 stopped off at Phoenix, in Arizony, a spell."
 
 ARRIVAL OF AUNT LUCINDA 65 
 
 " Ah, ha ? " assented the host. 
 
 " It's a great deal like comin' tew ' Kingdom 
 Come ' tew ride 'way eout here. I'm pretty good 
 at gettin' 'reound Coventry and Bolton Notch; 
 but I'd never 'a' ventured eout here by myself, 
 though I've heerd so much abeout Californy, I've 
 wanted to see it this good while." 
 
 " It's well worth coming to see, Aunt Lucinda," 
 declared Mr. Morley, " and Phil, here, has just 
 come from Boston to see it, too. He's Uncle 
 Eben's boy, you remember." 
 
 " Yeou don't say? I knew Eben when he wuz 
 fust married and a livin' on his farm. He's made 
 a fortune by it, sence, I've b'en told, a sellin' it off 
 fer city lots." 
 
 Phil smiled good-naturedly. 
 
 " I guess mebbe yeou'll help spend it," she went 
 on, addressing him. 
 
 " I'm going to try to make a fortune for my- 
 self," he answered. 
 
 " Yes, I guess so. That's the way most young 
 men talk. But they gen'ally find it handy tew 
 have a rich father tew fall back on." Surveying 
 the apartment, she said to Mr. Morley : " Yeou've 
 picked up consid'able, Charles. I guess you ain't 
 had much help from your father. Henry wuz 
 never very good at managin'. Sary had most o' 
 that tew do. If Henry wuz my nephew, my own 
 brother's son, I'll say that fer Sary. She had 
 the Tracy head fer managin'."
 
 66 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Again Phil smiled. " Aunt Sarah is a ' jewel of 
 the first water,' " he agreed. 
 
 " Sit down, Aunt Lucinda, and I'll call Ida," 
 said Mr. Morley. " She'll show you where to lay 
 your bonnet and things." 
 
 " I s'pect I'd better go with yeou tew find Ida. 
 She's prob'ly in the kitchen, ain't she, think? It 
 must take her pretty much all the time tew look 
 after this heouse and all the fancy fixin's, tew say 
 nothin' abeout the cookin'." 
 
 " Oh, she has help, two maids, aunt. I go on 
 the principle that a man who can afford to hire 
 help in his place of business should be able to hire 
 help for his wife about hers." 
 
 " That's sensible, neow. I kinder thought she'd 
 have a hired woman, or I don't know as I'd durst 
 come to see yeou." As she spoke, Aunt Lucinda 
 made an effort to draw her handkerchief from her 
 alpaca bag; but the strings had become entangled. 
 Carol quickly sprang to her side and, kneeling on 
 the floor beside her, soon untied the knotted rib- 
 bons. 
 
 " Don't you think Mr. Morley's house is 
 lovely ? " she asked, as Aunt Lucinda muttered her 
 thanks. 
 
 " I don' know as I'm any jedge. I never did go 
 much on statews and ile paintin's an' carved fur- 
 nitewer. You see I wuz brought up plain. I wuz 
 thinkin' jest neow what a lot of Bibles an' spellin' 
 books an' decent clothes the money it cost would 
 buy for the heathens over in Chiny and Indy and
 
 ARRIVAL OF AUNT LUCINDA 67 
 
 the Philippines. But that's jest my way o' lookin' 
 at things, and I ain't sayin' I'm always right." 
 And Aunt Lucinda gave the girl a smile meant to 
 be pacific, as she turned to follow Mr. Morley. 
 
 Mrs. Morley was actually in the kitchen, pre- 
 paring the picnic luncheon. After greeting the 
 visitor cordially, she invited her to join the party 
 going to Eastlake. " Though if you are tired, 
 Aunt Lucinda, you're quite welcome to stay here 
 and rest," she suggested. " I'll go up-stairs with 
 you right away and show you where you are to 
 sleep, and Charles will take up your things." 
 
 " I'm some tired, I confess, and I guess I'll clean 
 up a little and lie deown awhile if you're willin'. 
 I don't want tew upset none o' yeour plans." 
 
 Mrs. Morley was gracious, and when Aunt Lu- 
 cinda, whose surname was Dobbins, had seen the 
 pretty blue room and had been offered a handsome 
 blue silk kimono in which she might rest at her ease 
 until her trunk arrived, she began to think that if 
 Charles's wife were " sot in her way," there might 
 be a worse way after all. 
 
 " It will seem kinder good tew get off this old 
 alapaccy dress I've wore pretty nigh onto a week. 
 It's a dreadful long way across Ameriky ! " she 
 said. 
 
 " Indeed, it is ! " affirmed Mrs. Morley, laying a 
 fresh magazine on the little stand by the window. 
 *' Perhaps you will want to read by and by ; and 
 I'll have Mattie bring you up a nice lunch, if you 
 don't care to go down to the dining room. We
 
 68 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 want to make it as pleasant as we can for these 
 young people, you know, so we are taking them 
 out; but we shan't stay late, and I hope you'll be 
 quite comfortable while we are away." 
 
 " I'll get along all right ; but I wouldn't mind 
 havin' a ' Missionary Herald ' tew look over, if 
 yeou have one. I come away afore the last copy 
 wuz eout." 
 
 " Yes, I have one. I'll bring it in," answered 
 Mrs. Morley, congratulating herself on a recent 
 subscription for the monthly, given to a neighbor 
 interested in missionary work.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 THE PICNIC AT EASTLAKE PARK 
 
 The trip to Eastlake Park was not through the 
 most attractive portions of the city, from an aes- 
 thetic point of view; but gave one an idea of its 
 resources and of its remarkable growth. There 
 were large factories, many lines of railroad, whole- 
 sale and retail houses and a few battered adobe 
 buildings, which must have witnessed the primitive 
 glory of Spanish priest and soldier, and of the 
 early days of conquest, when Fremont, " The 
 Pathfinder," raised under near-by hills his coun- 
 try's far-famed banner of stars and stripes. 
 
 Arriving at the park, laden with bundles, bas- 
 kets, and wraps, they alighted from the Morley 
 car and crossed to the central gateway. 
 
 " Why, there is Patsy ! " cried Ruby. 
 
 " And Dr. and Mrs. Merriman and every- 
 body," finished Carol. 
 
 " Now, who are surprised, I wonder? " asked 
 Mr. Morley. 
 
 " I think you have the game on us, Charles," 
 Phil replied. 
 
 By this time they had reached the bridge over 
 
 the park lake, and just beyond, on a grassy plot 
 
 69
 
 70 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 shaded by tall trees, met their acquaintances. 
 Among them was a young stranger whom Mrs. 
 Merriman introduced as Miss Tolmy, of Virginia. 
 
 " Wasn't it odd," she remarked subsequently 
 to Ruby and Carol, " that she should happen along 
 just as we did, and locate at the same hotel? I 
 knew her mother when I was a girl. We went to 
 a school in Baltimore together. Mrs. Tolmy is a 
 widow and wealthy, and is traveling with her 
 daughter and maid. She felt too tired to come 
 with us to-day." 
 
 " It was odd, their coming while you are here ; 
 but we have had a similar experience at the Mor- 
 leys'. Mr. Morley's great aunt, whom he hadn't 
 seen for years and years, came way from Connecti- 
 cut, just before we started over here. She is so 
 quaint, like a picture from Revolutionary his- 
 tory. We expect to find her extremely interest- 
 ing, Ruby and I." 
 
 " I want you girls to call on the Tolmys. They 
 are worth cultivating," said Mrs. Merriman. 
 
 Meanwhile, Mr. Nicholson was exerting himself 
 to be agreeable to the stranger, as Ruby particu- 
 larly noticed. 
 
 The company went first to the greenhouses filled 
 with a choice collection of rare plants from many 
 climes ; then, to view the animals varying in size 
 from a small monkey to a large bear. They 
 watched a pair of huge bears in a paw-to-paw tus- 
 sle, fed the monkeys, admired the wild-cats, the 
 Angora goats, the sleepy owls and the birds of
 
 THE PICNIC 71 
 
 paradise; and like schoolgirls and boys, set free 
 from their tasks, the younger ones of the party 
 patronized the merry-go-rounds and swung in the 
 hammock chairs. 
 
 At length appetites began to be in evidence and 
 the ladies proceeded to spread a most palatable 
 lunch on a white cloth, over a stationary table; 
 while the gentlemen made themselves useful in open- 
 ing cans and carrying water, coffee, and lemonade 
 from a cafe across the way. 
 
 Carol found a seat at table next Miss Tolmy. 
 She was anxious to learn of the girl's capabilities. 
 On the other side of the young lady sat Mr. Nich- 
 olson, still attentive. Ruby had Dr. Merriman at 
 her right, and Marshall, who had been lending 
 his aid in filling various drinking glasses with dis- 
 tilled water, sat at her left. Phil asked Carol's 
 permission to take a vacant seat beside her. 
 
 All ate and talked and laughed and ate again, 
 until Dr. Merriman declared that he should need 
 to write out a wholesale prescription to prevent 
 the nightmare. Even the dyspeptic patient, Mr. 
 Winthrop, had forgotten his ills, and was, accord- 
 ing to Miss Winthrop's judgment, eating quite 
 indiscriminately. 
 
 Carol had made Phil welcome and now turned to 
 Miss Tolmy, who was tall and very blond, even 
 fairer than Carol. Her eyes were light blue, and 
 her features reminded one of an old miniature 
 regular and beautiful, expressing evenness of tem- 
 perament, a placid, easy-going nature.
 
 72 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " You are from Virginia, Miss Tolmy, Mrs. 
 Merriman told me," said Carol. " I have often 
 wanted to visit some of the old battlegrounds 
 there. The nearest I have been to them was at 
 Annapolis. I was there with mama when the 
 Prince of Battenburg was over." 
 
 " Oh, were you? I was there then too with my 
 aunt, who was the wife of a lieutenant. Of course 
 I was quite small, but auntie allowed me to go with 
 my cousin, who was in the naval academy, to see 
 some of the grand sights. I remember thinking it 
 lovely, so many sailors and fine officers in uni- 
 forms and big ships and parties for both sexes. 
 Auntie permitted me to dance a little, not nearly 
 so much as I would have liked. My cousin is an 
 officer on one of our battleships now." 
 
 " That is fine. Don't you wish we might see 
 them all in the harbor here as they were a few 
 years ago? There's nothing quite equal to a 
 party on shipboard. And the big guns ! Didn't 
 you love to hear them boom ? " 
 
 " Not so very well. They make me a 
 bit nervous." 
 
 " Were any of your relatives in the civil war of 
 the sixties ? " 
 
 " Yes, my grandfather and a great uncle. 
 They were Union men," she urged, evidently fear- 
 ing a collision unless the patriotism of the family 
 were exposed. 
 
 " Weren't your ancestors greatly annoyed by 
 having soldiers all about, Union and Confederate?
 
 THE PICNIC 73 
 
 And didn't they pry into your grandfather's do- 
 mains ? " 
 
 " Yes ! Grandma has told me that she spent 
 many a night in fear of them. For awhile she had 
 only one old manservant for protection. Raiders 
 carried off hams, and cider, and fowls, and one 
 night a fine horse and a saddle were stolen. You 
 could hardly believe it, but after the war it was 
 returned, secretly, with a note, saying the horse 
 had been killed and they were sorry. It was just 
 signed ' Yours truly, with thanks.' ' 
 
 " Wouldn't you give a hundred dollars to know 
 who sent it, and another hundred for a diary re- 
 lating his experiences while the horse and saddle 
 were in his possession? " 
 
 " I believe grandpa would. But I, I don't 
 know that it makes much difference to me. 
 Grandpa has willed the saddle to my boy cousin 
 in the navy." 
 
 " Ha, ha," laughed Carol. " I can imagine him 
 ripping it up to find anything that may have been 
 tucked away in the lining. Wouldn't it be great 
 to find some very important message, which might 
 have changed the whole order of things ? " 
 
 " Perhaps, if it didn't stir up more trouble. I 
 don't like to think of it." 
 
 " Miss Tolmy doesn't believe in war," vouched 
 Mr. Nicholson, overhearing. 
 
 " Nor I, when it can be avoided," said Carol. 
 " But I da love action ! " 
 
 "Possibly you would enjoy participating in a
 
 74 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 labor strike," said Phil, amused, and really desir- 
 ous of getting an opinion. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Tracy, do you know one might as well 
 wave a flag of treason in the face of some Colorado 
 voters as to say ' Labor Strike ' ? They are get- 
 ting what someone has called * dead tired ' of them. 
 But of course dropping a proposition isn't the way 
 to solve it, and I wouldn't mind being a labor 
 leader, if I might be trusted." 
 
 " Provided you were elected, what would be your 
 first move? " 
 
 " I would find some other job, requiring labor." 
 
 " Then you think being a labor leader doesn't 
 mean work? " 
 
 " Some work in that capacity, and some work 
 others pretty strenuously. But I would go to 
 work in the mines, or in the shop, or the office, and 
 set an example to men under me, by doing the best 
 I could for my employer, getting to work 
 promptly, not paying much attention to leaving 
 precisely on the minute of closing hour, thinking 
 up methods and plans for my employer's benefit, 
 using my head, hands, and heart, and then, when 
 we met together as laborers, I should feel that 
 whatever theories I might have to offer had been 
 put into practice, as far as I myself were con- 
 cerned. I should be able with a clear conscience 
 to advocate the Golden Rule, day in and day out. 
 I would seek opportunity to consult with capital- 
 ists and as many employers as possible, about 
 adopting the same rule in their business dealings,
 
 THE PICNIC 75 
 
 for their own best interests as well as for the good 
 of those in their employ. It is scientific, the 
 only scientific method! Don't you believe it, Mr. 
 Tracy ? " Carol's eyes were shining and a flush 
 in her cheeks betrayed her seriousness. 
 
 " But this is a picnic, I almost forgot. Pic- 
 nickers are supposed to be out for recreation, 
 aren't they? Perhaps bread and jam should be 
 eaten with lighter conversation," she said. 
 
 " The Golden Rule ought to go well with any- 
 thing, anywhere," acknowledged Phil, loyally. " I 
 agree with you, perfectly; but men generally are 
 not ready for its application. They have, evi- 
 dently, more faith in submarines and bombs than 
 in each other." 
 
 " Better times are on the way, I am sure. I'm 
 going to hope so, anyway, as hard as ever I can," 
 she concluded. Looking across the table, she 
 caught a glance from Marshall. Dimpling and 
 lifting her glass, she said : " What could be 
 nicer? " He was eating a cherry ice. So was 
 she. 
 
 "Was that remark addressed to me?" asked 
 Phil, not observing the motion. 
 
 " To no one in particular, unless it may have 
 been to myself," she replied, mischievously. 
 
 " Are you in the habit of talking to yourself? " 
 
 "Certainly. Why not?" 
 
 " Mentally, I suppose. We all do that." 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Tracy, haven't you heard that I just 
 dote on oral conversation with Carol Wilton,
 
 76 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 that Carol and I are regular gossips and confi- 
 dantes?" 
 
 " Spare me ! I hadn't meant to infer so much." 
 
 " Ha, ha ! I couldn't have blamed you. I 
 surely gave you reason. But isn't this a delicious 
 ice? " 
 
 " It is so. And I am to believe that is what you 
 defined as so extremely nice a moment ago." 
 
 " Yes. And in your travels abroad, did you 
 find a lovelier place for a picnic than Eastlake 
 Park, Los Angeles ? " 
 
 " Not for a place of its size, nor better com- 
 pany than we have to-day." 
 
 " Of course not. America affords the best the 
 world affords." 
 
 " And her choicest product is the American 
 Girl." 
 
 " Thank you for my share of the compliment, 
 but isn't that unjust to the American Boy? " 
 
 " I think not. He is made of coarser material, 
 and takes to stony ground and the Broad Way 
 like a gambler to a race course. If it were not 
 for the nice girls to hold him in check, he would 
 more than likely go his pace to the lower end of 
 the route." 
 
 " You differ from most men in not attributing 
 his failings to Eve." 
 
 " Where's the use ? She has something to an- 
 swer for, quite possibly ; but a typical boy takes 
 the wrong way chiefly because of his curiosity to 
 see where he will bring up, and partly owing to his
 
 THE PICNIC 77 
 
 obstinacy. By the way, have you heard of the 
 Oxford professor who claims to have translated a 
 tablet antedating the Book of Genesis, and attrib- 
 uting the disobedience of the race to Noah ? " 
 
 " No, tell me about it, please." 
 
 " According to his translation, men were sup- 
 posed to have been created to appease a desire of 
 the gods for worship. Proving indifferent wor- 
 shippers, they were condemned to extinction by 
 flood. A goddess managed to save Noah, the 
 king, and a few of his pious companions. After 
 the flood he became a gardener, and was permitted 
 to eat of every tree of the garden, except the Cas- 
 sia. He rebelled, and inaugurated disease and 
 early deaths in consequence." 
 
 " That sounds mythical." 
 
 " So it does. I'd rather take the Genesis ver- 
 sion, not that I care especially about exonerating 
 Noah, but owing to the reason ascribed for the 
 creation of man." 
 
 *' I agree with you ! But to return. Were you 
 a typical boy? " 
 
 " Guess I was. Anyhow, I got the chastise- 
 ments supposed to be applicable to one." 
 
 "Did they benefit you?" 
 
 " I didn't think so at the time, though they 
 made me more cautious about being found out, and 
 they seemed to increase my obstinacy." 
 
 " Are you then so dreadfully obstinate? " was a 
 smiling query. 
 
 Phil nodded with sly determination.
 
 78 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Won't some one have more ice? Mr. Mar- 
 shall, Dr. Merriman? Let me help you to some 
 more," begged Mrs. Morley. 
 
 " Shall I pass our glasses ? " asked Phil of 
 Carol. 
 
 " Do, please. And Miss Tolmy's is empty, 
 too." As she spoke, Mr. Nicholson sprang over 
 their board seat and bore it away with his own. 
 
 " Well, well," sighed Dr. Merriman, " it looks 
 as if we were eating to live instead of living to eat ; 
 but I certainly think that is the best cherry ice I 
 ever tasted." Passing his sherbet cup, " Just a 
 little more, Mrs. Morley," he said, " a mere tri- 
 fle." 
 
 " I think it is even better than pineapple ice, 
 don't you ? " asked Miss Tolmy of Carol, as Mr; 
 Nicholson returned, bearing beside the cups a 
 tray of small cakes, which he scattered along the 
 cloth in a sinuous line from his own plate past 
 Phil's. 
 
 " You're a treasure, Mr. Nicholson," said 
 Carol, helping herself. 
 
 " Isn't he kind? " acceded Miss Tolmy, where- 
 upon Phil, snatching a small branch of eucalyptus 
 which lay just behind on the ground, began shoo- 
 ing imaginary flies from Mr. Nicholson's shoul- 
 ders. 
 
 " There aren't any flies on Mr. Nicholson that 
 I can see," laughed Miss Tolmy. 
 
 " Well, I have to make believe there are," an-
 
 THE PICNIC 79 
 
 swered Phil. " He's getting altogether too many 
 compliments." 
 
 Luncheon over, the party collected and packed 
 remnants, stored them away in the car, and went to 
 the alligator farm not far distant. 
 
 " Over a thousand alligators ! Just think of 
 that," said Ruby. 
 
 " Yes, and I want one to carry home," added 
 Carol. " Somebody find me a box, please." 
 
 " Oh, I don't want to ride in the same car with 
 you, then," said Ruby. " I'd really, honestly, 
 rather ride with a mouse ! " 
 
 As Mr. Nicholson still continued his devotion 
 to Miss Tolmy's welfare, Carol asked Ruby pri- 
 vately if she weren't glad he was " provided for." 
 
 " Yes, but he needn't act as if none of the rest 
 of us existed." 
 
 Carol's under lip had the pressure of her teeth, 
 for she felt like laughing aloud. However, she 
 answered, presently : " If he does as well in con- 
 ducting his business affairs, he's a partner worth 
 having." It was her private opinion that Mr. 
 Nicholson had taken a very shrewd way of learn- 
 ing how strong a hold he had on Miss Ruby's 
 heart.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 AN EVENING WITH AUNT LUCINDA 
 
 " Will I go to the theatre? Wall, I guess I'm 
 ruther tew old tew begin. I never went tew one 
 in my life. Don't yeou ever think mebbe it's sin- 
 ful? " said Aunt Lucinda to Phil, who had po- 
 litely invited her to make one of a box-party, ex- 
 pecting, it must be confessed, that she would 
 refuse. 
 
 " Why, no, not in itself. I think I can learn 
 considerable by seeing a good play," he answered. 
 
 " But there's sech a bad name connected with 
 theatres, I don't see heow yeou ken get any good 
 eout of any of 'em. It's like eatin' a whole lot o' 
 shucks tew get at a grain of corn ; and likely's not, 
 the grain's musty when yeou're done with the 
 shucks." 
 
 " But our kernel for to-night has already been 
 husked. It's the real thing, fine actors, elegant 
 costumes, foreign scenery and elaborate music. 
 And besides, auntie, how can one really know 
 whether a thing is good or bad from one's own 
 view point till one sees it and judges for himself? " 
 
 " It's enough fer me tew know that the Metho- 
 dist church don't approve of 'em. I believe the 
 
 committee knew what they wuz a doin' when they 
 80
 
 EVENING WITH AUNT LUCINDA 81 
 
 passed the resolewtions at the conf'runce. And I 
 agree with the old-timers among 'em abeout dan- 
 cin', too. I think it's a tumble temptation of 
 the Evil One. I dew hope, Phil, fer yeour father's 
 and mother's sakes, yeou won't never go to 
 dances." Aunt Lucinda looked warily about as 
 she spoke, and not finding other listeners near, she 
 added, " I want to warn yeou still farther, that 
 yeou must beware of susciety girls. They're born 
 flirts, most of 'em, an' they'll fix themselves up tew 
 look like angels, an' smile on yeou ez innersunt ez 
 cherubs, an' all the time they're jest a tryin' to 
 get one more tossel on to their string, or string 
 tew their bow, whichever they call it, and they 
 don't keer no more fer yeour feelin's than they do 
 fer the feelin's of a dog like Pug." Possibly the 
 old lady mentioned Pug, because just then he 
 brushed against her gown as she stood in the hall ; 
 and immediately she was reminded of the fondness 
 for such pets, manifested by the society girls she 
 had described, so she qualified her assertion by 
 saying: "Not so much, most of 'em. I don't 
 see what Ida wants of that one. He's good fer 
 nothin' that I ken see but tew lie 'reound an' eat." 
 Phil was growing nervous ; but Aunt Lucinda 
 felt the importance of her opportunity and per- 
 sisted. " Yeou won't think I'm interfering I hope, 
 but I allers consider it to be my bounden duty tew 
 tell folks ef I notice any breakers a comin' their 
 way. Sometimes they thank me, and sometimes 
 they don't. Then yeou see I knew yeour father,
 
 82 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Phil. Eben wuz allers a very respectable man, 
 and he'll be preoud of yeou, ef yeour real stiddy 
 and 'tend tew business." 
 
 " I hope to make him so ; but don't worry about 
 me, auntie. I've seen a good deal of the world, if 
 I am young, and I can tell pretty nearly the genu- 
 ine from the false." 
 
 " Young folks allers think they know," she 
 sighed. 
 
 " Anyhow, don't worry about my heart. I'll 
 not lose it to any girl who isn't willing to give me 
 hers in return, and I'm sure to get the best one 
 ever." 
 
 " Yeou talk jest ez my Jimmie did, and he, poor 
 boy, got a girl that's allers be'n sickly, and a good 
 deal of a drag on him." 
 
 " Rut he loves her, doesn't he ? " Phil questioned, 
 pertinently, " and she loves him." 
 
 " Mercy, yes ! She thinks he's the whole world 
 an' planetary system combined, an' well she may. 
 He does pritty nigh all her work in the heouse, be- 
 sides his own in the fact'ry, an' tends the babies 
 nights, to boot. They hev six neow, three boys an' 
 three girls." 
 
 "Ah? Quite a handful for Jimmie, ain't it?" 
 
 " Ef he hadn't 'a' had a good strong constitoo- 
 tion, he never could 'a' stood it," she declared. 
 
 It was finally arranged that Mrs. Morley should 
 remain at home with their elderly guest, though 
 not without protest on the part of Mr. Morley,
 
 EVENING WITH AUNT LUCINDA 83 
 
 who offered to stay himself. Mrs. Morley was 
 quite determined, however, so eight o'clock found 
 her sitting by a cozy grate fire in the den, with 
 Aunt Lucinda close by, in a soft-padded rocker. 
 The lights overhead were shaded, but the gas log 
 under the brick mantel sent out a cheerful blaze, 
 which one could hardly fail to appreciate on an 
 early spring night, even in lower California. 
 
 Aunt Lucinda watched the play and sparkle of 
 the flame awhile in silence. It was new to her, 
 and quite different from the wood fires in the great 
 chimney places of the days of her youth. To her 
 vision, however, beauty paled into insignificance 
 before expense. Nothing could long prove at- 
 tractive to her which was due to extravagance, 
 and she wished to feel at ease about the gas grate. 
 
 " It must cost consid'able to keep that a goin', 
 Ida," she said, at length. 
 
 " Oh, no, not much. Less than a coal fire," was 
 the answer. 
 
 " Yeou don't say so ! " exclaimed the guest, and 
 after a moment's reflection, in which she drew her 
 white crocheted shawl with its purple border a lit- 
 tle off her shoulders, with a feeling that she might 
 enjoy the artificial heat to its fullest, she contin- 
 ued: "I s'pose Charles is a makin' money fast 
 eout here, an' yeou ken efford tew spend." 
 
 " He is doing well, but we are far from being 
 wealthy. We try to save a little every year, and 
 we hope to have enough laid by to make us com- 
 fortable when we are old."
 
 84. THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " And I s'pose yeou give away a little ev'ry year 
 tew missions and sech like. Don't yeou? " 
 
 " Yes, aunt." 
 
 " That's right. I think folks had orter give ac- 
 cordin' ez they 've be'n prospered ; but most of 'em 
 don't, not even a tenth. There's Charles's 
 father, he could never get enough ahead tew 
 give, he said, when his childern wuz little, an' 
 Sary wuz never much at givin' eoutside her own 
 fam'ly. She raked an' scraped all she could get 
 tewgether an' sent it on tew Charles when he wuz 
 off tew college, an' the same tew Clarence, when he 
 went. But they had tew help themselves some, ez 
 'twuz, an' I guess mebbe it didn't hurt 'em any. 
 Charles wuz abeout ez big a mischief ez ever I see 
 when he wuz a boy. He wuz allers a cuttin' up 
 some caper 'r other. I never could understand 
 heow Sary could take it so calm. My Jimmie 
 wa'n't nowheres in comparison ; but he managed 
 tew work me all up once in awhile, so I jest had 
 tew shet myself up in a room upstairs and pray 
 fer grace. He wuz converted an' made a member 
 of the Methodist church when he wuz past twenty. 
 I'd begun tew think his days of probation wuz 
 abeout ended. And neow I guess he's havin' his 
 turn a prayin' fer grace. Jonathan, my oldest, 
 and Mary j'ined when they wa'n't but fourteen 
 and sixteen." 
 
 " Do they all live near you ? " 
 
 " Jonathan an' Mary dew, but Jimmie went over
 
 EVENING WITH AUNT LUCINDA 85 
 
 tew Rockville where he could get work in the fac- 
 t'ry. Jonathan runs my farm, an' I've got a little 
 heouse all tew myself, deown in a corner lot. 
 There's a nice stun wall on three sides and a picket 
 fence in front. 'Lishy fixed it afore he died, an' 
 I never could feel right tew live anywheres else, 
 though Mary an' her man asked me to go an' live 
 with them. She's got two big boys, an' I couldn't 
 stand the racket. Jonathan's oldest is of age an' 
 past, an' a big help on the farm ; an' his girl, Ma- 
 tildy, she teaches. I've got ten grandchildern in 
 all; an' none of 'em married, though some on 'em 
 w'u'd be better off ef they wuz, accordin' tew my 
 idees." 
 
 " I hope they will all prove a comfort to you and 
 their parents." 
 
 " Mebbe they will an' mebbe they won't. 
 Jeddy, that's Jimmie's youngest boy, is a 
 good deal sech a mischief ez Charles wuz at his 
 age. He's jest full of his pranks. Julyette 
 thinks he's the smartest of the whole lot." 
 
 " Charles is one splendid man, aunt, whatever 
 he was when a boy." 
 
 " I'm glad tew hear yeou stand up fer him. I 
 s'pose yeou're both officers, mebbe, in the church? " 
 
 " No. I'm a member of the finance committee, 
 that is all." 
 
 " Wall, I hope yeou will try tew exert an inflew- 
 unce fer good on these young folks here a visitin' 
 yeou. They seem tew be pritty giddy. I wuz
 
 86 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 sorry tew see Charles go off with 'em tew the thea- 
 tre. P'raps he wouldn't 'a' thought o' goin' ef 
 they hadn't 'a' b'en here." 
 
 " We go occasionally. It diverts our minds, 
 amuses us, and grown people need recreation as 
 much, almost, as children." 
 
 " Wall, I dun'no' what this generation is a 
 comin' tew! 'Twuz all the amusement / wanted 
 when 7 wuz young tew 'tend singin' school er the 
 fortnightly sewin' circles, er a quiltin', er huskin' 
 bee. I don't see why folks can't be satisfied with 
 things that ain't noways hurtful tew their moral 
 natur's. The more they go tew these excitin' do- 
 in's, the more they want tew, an' by an' by, I guess 
 mebbe 'twill take all the ingenuity of Beelzebub 
 himself to cunjure up amusemunts tew satisfy 'em. 
 I've heerd tell they hev red an' blew an' green 
 lights an' the sulphur smell at the theatres a'ready. 
 Is that so, Ida? " 
 
 " It is true that chemicals are sometimes used to 
 produce colored lights, and that they cause an un- 
 pleasant odor; but in the large theatres in the 
 cities, they use electricity under colored glass bulbs 
 which produce beautiful, soft shades, without 
 odor. If you could see some of the transformation 
 scenes I believe you would think them lovely. And 
 I want you to see the ' Mission Play.' It is out 
 at San Gabriel, near one of the old missions, and 
 is a good deal like a Sunday school book illus- 
 trated; all about the discovery of California, and 
 the mission fathers, and what they did to civilize
 
 EVENING WITH AUNT LUCINDA 87 
 
 and Christianize the natives. It's wonderful! 
 Won't you promise to go, aunt? " 
 
 " I don't like tew make rash promises. Besides, 
 what yeou might call a Sunday school book pic- 
 tered eout might look very diff'runt tew me. I 
 s'pose there's love scenes in it, ain't there? " 
 
 " Yes, a native wedding." 
 
 " I thought ez much. Sech plays, with a little 
 good an' a lot of evil, allure an' allure, till they 
 turn even Christians' hearts. I wuz allers opposed 
 tew love makin' on the stage. It sets young folks 
 crazy tew imertate, an' the fust they know they 
 think they 're a lovin' somebuddy, when it's all 
 buncom. Sometimes they don't find eout the sham 
 till they've gone an' got married, an' then, likely 
 ez not, in a little while, there's a deevorce." 
 
 " But everyone likes a true lover," said Mrs. 
 Morley, a trifle disheartened ; but trying her best 
 to be cheerful. " Those natives were encouraged 
 to be true to each other, by the old padres, as the 
 brave mission fathers were called." 
 
 " Wall, I can't see no good in a theatre, myself ; 
 an' don't yeou r'ally think, now, Ida, 't would 'a' 
 b'en better ef Charles had 'a' taken them young 
 folks to some interlectyewal discourse, or to some 
 Salvation Army doin's ? " 
 
 " But Phil and Marshall invited us, aunt." 
 
 " Heow fur advanced in worldliness they must 
 be ! I'm turrible afeerd Phil is a goin' tew be 
 struck on that girl, Carol. She's like a painted 
 picter, and looks is awful deceivin'. Then she's
 
 88 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 got the fascinatin'est ways 1 ever see in a young 
 woman ; an' young men take turrible easy tew 'em. 
 I dew hope yeou'll keep a good watch on 'em, an' 
 not hev a flirtation a goin' on right here in yeour 
 heouse, an' the blame a restin' on yeour shoulders. 
 It's resky, my way o' lookin' at it Phil bein' a 
 relation, tew. His fam'ly would take it hard ef he 
 wuz disappmted in love at his age. Young men 
 sometimes never get over a first disappmtment. 
 I've heerd uv 'em a committen' suicide." 
 
 " They seem to be sensible young people, all of 
 them, Aunt Lucinda ; and Carol, while she is viva- 
 cious, wouldn't, I feel sure, do a mean thing. She 
 wouldn't flirt with Phil. If she makes any effort 
 to attract him, it will be because she honestly likes 
 him, or I am very much mistaken in her. I've 
 talked with her about these matters, and I know 
 she has plenty of common sense." 
 
 " Wall, I'm glad yeou've talked with her abeout 
 sech things. That shows good jedgment on yeour 
 part. Phil seems tew be a likely young man, an' 
 ef he could marry some good stiddy girl like my 
 Mary, he'd prob'ly settle right deown." 
 
 " You have had a good many years of experi- 
 ence, aunt, and ought to be pretty well posted in 
 affairs of the heart," conceded the hostess with 
 some doubts. 
 
 " Yes, I wuz pritty self-willed myself, when I 
 wuz young. But Lishy, he'd give in, when he see 
 *t I wouldn't, an' when he wuz ' sot on ' havin' his 
 way, and I could, witheout a taxin' my conscience
 
 EVENING WITH AUNT LUCINDA 89 
 
 tew much, 7'd give in. But when I knew positive 
 I wuz in the right, I never would. I remember 
 once he wanted to sell one of eour old keows, an* 
 he had a chance tew talk tew a man abeout it on a 
 Sunday. I warned him ; but he stuck tew it 'twuz 
 all right, because the man lived three er four miles 
 away, an' 'twant convenient tew see him on a week 
 day. The feller calkilated tew come and take the 
 keow away on Monday mornin', an' ef yeou'll be- 
 lieve it, she threw herself in the stall an' broke 
 her leg on Sunday night. Lishy looked sheepish 
 enough when he come in from the stable; an' I 
 kinder got the whole thing eout of him by degrees. 
 Then I said, ' Lishy, shell yeou want tew make 
 any more Sunday trades ? ' An' he says : ' I 
 guess I'll let up on 'em a couple o' Sundays, Cindy.' 
 But 'twuz the last. He lived a good while after 
 that, tew. He wuz a well-meanin' man, LTshy 
 wuz." 
 
 Mrs. Morley permitted her guest to indulge in 
 reminiscences, as she rocked herself gently in the 
 soft-padded rocker. It was better than argu- 
 ment. She supposed Aunt Lucinda was too old to 
 learn new ways, or to change her beliefs regarding 
 the essentials of life. 
 
 The mantel clock at length aroused the lady, 
 and she exclaimed : " Ken it be thet we hev set 
 here an' talked an hour? It's time I wuz a goin' 
 upstairs. I s'pose yeou'll hev tew sit up till ten 
 er eleven, mebbe, Ida. Don't yeou get dreadful 
 sleepy an' tired? "
 
 90 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Oh, no, I'll not need to sit up. Sometimes, 
 when it is necessary to do so, I amuse myself read- 
 ing, or writing letters. I'll go upstairs with you 
 now, aunt, and turn on the lights in your room. 
 I want you to retire and rise just when you please 
 while you are with us. If you are up early, and 
 feel hungry, the cook will get you something to 
 eat. She is usually up at six." 
 
 " Wall, I don't want tew make no trouble ; but 
 I'm used tew gettin' up early, an' ef I won't dis- 
 turb nobody, mebbe I'll take a little walk some- 
 wheres 'reound, deown the road a piece, mebbe, 
 where I see some old-fashioned hollyhocks a grow- 
 in', ez I come in."
 
 CHAPTER X 
 DREAMS 
 
 " If people can't have what they want, there is 
 no better way than to try to be satisfied with what 
 they may have, I suppose," said Ruby, with a 
 yawn. 
 
 " What in this wide world do you want that you 
 cannot have? " asked Carol, facetiously. 
 
 Ruby smiled in a cursory way and proceeded to 
 unfasten her kid boots. " I have no maid to help 
 me off with my things, and I'm so sleepy," 
 she answered, presently. 
 
 "Why didn't you bring Lucy?" meaning a 
 young orphan girl who had lived with the Guilds 
 for several years. 
 
 " She would have been so pleased to have come," 
 was the reply. " And that reminds me how un- 
 grateful I am. Why am I entitled to so much 
 more than she, just because I happen to be Mr. 
 Guild's daughter?" 
 
 " Oh, I think it didn't just happen so, Ruby. 
 Naturally, you inherited a right to more. If some 
 people didn't succeed in making something of them- 
 selves and their progeny, we might all be in the 
 slums, and then what would become of the poor 
 
 Lucys and Johnnies, I wonder? " 
 
 91
 
 92 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Yet it does seem hard for the slummerites." 
 
 " Actually, it doesn't make much difference 
 whether one has large sums of money or not. It's 
 the moral qualifications which count. One may 
 exact sweets from life anywhere." 
 
 " In a cobwebby attic, with a half-dozen kids to 
 be fed and no bread coming in? " 
 
 " No one has any business to live with cobwebs ; 
 attics may be clean, my dear; and if the in- 
 mates love each other and try to do what they can 
 for themselves, they should be happy. Why not 
 there as well as in a mansion, or a palace, with 
 threats of the * Black Hand ' staring one in the 
 face, and with dynamite under the doorstep and 
 bombs in one's bouquets? Honestly, Ruby, I 
 can't conceive of a possible case where love, and 
 faith, can't find a way to bread and butter and all 
 else that is necessary to happiness. It is selfish- 
 ness, and distrust and laziness that make for pov- 
 erty and misery. Don't you believe it? " 
 
 " I believe that I ought to believe it, but I 
 should dislike being put to the test. I'm afraid 
 my faith is a good deal like molasses candy, stiff 
 when it is kept cool, and soft and runny in a warm 
 place." 
 
 " In other words, you think my theories are all 
 right for a set of human beings that may exist a 
 thousand years from now? " was the reply, then 
 abruptly : " Did Marshall tell you that he and 
 Phil are planning on going to San Diego next week 
 sometime ? "
 
 DREAMS 93 
 
 " No, and aren't they coming back? " 
 
 " They may for a day or two." 
 
 Both young ladies had fallen into a habit of 
 speaking of the young men privately in this famil- 
 iar manner, as did their host and hostess. 
 
 " You don't appear to take the matter very 
 much to heart, Ruby." 
 
 " Do you realize that less than a week ago we 
 had never seen either of them? " 
 
 " But you have known Phil by reputation for a 
 much longer period. In fact, I thought your in- 
 terest in him dated back to your sister's visit to 
 Boston, where she had the good fortune to meet 
 him." 
 
 Ruby tossed stray strands of hair back from her 
 face. The starry light in her eyes was superbly 
 reflected from a large plate glass mirror opposite 
 her. 
 
 " How one's hair does tangle if there's the least 
 breeze," she observed, piquantly. 
 
 " I didn't notice any breeze coming up," replied 
 Carol, laughing, " but it seemed to me that Mar- 
 shall was quite determined to be exclusive, or 
 was it you, Ruby? You did look bewitching this 
 evening, indeed you did. Pink is your color; and 
 those lovely Cecil Brunner roses he gave you ! 
 Well, it looks a little as if matters were growing 
 serious." 
 
 "Is that so? Well, I hadn't the least idea it 
 looked that way to anyone, I'm sure. He was 
 talking coming back about the Yale and Harvard
 
 94 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 races, and about some young people he met at 
 Gales Ferry, at the Harvard quarters on the 
 Thames." 
 
 " Ah ? Funny, Phil was telling me about a 
 week he spent in a house boat on the Nile. I for- 
 get the name he gave it; but it was like a big 
 cruiser. A friend of the uncle he was traveling 
 with had rented it for the season." 
 
 " Tell me some of his experiences." 
 
 "Do you know that it is past midnight? It 
 was nearly that when we left the Country Club." 
 
 " That doesn't matter." 
 
 " Not when you are so sleepy? " laughed 
 Carol. 
 
 " I've gotten all over that." 
 
 " Well, my dear, there were only bachelors on 
 board, and Phil was the youngest bored. See? 
 Nothing from morning till night but yarns and 
 grub, billiards and chess, smoke and then more 
 yarns. He made some excuse to get off every day, 
 and went to the nearest port sight-seeing." 
 
 " Alexandria, I suppose. But, Carol, weren't 
 the decorations perfectly lovely at the Club? 
 Such quantities of ferns and those gorgeous Cali- 
 fornia poppies ! M-m-m-m-m ! " 
 
 " Splendid ! There were such fine people too, 
 and so many elegant costumes. What a glorious 
 time we are having ! " 
 
 " But go on about the boat. What else did 
 Phil say?" 
 
 " ' Never again for me.' ' Merely this and noth-
 
 DREAMS 95 
 
 ing more,' as Poe said of the raven's croaking." 
 With this remark, Carol lifted a pillow from the 
 bed, preparatory to turning back the covers, and 
 found beneath a white, satiny case, tied with rib- 
 bons. 
 
 " Oh, Ruby, somebody's been getting mar- 
 ried ! " and dancing, box in hand, toward the elec- 
 tric light near the dresser, she held it up for closer 
 examination. Ruby followed with much curiosity 
 to view the contents. 
 
 When opened, a card from Mrs. Morley ap- 
 peared. It read : " Girls, I thought you might 
 like to dream over this cake. A friend of ours 
 brought it from Redlands to-day. I hope you will 
 dream something worth while." 
 
 " Lucky you found it when you did." 
 
 " Yes, and it was good of Ida to think of us. 
 Now take your share of the cake, and don't dis- 
 appoint her ! " 
 
 " I seldom dream. You will have to see things 
 in your sleep for both of us. You can. There's 
 nothing you can't do, Carol." 
 
 " Except to manage you, and one or two other 
 little things. Ruby, you exalt my aspirations ! 
 With you by, my impulses are Herculean ! I can 
 even hope to dream for two. Good-night. A 
 kiss and benedictions on your philosophical brow." 
 This with appropriate gestures and illustrations. 
 
 "Oh, Carol, you are just killing! If Phil 
 doesn't get a " 
 
 " Hush, dear. If some one should I believe
 
 96 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 truly I do that I heard a sound near the 
 door ! " 
 
 " You are beginning to dream," whispered 
 Ruby. 
 
 When this young lady awoke, sunlight was 
 pouring in a golden flame through open windows. 
 In spite of her previous declaration to the con- 
 trary, she had dreamed dreams over the wedding 
 cake. While her companion slept, she reenacted 
 them in her thoughts, and as Carol at length 
 opened her eyes, she said with suppressed excite- 
 ment : " It is time we were up, dear ; besides, I 
 had a dream." 
 
 " Truly? " Carol half arose and looked into 
 Ruby's face. Reassured, she confessed : " I 
 dreamed, too, of going to Mars in an airship ; but 
 I had no sooner gotten there than I awoke, no 
 chance at all to explore, not even a lone fisherman 
 at the landing. It was fun, though, going up, 
 sort of a misty atmosphere, like an extension of 
 the milky way. I'm glad we didn't have an acci- 
 dent and drop, for I don't remember seeing any 
 life-saving apparatus anywhere about." Falling 
 back on her pillow, she said : " Now yours, 
 please," and turning a listening ear, she half 
 closed her still weighty eyelids. 
 
 " I thought I was walking alone in a forest of 
 tall eucalyptus and palm trees," began Ruby. 
 " In a little while, I met Melba and Caruso and 
 Schumann-Heink "
 
 DREAMS 97 
 
 " Equal to the flight of the airship," com- 
 mented Carol. " Pardon. Go on, please." 
 
 " They asked me if I were looking for some one, 
 and I said I was in search of you, Carol, and I 
 described you as a pretty girl in a white crepe de 
 chine gown." 
 
 " Thank you. I'm glad it wasn't that old 
 figured kimono ! " 
 
 " They were sure they had seen you a little way 
 back, and Melba said she was sure I could over- 
 take you, if I would hurry, as you were walking 
 slowly. Oh, it all seemed as natural. Caruso 
 looked as if he thought I should pay for the in- 
 formation ; but I didn't offer to, and went on. 
 Pretty soon I saw you, just as plainly, and the 
 very instant Phil came rushing out from be- 
 hind a clump of trees, and snatched you away. 
 I called : * Carol Carol Carol,' oh, so 
 loudly, I wonder you didn't wake ; but you paid 
 no attention, even in the dream, and as I turned 
 away, Marshall bobbed up from somewhere, and 
 said to me : ' It's a fact, they've gone and left 
 us.' With that, he pulled a spray of ivy, root 
 and all, from the path, and wound it around my 
 neck. Where we finally went, I can't say. But 
 it was a vivid dream, and it contains a warn- 
 ing." 
 
 With a merry laugh, Carol repeated : " Phil 
 ' snatched ' me away ! That is too good ! And 
 didn't I make any resistance?" 
 
 " You didn't have time. It took you by sur-
 
 98 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 prise, you see. But now you've been warned, and 
 can be on the lookout." 
 
 " Trust me," she answered, lightly. 
 
 In a brief time she had bathed and dressed, and 
 was below stairs ahead of the more deliberate 
 Ruby. There she met Marshall, who begged her 
 to sing. 
 
 " I would do better to have an accompanist ; 
 but as Ruby isn't ready, I'll try it alone." 
 
 First she played strains of an air from " The 
 Prince of Pilsen," and sang " The Message of the 
 Violets." Meanwhile, her blue eyes, full of mirth, 
 were turned upon his face, now and then, as he 
 stood near by. This finished, she began crooning, 
 prettily, an African mother's song to her baby ; 
 then thinking to please him better, she sang a 
 classic, chin uplifted, and cheeks aglow. It 
 was a selection which a music lover like Marshall 
 could not fail to enjoy. 
 
 He expressed his appreciation quite to her satis- 
 faction, then she said : " I'll bring down all the 
 music I have with me, quite a variety, some- 
 time, and you shall make your own choice." 
 
 " Do you know that you would do well in opera ? 
 Haven't you ever thought of going on the stage? " 
 he asked, forgetting to thank her. 
 
 " Yes, but I think I would rather not. It is a 
 ' dog's life,' I have been told." 
 
 " Being a star and thrilling audiences wouldn't 
 be any inducement, then? " 
 
 " No, not being a grand opera star. It is all
 
 DREAMS 99 
 
 right for those who feel called; but my ambition 
 lies in another direction." 
 
 " Teaching, perhaps ; you certainly wouldn't let 
 your talent go to waste," he persisted. 
 
 " Not intentionally," was a smiling reply. " Is 
 it a waste to use it for family and friends, to sing 
 in public for those in the home town, when oppor- 
 tunity offers? " 
 
 " Well no not entirely ; but think of hav- 
 ing the world for an audience." 
 
 " Perhaps you overestimate my ability. The 
 call comes with the power to respond from the 
 heart, it seems to me." 
 
 Phil and Ruby entered as they conversed. 
 
 " Don't let us interrupt your tete-a-tete," said 
 Phil. 
 
 " Oh, it's not so important. You are quite wel- 
 come," acknowledged Carol. 
 
 " I think I heard you humming a part of ' If 
 I but Knew ' awhile ago. If you don't mind, I 
 would greatly like to hear the whole," he contin- 
 ued, seating himself beside Ruby. 
 
 " Come play for me," she requested that young 
 lady. 
 
 Without notes, Carol sang, her face toward her 
 audience, her voice clear and full and sweet as the 
 morning air laden with fragrance of flowers. 
 
 At the close of the first stanza, she was looking 
 off through a window, upon the flower-decked 
 trellis of the garden. 
 
 At the end of the second stanza, her violet eyes
 
 100 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 were bent upon Marshall : " If I but knew 
 if I but knew." 
 
 The words of the closing lines fell in charming 
 cadences : 
 
 " If I but knew what the tree tops say, 
 Whispering secrets night and day, 
 I'd make a song my love, for you 
 If I but knew if I but knew." 
 
 The violet deeps told Phil : " There, you have 
 it all. It was for you, and I'm sure you were 
 pleased." 
 
 He gave her a hearty encore, in which Marshall 
 joined. She bowed her thanks, as a star upon the 
 stage might have done ; first to Phil, then to Mar- 
 shall, and went waltzing like a winged fairy, 
 so daintily and airily she swung, out of the liv- 
 ing room. 
 
 Phil, impulsively, started in pursuit. 
 
 Marshall said to Ruby : " We're deserted, 
 but never mind." 
 
 Her face flushed, slightly. She was reminded 
 of her dream. Phil and Carol had disappeared 
 together, and Marshall was trying to console her. 
 She glanced at his hands as if she expected to see 
 the ivy chain. 
 
 " Why can't we take a stroll somewhere, too ? " 
 he asked. 
 
 " We might," and glancing at the clock, " It's 
 not yet eight. Where shall we go ? " 
 
 " The Park? " he suggested.
 
 DREAMS 101 
 
 As there was no one within sight to whom they 
 might offer excuses, they left the house uncere- 
 moniously. The way was quite clear down the 
 asphalt walk, down the steps leading from the ter- 
 race, and for some distance up the street. 
 
 At the Park, seated on one of the long benches 
 near the lake, they watched the flocks of duck mov- 
 ing gracefully through the water. 
 
 Marshall bought some popped corn of a dealer 
 on the grounds, and they threw kernels at the 
 floating fowls and laughed at their eager 
 scrambling. 
 
 "They're a selfish lot. Don't you think so?" 
 asked Marshall. 
 
 " Like people, each wanting more than his neigh- 
 bor has," she assented. 
 
 " But we wouldn't take ours right out of a 
 neighbor's mouth, would we? " 
 
 " We might, if we wanted it badly, more than 
 he. The one who wants a thing most makes great- 
 est effort to get it, I think." 
 
 " But all are not equally strong." 
 
 " No, but provided they are equally strong." 
 
 Directly, Ruby espied a familiar looking couple 
 coming up the street which she and Marshall had 
 taken. One of the two had fluffy golden hair. 
 
 " There they are ! " she exclaimed, breathlessly. 
 
 " They will overtake us," said Marshall. " But 
 they can't steal our kernel. We have already 
 devoured it."
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 THE OLD WAY AND THE NEW 
 
 Aunt Lucinda was pleased to learn that the 
 Morley family, including guests and servants, 
 would attend church at least once on Sunday. 
 
 " I s'pose somebuddy hez tew stay home to cook 
 meals an' see to * reddin' up.' We ain't got tew 
 that pass where we ken live witheout eatin'," she 
 said to Mrs. Morley ; " but I think 'twould be 
 more healthy fer us ef yeou wouldn't hev so much 
 rich stuff, Ida. Breown bread an' baked beans 
 an' corn-beef with cabbage, and riz doughnuts an' 
 pieplant pie 're good 'nough fer anybuddy. These 
 'ere saleds an' iced fixin's give folks dispepsy." 
 
 " We will have some brown bread and fig pud- 
 ding to-day, aunt," answered Mrs. Morley, pleas- 
 antly. "Made of fresh figs. You'll like it, I 
 know." 
 
 The service which the Morley party attended 
 was held in a large auditorium, and its immensity 
 was somewhat awesome to one so long accustomed 
 to a small, old-fashioned country church, like many 
 still standing in New England rural communities. 
 The grand organ and superb choir stirred Aunt 
 Lucinda's emotions yet more deeply; and the ser- 
 102
 
 THE OLD WAY AND THE NEW 103 
 
 mon was destined to make a novel impression, for 
 it was upon, her favorite theme : " Bearing the 
 Cross." She was astonished to find that the 
 speaker's ideas differed widely from her own. She 
 had considered the cross not only a necessary bur- 
 den to mankind; but believed it to be a burden 
 which should try men's souls, chiefly by its weight 
 of pain and suffering. The heavier the cross 
 could be made to feel, the greater the glory, and 
 the more dazzling the crown to be won. This 
 preacher, evidently, looked upon a cross as some- 
 thing which might be borne with continual rejoic- 
 ing : " Men bearing them as heavy burdens, 
 grievous to be borne, are bearing an ignominious 
 cross of their own making," he said, " a poor, 
 miserable, thorny cross, which makes the bearer 
 poor and miserable and pessimistic and discour- 
 aged and altogether degraded." He gave as an 
 illustration : " The man who grumbles and wears 
 a long face and refuses to be happy, because, for- 
 sooth, he has some disease which he has contracted 
 through disobedience to God's laws, an habitual 
 headache, a sour taste in his mouth, a weight on 
 his chest, a pain in his great toe. The cross he 
 has constructed for himself is dyspepsia and gout 
 and a long train of ills, with a long list of tech- 
 nical names to designate their separate horrors. 
 But the cross the Lord wants him to bear is for- 
 getfulness of self, in endeavor to regain his lost 
 health by right thinking and right living ! " 
 
 " Wall, I never ! " thought Aunt Lucinda. " I
 
 104 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 wonder what he would say to rheumatics, con- 
 tracted by a minister of the gospel, while he wuz 
 attendin' a fun'ral, on a cold, blust'rin' day, in 
 Connecticut? I've seen jest sech a case." 
 
 The pulpit orator must certainly have had her 
 pet theories in mind, and he evidently intended to 
 scatter them to the winds of a new era, for he gave 
 another illustration of " a mistaken individual who 
 supposed he was bearing the Lord's cross in a 
 sprained ankle, the result of slipping on the ice 
 when on his way to visit a sick friend, that was 
 way back East, you know ; here it might have been 
 an orange peeling, or an unnoticed break in the 
 pavement. The Lord doesn't send sprained 
 ankles, nor rheumatism, nor dyspepsia, nor any evil 
 whatsoever. They are of man's own contriving, 
 through ignorant or reckless or willful misdeeds," 
 he argued, " but if, in patience and optimism and 
 love and trust man strives to overcome self-im- 
 posed and so-called hereditary evils, he is bearing 
 God's cross in God's way, and He will make the 
 burden light. We are to exercise the power which 
 the Almighty bestows. It lies within each of us, 
 and it is ready to our call. It is all-conquering, 
 never-failing. Claim your sonship! Glorify 
 your Father through obedience to His teaching, 
 given from the lips of the Elder Brother, who 
 said : * Take up your cross and follow me. My 
 yoke is easy and my burden is light.' ' 
 
 Returning to the Morleys', Aunt Lucinda com- 
 mented : " Yeou've got one uv them newfangled
 
 THE OLD WAY AND THE NEW 105 
 
 preachers eout here, I see. He would make eout 
 that rheumatics and broken bones aire ez com- 
 fitable ez a bed of geese feathers in midwinter at 
 * The Notch,' er ez one o' them 'ere plush-backed 
 Morris cheers. I like ministers tew call a cross 
 a cross, an' that's jest what eour Methodist min- 
 ister does back home. Ef we suffer here, we'll 
 sing an' laugh, mebbe, over vender." 
 
 After dinner, which was more to her liking than 
 the sermon, the elderly guest settled herself in the 
 blue room for a nap ; but was aroused by the ring- 
 ing of the door bell. Soon a second ring was 
 heard, and by and by, a third. The last was so 
 impelling that, clad as she was, in a black satteen 
 petticoat, and a loose sacque of figured dimity, 
 which " Mary " had modeled after a paper pat- 
 tern, she went downstairs to learn the cause. It 
 occurred to her that Charles and Ida might be 
 having a neighborhood prayer meeting, or a Sun- 
 day class for poor children of their acquaintance, 
 and that they might have forgotten to mention the 
 matter to her, or possibly had disliked to disturb 
 her rest. 
 
 With some trepidation, she found her way to 
 the kitchen, and inquired of the cook, who were 
 in the " parlor." 
 
 " It's just some company for the young people," 
 she answered. 
 
 " Yeou don't mean invited company? " 
 
 " Some callers," was the rather curt reply. 
 
 " Wall I thought But mebbe it don't mat-
 
 106 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 ter what I thought," replied the guest, recollecting 
 that servants were not supposed to know all about 
 their mistresses' affairs. And she hurriedly 
 found her way back to the blue room. 
 
 The sound of conversation and laughter and 
 music was not conducive to sleep, and she finally 
 determined to see for herself how her grand- 
 nephew and niece spent their Sunday afternoons. 
 She brushed and retwisted her hair, put on her 
 best black henrietta gown, a lace collar and cameo 
 pin, and a white embroidered crepe shawl, which, 
 with its long, silken fringe, fell as gracefully as 
 possible over her angular shoulders. 
 
 " I guess mebbe I'll dew," she mentally com- 
 mented as she took a final glance at her reflection 
 in the mirror of the dressing-table. 
 
 When she entered the living room, Carol was 
 singing ; but Mrs. Morley arose, and led her elderly 
 guest to a seat near her own, then, when oppor- 
 tunity offered, introduced the callers, thinking: 
 " Aunt Lucinda looks really nice in that shawl. 
 I didn't know she had anything so pretty." 
 
 But Aunt Lucinda could not permit the occasion 
 to pass without her wonted admonitions. The 
 callers were barely outside the house, before she 
 began questioning Mr. Morley concerning them. 
 
 " Some friends of ours," he answered. " They 
 wanted to see Phil and the rest, here, and the 
 young men have so much business on hand through 
 the week, they find it hard to make calls except on 
 Sunday afternoons."
 
 THE OLD WAY AND THE NEW 107 
 
 " Dew yeou s'pose them young folks got rested 
 a comin' here? " 
 
 " I hope so." 
 
 " It's a wonder tew me " 
 
 " It probably rests you more, aunt, to attend 
 church, read your Bible and take naps. It is too 
 late for afternoon service, at the Y. W. C. A., 
 but there will be dozens of churches open this 
 evening again. Would you like to go some- 
 where ? " 
 
 " I never get tired a goin' tew church, though 
 I dew like old-fashioned orthodox preachin' in the 
 pulpit, and its practice by the pewholders, tew. 
 It's susciety, giddy susciety, that makes me tired." 
 
 Phil laughed as he said : " You're having your 
 cross in putting up with us, aren't you, auntie? " 
 
 " Wall, it might be wuss. I'll acknowledge, it 
 might be wuss," she answered. Phil was becom- 
 ing a favorite. He seemed to appreciate her ef- 
 forts in his behalf, and she liked his calling her 
 " Auntie." Wise Phil. Yet, she greatly feared 
 that Charles and Ida were trying to serve both 
 God and Mammon, with Mammon at the fore. 
 
 Mr. Morley, not craving further argument, 
 said, addressing Phil and Marshall : " I believe 
 a smoke in the roof garden would go well, boys." 
 
 " All right," agreed Phil, and turning to Aunt 
 Lucinda: " I never smoke more than two or three 
 cigars a day. That isn't bad, is it?" If the 
 truth be told, he rather enjoyed drawing out the 
 old lady's opinions, especially as they were spoken
 
 108 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 in the quaint dialect of a past generation in many 
 Yankee communities. 
 
 " I s'pose yeou'd be better off tew let 'em alone," 
 she answered, " though LIshy, that's my hus- 
 band that wuz, smoked a pipe an' chewed ter- 
 backer till he wuz past seventy, an' said he couldn't 
 see no harm in't. But one mornin' we wuz a 
 hevin' prayers ez yews'yal, an' he wuz a readin' 
 in Revelations abeout the New Jerewsalum, an' 
 the verse : * There shell in no way enter intew it 
 anythin' that defileth,' caught a hold of him. He 
 looked up tew me, >an' he says : ' Cindy, I s'pect 
 they won't be no spittoons a standin' 'reound in 
 them hev'nly mansions, an' a man wouldn't feel 
 like expectoratin' on them golden pavemunts. I 
 might ez well give up terbacker afore I go, an' get 
 a leetle kinder yewsed tew it.' Wall, I didn't 
 think he would; but he did. Still, he kerried it 
 'reound with him, an' one day when he thought / 
 wa'n't nowhere 'reound, he took eout a big piece o' 
 plug terbacker an' hed 'n argewmentation with it 
 in his hand. I overheerd him say : * Yeou can't 
 come it over me. No-sir-ee ! not by a jug full.' 
 And then he shook his head, kinder jerky like, an' 
 chugged it back inter his pocket." 
 
 " Bravo for Uncle Elisha," said Mr. Morley. 
 
 When the gentlemen had left the room, the 
 young ladies embraced the opportunity to walk in 
 the garden. 
 
 " I dew hope, Ida, that yeou think sperityewal
 
 things aire of most importance," said the elderly 
 guest to her sole companion in the living room. 
 
 " Oh, I do. Most certainly, I do ! And I 
 think it is being spiritually minded to be as happy 
 as possible, ' rejoice always.' ' 
 
 " Wall, I dun'no'. The Good Book says : 'Tis 
 better tew go tew the heouse of mournin' then tew 
 the heouse of feastin'.' ' 
 
 Just then, Carol's voice called : " Auntie, Oh, 
 Auntie ! " accompanied by a tapping on the 
 window at Aunt Lucinda's back. As she turned 
 to listen, Carol said, coaxingly : " Come out and 
 see the new kittens. Do ! A whole litter of six, 
 awfully cute ! " 
 
 "Humph! Kittens! Why a buddy'd think 
 'twus su'thin' uncommon," she replied. Neverthe- 
 less, she allowed Mrs. Morley to lead her to the 
 tool house, where cat and kittens were at home in 
 a box of straw. 
 
 Carol took one of the little, blind mites in her 
 hand. 
 
 " Land sakes ! Heow ken yeou bear tew hold 
 the little brat? " exclaimed the old lady, with evi- 
 dent disgust. 
 
 " Oh, it's just as dear, auntie, such cunning 
 little ears, and do look at its little pink nose, and 
 those paws, like pussy willow buds. Mother cat 
 loves it," and, placing her ear close to the box, 
 " she's purring now, to ' beat the band.' She's 
 proud as proud can be. You have shown her great
 
 110 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 honor by calling to see her family, auntie, and she 
 appreciates it." 
 
 " Wall, I guess so," reluctantly, from Aunt 
 Lucinda. 
 
 " Do you keep cats, Mrs. Dobbins ? " asked 
 Ruby. 
 
 " Why to be sure I dew. Ef I didn't, I'd be 
 run over by rats an' mice; but I never made sech 
 pets of 'em as some dew. I don't like tew have 
 'em lyin' 'reound on my cheer-cushions an' a shed- 
 din' hairs in my vitt'als." 
 
 " I wonder if this old puss knows it's Sunday? " 
 Ruby added amusively. 
 
 " Yes, indeed she does," answered Mrs. Morley, 
 " for she always gets her dinner earlier on that day 
 than usual, and she comes to the back door very 
 promptly and asks for it." 
 
 " Wall, I never ! A cat a knowin' it's Sunday. 
 More'n likely she's a thinkin' o' stuffin' an' 
 nuthin' else," Aunt Lucinda commented. 
 
 " She's a good cat," insisted the hostess, 
 " never digs up plants, Steve says, nor catches his 
 chickens." 
 
 Aunt Lucinda smiled. 
 
 " Dew yeou give her Sunday school lessons, 
 Ida?" she asked, facetiously. " Anybuddy that 
 ken teach cats is fitted eout tew teach the skum o' 
 susciety. A'cordin' tew my way o' thinkin', 
 'twould pay 'em better tew spend their time a 
 savin' souls." 
 
 " Oh, auntie, please say that you believe in a
 
 THE OLD WAY AND THE NEW 111 
 
 hereafter for cats," pleaded Carol. Her appeal- 
 ing voice and the tender look in her violet eyes 
 touched the older woman's heart. 
 
 In a tone, condescending, but not unkindly, she 
 replied : " Ef ever yeou get tew heav'n, child, I 
 hope yeou'll want what the Lord sees fit tew give 
 yeou. Mebbe He'll give yeou a cat, and mebbe 
 He won't; but cat 'r no cat, I hope yeou'll prove 
 tew be one of the faithful ones, a virgin, with 
 yeour lamp trimmed an' a-burnin'." 
 
 " Thank you, auntie," answered Carol, sweetly, 
 and with a pat on old pussy's head, she tucked 
 the kitten beside her in the box of straw. This 
 done, she espied in the doorway of the tool shed 
 a chubby face overtopped by a mat of soft, brown 
 curls. 
 
 A piping voice cried out: " 7 yant to see itte 
 kitty ! 7 yant to see I do ! " 
 
 It was Jamie Doane. He had run away. His 
 white dress was besmeared with coal dust, his 
 plump fingers tightly clasped a chunk of coal. He 
 was shoeless, and one short sock, only, hung ten- 
 aciously to his little fat foot. 
 
 " Oh, the blessed little kid ! My camera ! I 
 must have a picture of Jamie and the kittens ! " 
 exclaimed Carol. In another instant she had dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 " I'll call his mother," said Mrs. Morley. 
 
 And Aunt Lucinda declared : " Sech doin's, I 
 never did see ! I guess I better be a goin' in."
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 THE MACHINE 
 
 " I suppose you women had enough of shop- 
 ping yesterday to last awhile," said Mr. Morley, 
 addressing the ladies of the party at the break- 
 fast table. 
 
 " A little while," answered Ruby. " The shops 
 here are perfectly lovely, though, and I wouldn't 
 mind going again to-day." 
 
 " Do you think you have anything better to 
 offer, Mr. Morley ? " asked Carol. 
 
 " Something that looks better to me," was the 
 smiling reply. " What do you say, all of you, 
 to a ride in the machine out Pasadena and Al- 
 hambra way, possibly to San Gabriel, where we 
 could go over the old mission and see the play? " 
 
 " They ought to see * The Mission Play ' some- 
 time before they leave," said Mrs. Morley. " I 
 tried to get your aunt interested in it the other 
 evening." 
 
 " It's well worth seeing," he answered. " They 
 have a building on purpose, and running around 
 on three sides in the open, they have arranged a 
 miniature * El Camino Real,' the old Mission 
 
 Road, you know, which runs from San Diego 
 112
 
 THE MACHINE 113 
 
 where the first mission was built, up country for a 
 hundred miles or so, connecting the various mis- 
 sions ; and there are exact copies of each old mis- 
 sion, scattered along at intervals, with a realistic 
 background of California scenery. Then you 
 would enjoy seeing the old adobe buildings, and 
 other curiosities about the place." 
 
 " I should like it fine," said Phil. 
 
 " What kind of a machine aire yeou thinkin' 
 of going in, Charles? " asked Aunt Lucinda. 
 
 " Why, a touring car, an automobile, you'd call 
 it." 
 
 " Yes, I've seen automobiles in Connecticut but 
 I never heerd 'em called machines. I didn't know 
 but yeou had one of them 'ere airships they tell 
 of." 
 
 " No, I haven't invested so far ; but I have a 
 fine car ; a regular stunner. I consider it about as 
 safe as anything going, and I would show you 
 some of the prettiest country you ever laid eyes 
 on, mountains with snow-caps, and green hills 
 just below, and flowers every inch of the way." 
 
 " Better go, auntie," advised Phil. " I'll stand 
 sponsor for you if any ill comes of it." 
 
 " Humph ! * Ev'ry tub hez tew stand on its 
 own bottom,' an' I couldn't get eout of holdin' 
 responsibility for my akshuns, onless I c'u'd claim 
 tew be feeble-minded. I thank yeou jest the same ; 
 but it seems tew me like temptin' Proverdunce, an' 
 I guess mebbe I'll be better off here, er over tew 
 Westlake Park. I never s'posed folks could be
 
 114* THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 so contented a loafin' 'reound ez they be there. 
 Some of 'em jest set an' set, a lookin' at the water 
 an' them 'ere ducks till I sh'u'd think they'd feel 
 ez if they wuz part an' parcel of the benches. And 
 there's a lot more, mostly women, that walk 
 areound kinder aimless like, ez ef they never hed 
 nothin' tew dew. I jedge some of 'em aire inver- 
 lids. I've hed considable exper'unce in my time 
 with one ailmunt er anuther an' mebbe I c'u'd be 
 a help tew some of 'em. I never see nothin' like 
 boneset fer rheumatics, and catnip tea's better'n 
 pills, anytime, tew keep off chills an' fever." 
 
 " When can you be ready to go, girls ? " asked 
 Mr. Morley, evidently anxious to be off. 
 
 Mrs. Morley glanced at the young ladies, in- 
 quiringly. 
 
 Carol, who had been sitting with her chin rest- 
 ing on one hand, her elbow on the table, herself 
 an interested listener, answered quickly : " In 
 ten minutes." 
 
 " Or fifteen," supplemented Ruby. 
 
 " I jshall have to run down to the office first ; 
 but I'll be back, unless things are going wrong, in- 
 side an hour. If I find I can't get away, I'll tele- 
 phone, and Steve can take you." 
 
 " Oh, I hope you can go, Charles," said his wife. 
 " It will be lots more fun." 
 
 " Thank you" With this he arose from the 
 table and others followed suit, scattering as plans 
 necessitated. 
 
 " You are quite sure you won't be the least bit
 
 THE MACHINE 115 
 
 lonely, auntie," asked Carol, solicitously, as, 
 dressed for the ride, she encountered Aunt Lu- 
 cinda walking up and down the front piazza. 
 Carol looked gay and happy in her auto coat of 
 blue cloth, a long hue veil knotted deftly at her 
 chin. 
 
 The old lady stopped and faced her. " No, 
 don't mind me. I'm yewsed tew bein' alone. 
 When I want tew see folks, they're never fur away, 
 an' strangers aire frequently sociable. I've met 
 some rael nice folks, jest by introdewcin' myself. 
 I've met 'em up et Westlake Park sence I come here. 
 A few said they wuz Methodists and one woman 
 told me she wuz a Baptist. Most perfessers of 
 religion aire a desunt sort, ef they live anyways 
 nigh up tew their perfesshun ; an' I never make it 
 a p'int tew suspicion 'em, till I hear suthin' teW 
 their disadvantage, er see suthin' which looks con- 
 vincin'. One o' my sisters married a Baptist 
 preacher. She wuz a Methodist; but she went an' 
 got dipped after she wuz engaged, an' neow she 
 thinks there's nobuddy like a Baptist. I guess 
 she's right. I never see nobuddy else quite like 
 'em, myself." Sitting in a porch rocker, Aunt 
 Lucinda folded her hands complacently, as she 
 questioned : " I hope yeou aire a believer, 
 Carol? " 
 
 " A believer? " This was spoken interroga- 
 tively, because the designation brought to Carol's 
 mind the diversity of opinions regarding what 
 actually constitutes a believer in religion, and was
 
 116 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 followed by her own definition, given with an im- 
 plication of anticipated doubt on the part of her 
 companion. " God is Love, God is Good. If it is 
 simply believing in love and goodness, I am." 
 
 " Wall, that's a part on't. But yeou sh'u'd be- 
 lieve, tew, that yeou're a poor sinful creetur', an' 
 that yeou ken never save yeourself, no matter what 
 yeou dew." 
 
 " I believe with the Elder Brother, that I was 
 made in the image of my Father, and that in my 
 spiritual nature, I am good and beautiful, like 
 Him. Sin, or error, is all in the carnal way 
 of thinking. I try not to believe in it at all." 
 
 " Not to believe there's any sm? " was the 
 shocked inquiry. 
 
 " I have no faith in the reality of evil, for I be- 
 lieve that God is all, and He is good." 
 
 " Then where's the yewse of hevin' any plan of 
 salvation? " 
 
 " We needed someone to show us a way out of 
 unbelief and fear, and to set us a lovely example 
 of right living. Don't you think so, auntie ? " 
 urged Carol. " And don't you remember, He told 
 us not to be afraid? Fear is error." 
 
 " * The way eout of unbelief and 
 fear,' " repeated the old lady, as if a strange and 
 awesome light were dazzling her mental vision ; then 
 recovering herself, she said : " Dew yeou mean tew 
 say yeou ain't afeerd o' nothin' ? " 
 
 " Certainly ! Why should I be afraid of noth- 
 ing? It really hasn't any power, any more than
 
 THE MACHINE 117 
 
 darkness after the sun has gone down. It's just 
 an absence of something. Don't you see ? en- 
 tirely negative." 
 
 " And ain't yeou afeerd of an automobile, when 
 it goes gallivantin' among the street keers and sech 
 like?" 
 
 " No, auntie, I'm not afraid, because as I said, 
 there's nothing in God's world to be afraid of." 
 
 " Ain't yeou afeerd there'll be an earthquake 
 while yeou're here? " 
 
 " No, auntie." 
 
 " Wall, there's liable tew be, an' what w'u'd 
 yeou dew ef there wuz one? " 
 
 " I would try to remember that God is here, and 
 He is all." 
 
 " Wall, I never. What be yeou, anyheow, 
 one o' them 'ere Christian Scientists ? " 
 
 " Just a believer, I think," laughed Carol. 
 
 " Wall, I s'pose yeou'll admit yeou dew wrong, 
 sometimes. Ain't yeou afeerd of bein' punished? " 
 
 " No, for I do not wish to do wrong, and God 
 looks at the intention, not the act." 
 
 " Humph ! I guess I'll go an' get on my shawl 
 an' bunnit an' ride along with yeou in Charles's 
 automobile. Ef a young thing like yeou ain't 
 afeerd o' nothin', an old woman like me shouldn't 
 be nuther." 
 
 With these words solemnly spoken, Mrs. Dob- 
 bins arose from the rocker, and Carol, taking her 
 arm with a hearty : " I'm awfully glad, auntie," 
 helped her upstairs, calling out midway to Mrs.
 
 118 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Morley : " Aunt Lucinda's going, Mrs. Morley. 
 We'll be ready in a minute ! " 
 
 The hostess lifted her hands in involuntary 
 amazement, as she thought : " That girl ! She 
 can do anything with anybody ! " To Carol she 
 called back: "Good! We'll have a jolly time." 
 
 Mr. Morley was also astonished when the ladies 
 appeared at the curb ; Aunt Lucinda following 
 Carol and looking almost as stylish as that young 
 lady, as Carol had fastened another long veil over 
 the dull bonnet and tied a natty bow at the chin, 
 similar to that in her own. 
 
 " You going, after all those protestations, 
 aunt? " asked her grandnephew. 
 
 " Yes, I'm a goin'. I can't be eoutdone by a 
 chit of a girl in trustin' Proverdunce." 
 
 " How's that? Won you over, did she? " 
 
 " Yes, she won me over. She says there ain't 
 nothin' in God's world tew be afeerd on, an' I'm 
 goin' tew take her word fer it, this time. The 
 Bible tells us tew prove all things, an' I'm goin' 
 a provin'." 
 
 " You are in for it now, sure," said Mr. Morley 
 aside to Carol, with a look of combined amusement 
 and admiration. 
 
 " I'm not afraid," iterated the girl. 
 
 Down Seventh Street, with its smooth paving, 
 they rode to Broadway, Mr. Morley himself steer- 
 ing the motor. Aunt Lucinda sat meekly in the 
 tonneau between Carol and Mrs. Morley, who en- 
 gaged her attention in objects of interest which
 
 THE MACHINE 119 
 
 they passed. The quiet, swiftly gliding car, with 
 little to obstruct, gave small cause for anxiety, 
 and the country-bred woman acknowledged that it 
 was like coasting on the Bolton hills, in her 
 younger days. 
 
 " We yewsed tew take a sleigh, neow an' then, 
 on a moonlit night, an' one of the boys w'u'd steer 
 on a ' bob.' We'd go fer a mile deown one hill 
 after anuther, a bumpin' over the hummicks, an' 
 callin' it fun." 
 
 "Ever take a header?" asked Phil, overhear- 
 ing. 
 
 " Wall, neow, I can't say 't I know what a 
 header is ; but I never happuned tew meet with no 
 se'rous accerdunts," she admitted. " Joe Mur- 
 rill, one of eour neighbors, got his leg broke one 
 winter. His sled bumped an' he riz right up in 
 the air and fell headlong ag'in' a tree." 
 
 " It's a wonder it didn't break his head instead 
 of his leg," returned Phil. 
 
 " He wuz sort of a wooden head anyway. 
 Mebbe that's why it took his leg," she croaked: 
 " He needed a wooden one tew match." 
 
 "Pretty nearly all wooden then, wasn't he? 
 Poor fellow," he said as they turned on Broad- 
 way. 
 
 " Neow we're a comin' tew Bedlam," she ob- 
 served. *' Streetkeers a runnin' ev'ry which way 
 an' Fer mercy's sake ! What dew yeou call 
 that thing that jest went by? " 
 
 " A motorcycle, aunt," said Mrs, Morley.
 
 120 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " It's turrible rackety. I never see one afore, 
 though I s'pose they hev 'em over tew Rockville, 
 and mebbe Hartford." 
 
 Another moment, she cried : " Wall, we come 
 mighty nigh runnin' intew that 'ere team," and 
 glancing behind : " There's a car a comin' right 
 ontew us, Ida Dew make Charles Dew make 
 him get eout o' this 'ere track ! " With this she 
 tightly closed her lips, held herself rigid, with the 
 exception of her eyes, which she turned from side 
 to side, to view every possible opportunity for a 
 collision. 
 
 " What a fine driver Mr. Morley is," said Carol, 
 soothingly ; " so skillful in making stops and short 
 turns." 
 
 " Yes, he always keeps his head," answered Mrs. 
 Morley, " and he's quick to ' catch on.' I always 
 feel safe when he is driving." 
 
 It seemed impossible for Mrs. Dobbins to relax 
 a muscle until the party were well out on the Pasa- 
 dena Boulevard, and were skimming past the 
 avenues, where, clustered among the hills and sur- 
 rounded by bloom, were numerous dwellings, rang- 
 ing in magnitude from the small bungalow to the 
 more ornate mansion. 
 
 " Now you are glad you came, aren't you, 
 auntie ? " questioned Carol. 
 
 " I ain't got the proof yet. I'm waitin'," was 
 the answer. 
 
 Almost immediately, was heard a " BANG 
 WHIZZ whirr r-r-r ! "
 
 THE MACHINE 121 
 
 "Land o* livin'!" she ejaculated. Her face 
 paled, and her thin lips instinctively fell apart. 
 
 " We are not hurt, auntie, nor shall we be," 
 was Carol's calm response. 
 
 Mr. Morley stopped the car and the men got 
 out. They discovered a puncture, a long, rusty 
 nail had been inserted into one of the heavy rubber 
 tires. Just how it could have happened was not 
 easily explained. 
 
 " Wall, I'm glad I shan't feel obleeged tew hold 
 fast tew it. It's be'n proved an' it ain't tew be 
 trusted," said Aunt Lucinda, decisively. " I knew 
 a'most heow it w'u'd turn eout, afore we started. 
 Neow, young lady," addressing Carol, " don't tell 
 me ag'in, nuthin' can't hurt yeou ! Yeou might 
 hev be'n blown tew atoms, an' then where'd yeou 
 hev be'n? I sh'ud jest like tew know! " 
 
 " Possibly I should have been given an oppor- 
 tunity to enter another sphere, and ride in a 
 chariot of fire, like Elijah." 
 
 " A chariot of fire ! " repeated the old lady, in 
 a subdued tone. " Dew yeou s'pose 'twuz anythin' 
 like this one? Ef 'twuz, I hope I won't hev tew 
 ride in one. I'd ruther be kerried by the angels, 
 ez Lazarus wuz." 
 
 As repairs would consume some time, and Syca- 
 more Grove was near by, Mr. Morley suggested 
 that the ladies wait there, or visit the Southwest 
 Museum on the hill opposite. " It's quite a climb, 
 but if you like to look at skulls and Indian relics, 
 it might pay you," he said.
 
 122 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Marshall and the young ladies decided upon the 
 museum, he " to assist in the climb," he said. 
 Phil remained to aid Mr. Morley, and Mrs. Morley 
 with Aunt Lucinda wandered into the grove where, 
 in the shade of the beautiful, old trees, with beds 
 of bright blossoms in evidence, they sat down on a 
 rustic bench to rest. 
 
 " It's rael sort o' peaceful here," said Aunt 
 Lucinda, at length. 
 
 " Yes, we might come over some other day and 
 bring our lunch," answered her hostess. " Yonder 
 is a stone fire-place for making coffee," and, 
 sympathetically, " we could ride over on the trol- 
 ley if you preferred." 
 
 " Wall, I dun'no'," she reflected ; and appar- 
 ently, with Carol on her mind, she said : " Dew 
 yeou s'pose that girl ain't raelly afeerd o' nothin', 
 er is she jest a try in' tew put on? " 
 
 " I think she isn't the least bit of a hypocrite, 
 and she is strong in an emergency. A splendid 
 girl, I call her." 
 
 " Wall," with a sigh, " I wouldn't mind hevin' 
 a leetle more faith in human natur' myself; but 
 I've seen tew much of it tew bank anyways heavy 
 on't. A good deal of it 'pears tew me tew be like 
 the Pharisee's cup an' platter."
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 ON, TO SAN GABRIEL 
 
 When the car was again in readiness for travel, 
 it was nearly noon. 
 
 " We shall lunch in Pasadena, as we planned, I 
 think," said Mr. Morley to the reassembled party, 
 and to his aunt : " We would have you a regular 
 auto-fiend, Aunt Lucinda, give you the speed craze 
 in a few weeks so you wouldn't feel satisfied to ride 
 less than twenty miles an hour." 
 
 " Humph ! I guess so," was the incredulous re- 
 joinder, as with labored motion she seated her- 
 self once more in the tonneau. 
 
 After luncheon at one of the large hostelries 
 in the " Crown City," the ride extended over 
 beautiful drives, and like thousands previously, 
 these happy tourists gave ecstatic praise to the 
 rare and commanding scenery, Aunt Lucinda fail- 
 ing, in spite of her prejudices, to be an exception. 
 
 Not far from the splendid Orange Grove Avenue, 
 they turned to view the " Sunken Gardens." 
 
 " Ef I could feel paid fer comin', this 'ere w'u'd 
 pritty nigh pay me," she confessed. " That 'ere 
 grass looks jest like silk plush; an' I w'u'dn't 
 mind hevin' a spread of it on my front yard in 
 
 Bolton." A little further on, she questioned: 
 123
 
 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " What dew yeou call that 'ere vine, a runnin' over 
 that heouse, yender, Ida? I never did see sech a 
 vine fer flowerin' an' clamberin'." 
 
 " That is a bougainvillea." 
 
 " A boganvilye ! Wall I dew declare, and them 
 roses ! Why they're a spreadin' all over that 'ere 
 wall. I believe I never see nuthin' so han'some." 
 
 " Those are the pink Cherokee roses, and they 
 are among our prettiest," said Mrs. Morley. 
 
 " There's another rosevine of a different sort, 
 auntie, over on the pretty bungalow," exclaimed 
 Carol. "Talk of climbers! They beat 'Jack 
 and his bean stalk,' don't they ? " 
 
 " Yes, they sartinly dew ! " 
 
 " The big poinsettias take my eye," said Mar- 
 shall : " I tell you, Phil, folks in New England 
 who haven't seen California have a crude idea of 
 the way things look, at least, I know I had." 
 
 " Well, well, old man, you're waking up ! 
 Changed your mind about information found 
 tucked away on the bookshelves of the Boston li- 
 braries, eh? " answered Phil, slapping his friend 
 good-naturedly on the knee. 
 
 " The books are all right, but none but a poet 
 could imagine the reality, even with their help." 
 
 " We are going to Alhambra, now," said Mr. 
 Morley, " and I want you to notice the trees in 
 this drive, and before long we'll show you some 
 orange groves, blossoms and oranges on the same 
 trees. California brides may have their wreaths 
 for the picking."
 
 ON, TO SAN GABRIEL 125 
 
 " And husbands, too? " asked Carol, with so de- 
 mure a face that Phil laughed aloud. 
 
 " Husbands are as plentiful as oranges," de- 
 clared Mr. Morley. " Take your choice, but don't 
 get one overripe. One somewhat green will give 
 better satisfaction in the end. He'll last longer, 
 and will bear packing and shipping better, you 
 know." 
 
 " Thank you ! I'll be particular then to select 
 one that is a little green," she replied, smiling, 
 " one I can stand in the sun and see ripen." 
 
 " And when he is quite ripe, how will you treat 
 him?" asked Marshall, jocosely. 
 
 " Oh, that will be for him to decide. I mustn't 
 be too dictatorial." 
 
 " The trees seem tew be all a buddin' an' a blos- 
 somin' tew, like the rose bushes. Dew yeou hev 
 any kind of vegertation here that don't bear no 
 blossoms ? " inquired Aunt Lucinda, ignoring the 
 young people's chaffing. 
 
 " Very few things, aunt," answered her hostess. 
 
 " The only things I can think of are cigar- 
 stumps," called back Mr. Morley. 
 
 " Yes, I guess so." The old lady smiled grimly, 
 as she added : " They're all blowed eout, ain't 
 they?" 
 
 At San Gabriel Mission, the party left the car 
 and went through the building, viewing the dim, 
 old paintings ; the well-preserved figures of saints, 
 and of the Virgin and Child ; the quaint, old altar ; 
 the baptismal font, and the remaining bells of an
 
 126 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 ancient chime brought from Spain in the long ago. 
 Each dropped coins into the hands of a guide, for 
 the benefit of the mission. 
 
 " It's about time for the play to begin," said 
 Mr. Morley, consulting his watch. " Now if you 
 would rather not go in, aunt, there is plenty to be 
 seen outside. There was an old grape vine near 
 here, I remember, sometime ago, I presume it's 
 here yet. It had a trunk like a huge tree, and the 
 branches spread over thousands of square feet. 
 I was told the grapes it bore in one season would 
 weigh several tons. Then there's an old burying 
 ground somewhere about, and the souvenir shops 
 over across, where you can get clay water bottles 
 and jugs and things, pottery, they call it, made by 
 the Indians, or Indian baskets of all sorts, big and 
 little. You'll want to take something of the kind 
 home to Mary, I suppose. Anyway, it should in- 
 terest you, and when you get tired, just take a seat 
 in the car." 
 
 " Wall, I thank yeou, an' mebbe I'll look areound 
 a spell, an' mebbe I'll take a notion tew go in an' 
 see fer myself heow them old mission fathers acted 
 when they wuz tryin' tew convert the natives. I 
 s'pose likely they'll look * ez big ez life an' twice 
 ez nat'ral,' pictered eout on the stage." 
 
 "They're all right, I tell you," affirmed the 
 host. " I read somewhere, just lately, that out of 
 twenty-three thousand population at one time, 
 there were about eighteen thousand Indian con- 
 verts. That's going some! I rather think it
 
 ON, TO SAN GABRIEL 127 
 
 would run Billy Sunday a pretty close second. 
 Eh, aunt?" 
 
 " Billy Sunday ! Accordin' tew the papers, a 
 good deal of his talk comes pritty nigh tew 
 blasphemy." 
 
 " Perhaps he doesn't say quite all the papers 
 make out; but anyhow, we must give him credit 
 for putting some mighty tough old reprobates, 
 that most folks couldn't tackle, on the upgrade. 
 A good many stay put, too." 
 
 " Wall, mebbe they dew. I'm no jedge, but I'd 
 ruther hear some good, eddicated, Methodist 
 preacher, myself." 
 
 All but Aunt Lucinda entered the theatre at the 
 hour of opening. Turning to look back, near the 
 close of the first act, Mrs. Morley espied her eld- 
 erly guest, gazing with rapt interest at the stage. 
 
 At the close of the play, Phil overtook Aunt 
 Lucinda walking toward the Morley car. 
 
 " Well, how did you like it, auntie? " he asked. 
 
 " It might be wuss. Ef it hadn't 'a' be'n abeout 
 missionaries, I sh'u'dn't 'a' gone in. I don't want 
 yeou tew think I'd keowtenunce a common the- 
 atre." 
 
 " There are a good many plays as interesting 
 and instructive, I think you would find, and preach 
 a sermon that sets people to thinking about the 
 wrongs that should be righted." 
 
 " Wall, I dun'no' I dun'no'. I'm most tew 
 old tew learn new tricks. I've proved the old ways, 
 an' I think they can't be bettered much."
 
 188 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 They had left San Gabriel at a distance, and 
 Mr. Morley had been watching with the keen in- 
 terest of a lover of the sport, the smooth running 
 of the car over the boulevard. 
 
 "What do you think of this for a drive?" he 
 asked, turning his head and looking at Aunt Lu- 
 cinda for an instant. 
 
 " I'd like it ef I felt ez safe ez I dew drivin' my 
 old white hoss. I'd feel a little safer ridin' this 
 way, ef there wuz a track tew hold the gearin' 
 deown, kinder, like the steamkeers hev." 
 
 " I think we're having a splendid time and are 
 making a magnificent run, Mr. Morley," said Carol, 
 and asked : " Will you let me drive sometime ? " 
 
 " Yes ; if you think you can do it, I think so 
 too." 
 
 " Oh, thank you ! " 
 
 " She can drive all right," volunteered Ruby, 
 ** I've ridden with her at the wheel in Denver. 
 She drives a big car like this one. The last time 
 we went, there were eight girls of us, and we got 
 along fine." 
 
 "And you, do you do that?" asked Marshall 
 of Ruby. 
 
 " No. Father won't allow me to. Mother and 
 I have an electric that we drive. But I would 
 drive a touring car if I might. I'm not 
 afraid." 
 
 " Let's race 'em some day," said Phil to Ruby, 
 with a confident smile. He himself was an expert 
 also.
 
 ON, TO SAN GABRIEL 129 
 
 " Oh, will you ? " Carol's enthusiasm gave a leap, 
 and her eyes were like stars beneath the blue veil. 
 
 " Yes, sure," agreed Phil. 
 
 Mrs. Morley laughed, while Aunt Lucinda tried 
 to think of something sufficiently concise to express 
 her disapproval of " female chauffeurs." 
 
 " When shall it come off? " asked Carol of Phil. 
 
 " Anytime, to-morrow, if you say so, pro- 
 vided we can find a road where speeding isn't * un- 
 der the ban.' " 
 
 " I've learned everything about a car, from tire 
 to starter. I went down to the shops and made 
 it a study, so father says he would be willing to 
 trust me anywhere with one, so long as I would 
 keep to the traveled roads, and not try to scour 
 canyons, or climb mountains where there isn't any 
 trail, or swim swollen streams or " 
 
 " Cross the ocean on a whale's back? " sug- 
 gested Phil. 
 
 " Yes," laughed Carol. 
 
 " Wall, I never ! " exclaimed Aunt Lucinda, at 
 length able to get in a word : " What won't yeou 
 young folks think of next? It's bad enough when 
 a man is steerin', an' ef a chit uv a girl gets a hold 
 o' the wheel, in my jedgment, she'll be a stakin' 
 her life on a turrible resky prepersition. Ef they 
 took a notion tew buck, where'd yeou be, I won- 
 der? " 
 
 " Right at the wheel, auntie," was the cheery 
 answer. " Oh, I can steer ! You mustn't worry 
 about me."
 
 130 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Ef yeou wuz my girl, I'm afeered I wouldn't 
 hev a minute's peace uv my life." 
 
 " Do you honestly think I'm such a terror? " 
 
 " Humph ! Sort o' careless like, seems tew me. 
 Yeou don't place enough value on yeourself." 
 
 " Oh, that " 
 
 " She doesn't need to, auntie. The rest of us 
 will do that for her. She is a trump ! " was Phil's 
 verdict, and Carol looked at him gratefully. 
 
 " Wall, I've gi'n yeou fair warnin'," replied the 
 old lady, circumspectly, " so neow I shan't be tew 
 blame ef yeou get yeour necks broke. In my 
 opinion, yeou've no bus'ness a losin' yeour heads," 
 and she could not refrain from adding, " nor 
 yeour hearts nuther, in a reckless manner." 
 
 " Mine has already been lost and found a good 
 many times, I think," said Carol. " The last time 
 I lost it, my heart, I mean, was when I 
 * flunked in trig.' " 
 
 " What's that? ' Flunked in trig? ' " was the 
 astonished inquiry, from the lips of Aunt Lucinda. 
 She believed that the girl Avas making light of her 
 serious admonitions ; but Carol meant no harm. 
 She felt like snatching the elder woman's prejudices 
 with a merry tug and tossing them to the winds 
 of oblivion, if that were possible. But noticing 
 that she was giving vent to considerable feeling 
 by twitching the knot in her veil as if it were chok- 
 ing her, Carol took the withered hand, with its cov- 
 ering of lisle thread, in her own, and explained: 
 
 " That is a phrase we use at school, auntie, and
 
 ON, TO SAN GABRIEL 131 
 
 means failure to pass in examination. I meant 
 that I failed to pass in trigonometry, and that it 
 rather disheartened me for a little while, not for 
 long, for the springs inside bobbed up and sent me 
 ' kiting.' That is, begging your pardon, away 
 up into the optimistic regions. I'm naturally 
 lively and jolly, don't you know? " 
 
 " So that's it? Wall, it beats me. Ichabod 
 Simmons's Jared missed pritty nigh all the ques- 
 tions put tew him, when he wuz examined fer a 
 teacher's certif 'kit, in eour teownship ; but I never 
 heerd nobuddy say he flunked. Folks kinder 
 pitied him, though, fer he'd be'n a steddyin' up 
 fer months. But here we be, a comin' tew the 
 biz'ness deestrict ag'in. I dew hope we won't hev 
 anuther breakdown ! " 
 
 " Are you sure the tires are all right now," 
 asked Mrs. Morley of her husband, for Aunt Lu- 
 cinda's benefit. 
 
 " Strong? Why they are as strong as old- 
 fashioned theology," he answered, decisively. 
 
 " An' jest tew think, a nail punched a hole in 
 one of 'em in half a minute, this mornin' ! " re- 
 joined Aunt Lucinda. 
 
 " That was unusual," said Phil. 
 
 " We've never had it happen before," asserted 
 Mrs. Morley. 
 
 When at last the old lady descended from the 
 " machine " at the Morley home, she looked tired 
 and worried, and said to Carol : " I can't never 
 learn tew like automobiles, tew please nobuddy ; an'
 
 132 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 ef yeou young folks aire a goin' a racin' in 'em, 
 I don't want tew know nuthin' abeout it, till it's 
 all over." 
 
 " Oh, I'm so sorry, auntie ! I think we shall 
 have to give up the race; the torment you would 
 endure if you suspected we were going would more 
 than balance the fun we might get out of it. It 
 wouldn't be worth while." 
 
 " Dew yeou mean tew say yeou'd give it up tew 
 spare my feelin's? " 
 
 "Surely," nodded Carol. "I couldn't feel 
 happy if I knew you were miserable ; so you see 
 I'm a bit selfish, after all." 
 
 " Dew yeou raelly mean yeou'll give it up ? " 
 
 " Certainly ! Why not ? " asked Carol, amused 
 at her earnestness, and persistent doubts. 
 
 " Wall," was the reply, " ef yeou dew give it 
 up, yeou're a likelier girl than I thought yeou 
 wuz. I guess mebbe yeou'd make a pritty good 
 Methodist, ef yeou'd leave off some o' yeour fancy 
 fixin's an' dress plain." 
 
 Phil shook his head dubiously, as he walked into 
 the house beside the girl. 
 
 " Isn't it robbing Peter to pay Paul? " he said, 
 with a smile at the bright upturned face. 
 
 " I'll pay Peter some other way, this time," she 
 answered.
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 AN AT HOME " 
 
 " I suppose you men folks had no end of sport 
 poking around those La Brea Pits this morning. 
 And did you find any more mammoth skeletons? 
 Those at the Park Museum are perfectly wonder- 
 ful," said Mrs. Morley to Phil and Marshall on 
 their return from those places of interest. 
 
 " A remarkable find," assented Marshall. " I'm 
 glad I saw the spot where they were discovered, 
 though we didn't try our hands at digging for 
 more." 
 
 " I want to engage you and Phil to help do the 
 honors at our ' At Home ' this afternoon," she 
 continued. " I'll have Charles drop in, too, and 
 there'll be other men of your acquaintance, Mr. 
 ' Patsy,' as the girls call him, and Dr. Merriman. 
 Isn't he the j oiliest man? I should think he could 
 cure anyone just by showing his beaming face 
 and telling them how well they are getting on. 
 And Mr. Nicholson seems so susceptible to nice 
 people and pretty things. How quickly he dis- 
 covered the graces of that young Virginia girl. 
 We hope to see her here, too, and her mother." 
 
 " Thanks, and acceptance," they agreed. 
 133
 
 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Carol glanced significantly, meanwhile, at Ruby ; 
 and Phil, noting her expression, said : " I sup- 
 pose one could see graces in the bluebell, if de- 
 prived of the rose." 
 
 " Are you the rose, Ruby ?" asked Marshall, 
 slyly, and Mrs. Morley looked chagrined. 
 
 "Did I make a blunder? Pardon it. He's a 
 nice man, anyway, and bluebells are dear." 
 
 " There's just the difference that one's taste 
 creates," he acknowledged. " I have nothing, 
 nothing at all against bluebells." 
 
 Carol would not add further to Ruby's em- 
 barrassment, and said only : " If it were not for 
 the blessed difference in tastes some of the sweet- 
 est blossoms would go * a-begging.' I think I must 
 belong to the cacti tribe, capricious, thorny, 
 pricking conservative people, and only once in 
 awhile flaming out in a really brilliant achievement, 
 corresponding to the scarlet flower on the hall 
 tabouret." 
 
 " Like that of winning Aunt Lucinda's good- 
 will, yesterday. That was superbly done," com- 
 mended Phil. 
 
 " I think she feels I am continually trying to 
 make a sieve of her convictions." 
 
 " Convictions that can be punched aren't worth 
 having," he returned as Mr. Morley entered the 
 room. 
 
 "Talking science, or embroidery?" he asked, 
 noticing the needlework close at hand. 
 
 " Psychology," answered his wife, " as applied
 
 AN " AT HOME " 135 
 
 to some people we know. But it is lunch time and 
 I must go call your aunt." 
 
 " Let me, please," begged Carol, whirling 
 away. " So much taffy has weakened my powers 
 of resistance," she averred, dimpling. 
 
 As she mounted the stairway, they heard her 
 whistling a popular air. Mrs. Dobbins heard her, 
 also, and came to meet her. 
 
 " ' A whistling girl an' a crowin' hen,' " she pro- 
 tested, not unkindly. 
 
 " Oh, I know they used to say that, auntie ; but 
 they don't any more. They have whistling 
 classes, now, don't you know, and some of the girls 
 in our crowd in Denver whistle delightfully. It 
 would make you feel as if you were soaring, to lis- 
 ten." 
 
 " Can they beat yeou at it ? " 
 
 " Oh, my, yes, by a long way," laughed Carol. 
 
 " Wall, I dun'no'. I sh'ud want tew hear 'em 
 afore I made up my mind they c'u'd beat yeou." 
 
 " It's a fact," she replied, " you see I have never 
 taken lessons in whistling. But the folks sent me 
 to call you to lunch. I want to show you the 
 orchids, first, though," and slipping an arm around 
 the elder lady's waist, as if she were a cherished 
 girl friend, she led her to the living room table, 
 where the choice flowers were grouped in a dainty 
 basket. 
 
 " Aren't they perfectly lovely, auntie ? " 
 
 " Cur'us, kinder, ain't they ? They look some 
 like eour swamp apple blossoms, back East," and
 
 136 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 touching her nose to a lilac-tinted petal : " There 
 ain't much smell to 'em, is they ? " she concluded ; 
 and addressing Mrs. Morley : " What's goin' on, 
 Ida, that yeour trimmin' up so ? " 
 
 " Just an afternoon at home, aunt, for re- 
 ceiving callers." 
 
 " Yeou won't mind ef I don't come deown tew 
 meet 'em. I never did go much on stylish doin's, 
 an' I'd ruther stay up stairs." 
 
 " No, I shan't mind, if you are comfortable," 
 answered the hostess. 
 
 Soon after three o'clock, p. M., Mrs. Doane, the 
 mother of little Jamie, arrived. 
 
 Next, came the Misses Hendley, in a taxi-cab. 
 They were young lady students at a school of ora- 
 tory in the city, and were prettily gowned in white. 
 Aunt Lucinda saw them from the front balcony 
 window, and commented : " They look kinder 
 tasty and nice, I must say." 
 
 Two little girls, also in white, with flaring, white 
 ribbon bows, like butterfly wings, outspread on 
 their braided hair, came to act as ushers, and Mrs. 
 Morley introduced the four to her young lady 
 house-guests, Carol, in an exquisite creation of 
 white lace over blue charmeuse, and Ruby, in a 
 similar gown of pink, which contrasted well with 
 her own of spangled black net, over chiffon and 
 silk. 
 
 A limousine rolled up the driveway, quickly fol- 
 lowing the cab. It contained four ladies and a 
 liveried chauffeur. Among the four ladies who
 
 AN " AT HOME " 137 
 
 alighted, the watcher at the balcony window no- 
 ticed particularly an elderly person wearing gray 
 puffs and little curls, above much glossy black vel- 
 vet, and a ruff of lace. She seemed to diffuse the 
 essence of aristocracy, and of personal dignity. 
 
 Several ladies came on foot, from near-by homes, 
 gay in tailor-made suits of elaborate manufacture, 
 in silks under wonderful opera wraps, in salmon- 
 pinks and golden-browns, sage-greens and Alice- 
 blue, like a human bouquet. 
 
 " Land sakes ! " was the exclamation which 
 silently escaped Aunt Lucinda's lips, and her 
 thoughts ran on this wise : " I never did see sech 
 a lot o' fine fixin's. Why they beat the folks that 
 come eout frum Hartford tew Creshy Dale's wed- 
 din'. I thought they wuz dressed tol'able smart, 
 tew. I sh'u'd think some of these 'ere women had 
 tried tew imertate a sunsettin'. " 
 
 A little later, in an electric phaeton, came an 
 elderly lady with a sweet face and wavy white 
 hair, and the softest of gray silk gowns. Her 
 escort, an old gentleman in black, lifted her gently 
 to the pavement and helped her up the steps to the 
 cement walk on the lawn, then waving his hand in 
 adieu, re-entered the phaeton, and rode away. 
 
 " Neow she's a rael lady," decided Aunt Lu- 
 cinda. " I wonder ef Ida asked her to see me. 
 I'd orter go deown." 
 
 For some minutes she meditated on the pru- 
 dence of changing her plans about remaining up 
 stairs; but the longer she gazed at the incoming
 
 138 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 stream of callers, the more she felt convinced that 
 she was missing something unusual in her life, 
 and that she might regret having done so on her 
 return to New England, when her country 
 acquaintance should call to talk of her remark- 
 able trip to the Pacific Coast. 
 
 " Mebbe it's my dewty tew see all I ken, withe- 
 out committin' sin, fer the sake of my Mary an' 
 the rest. Jimmie's wife w'u'd jest dote on 
 1'arnin' heow they dress in Californy, an' so w'u'd 
 Ezry Steeple's wife and Aunt Liddy Hogan, an' 
 Dr. Jared Boyleses's wife, she's young, yet, 
 and then there's Samanthy Daggett, who's be'n 
 bedrid fer more'n six years. Yes, I dew believe 
 I'd orter go deown." 
 
 One of the Misses Hendley was reading when 
 Aunt Lucinda appeared in her black henrietta 
 gown, the white crepe shawl and cameo pin. 
 
 A fleshy woman with much-be jeweled fingers that 
 seemed to send off sparks of red and green fire as 
 she twirled an expensive fan, looked up at the ap- 
 proaching figure on the stairway, while in laugh- 
 ing mood. Others turned their heads slightly, 
 and smiles were upon all faces. 
 
 " Wall, I guess mebbe I've gone an' done it, 
 neow," thought the intruder, stopping suddenly 
 in her dilemma and standing stiffly, and very erecty 
 with an injured air, as if in some unaccountable 
 way she had provoked the laughter. 
 
 The reader stood near one of the large pillars 
 supporting the arch between living room and recep-
 
 AN " AT HOME " 139 
 
 tion hall, and as her fresh young voice mimicked 
 that of an antiquated spinster at a quilting bee, 
 where gossip was the order of the day, Mrs. Dob- 
 bins seemed a representative of that very class, 
 a vivid and picturesque illustration of the function 
 described. 
 
 As she listened, her indignation arose, steadily, 
 and at the close, when laughter and applause were 
 at their height, she descended to the hall in all the 
 dignity of an outraged matron, sought Mrs. Mor- 
 ley, with threatening mien, and drawing her aside, 
 whispered the excited inquiry : " Did yeou know, 
 Ida, that 'ere girl wuz a goin' tew speak that piece 
 afore she come? " 
 
 " Why no, aunt. I asked her to read some- 
 thing amusing, and she made her own selection." 
 
 " Well, don't yeou think it's onladylike tew 
 mock folks ? " 
 
 " Oh, that was just a made-up thing, you see, 
 a monologue. It wasn't about real people." 
 
 " I say it wuz jest like old Miss Fitch! I c'u'd 
 see jest heow she yewsed tew look, ez plain ez I see 
 yeou. Why 'twuz turrible! Miss Fitch wuz a 
 gadder an' a busybuddy ; but land sakes alive, 
 she's be'n dead this ten year, an' I can't bear tew 
 think of her bein' resurrected ! " 
 
 Guests were pressing close, and Mrs. Morley 
 with a " Come, aunt, let me take you to meet Mrs. 
 Graham, she's the dearest old lady, just as dear 
 as can be, " hurried Mrs. Dobbins to a further 
 corner of the room, where sat the lady in the soft
 
 140 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 gray silk, who had come in the phaeton. Aunt 
 Lucinda was appeased. 
 
 Carol had promised to sing, and seeing this 
 elderly guest safe under the benevolent oversight 
 of Mrs. Graham, Mrs. Morley reminded Carol of 
 her promise. 
 
 With Ruby at the piano, Carol stood awaiting 
 the prelude to a song of " Dreams." Some one 
 raised a curtain, thinking to give the accompanist 
 more light. Sun rays stole over a huge rose-red 
 rose in a silver vase, and points of light flashed 
 rainbow hues over Carol's blue-white gown and 
 glinted in her fluffy hair. Her blue eyes held un- 
 wonted charm. 
 
 Mrs. Graham said softly to Mrs. Dobbins: 
 " What a beautiful girl ! I am sure she can sing, 
 by her looks." 
 
 " Yes, she ken. She ken beat any young thing 
 I ever see at it; an' she's rael kind-hearted, 
 though yeou wouldn't expect it in a susciety girl." 
 
 " I know. Her face discloses her character, 
 too." 
 
 But Carol was singing. A few who were be- 
 ing served to frappe in the den left their glasses 
 and tiptoed into the living room. Others, taking 
 tea and dainties in the dining room, and a richly 
 garbed lady who poured, became immediately si- 
 lent. The rich, pure soprano voice, floated 
 through the rooms, as spontaneously as a bird's 
 in the open. 
 
 An encore followed, and yet another. At the
 
 AN " AT HOME " 
 
 second call, she sang the song which had so 
 pleased Phil on a previous day, not knowing that 
 he, with Marshall and Mr. Morley had entered. 
 
 As she stood, later, receiving praises, sur- 
 rounded by a persistent group, Phil without warn- 
 ing came near, and their eyes met. It was like a 
 confession. Carol nodded and quickly turned 
 away her face. Her cheeks were the color of the 
 rose-red rose and her eyes shone like veritable soul- 
 lights. Those who talked with her were charmed 
 by her beauty and her enthusiasm. She seemed 
 a being apart, a wonder-girl, she might al- 
 most have dropped into their midst from another 
 sphere. 
 
 It was several minutes before opportunity was 
 given Phil to speak with her. By that time she 
 had regained her self-possession. He had been 
 greeting the Denver people, Dr. and Mrs. Merri- 
 man and Mr. Winthrop. In the rush of conversa- 
 tion, he said low to Carol : " You sang a little bit 
 ago as if you had learned the secret of the lilies 
 and tree tops." 
 
 She was glad he did not add : " Have you ? 
 And will you tell it to me? " 
 
 " I was sorry I wasn't aware of your coming in. 
 I would have sung something else," she said. 
 
 " Why ? " he questioned. 
 
 " One tires of hearing most things over and 
 over. I know it by heart, and Ruby could play 
 the accompaniment without notes. I hoped that 
 to some of the guests, at least, it was unfamiliar."
 
 142 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " It sounded better to me this afternoon than it 
 did the last time I heard it," he declared. 
 
 She looked at him with an air of incredulity, as 
 Ruby interposed : " Do excuse me, but Mrs. 
 Morley wants the quartette, that selection we gave 
 at the serenade. Marshall has consented." 
 
 " Shall we try it? " Carol asked of Phil. 
 
 " Yes," he answered readily. " Go ahead. I'll 
 help," and as Ruby turned away : " Do you care 
 to know why that other piece sounded better to 
 me to-day? " he asked of Carol. 
 
 " If you please," she said. 
 
 " It is because I have learned more of the singer 
 and her motives." 
 
 " Oh, thank you ! Of course you mean that to 
 be complimentary? " 
 
 " Why no, not exactly. Just a little credit to 
 my own comprehension. You haven't changed." 
 
 " Ah, I see ! At first you thought my vein of 
 humor abnormal." 
 
 " Not that, either, begging your pardon for 
 seeming to disagree with you so much. But I have 
 learned better to distinguish your mirthful from 
 your serious moods." 
 
 " Don't feel too sure, Phil," she laughed ; but 
 her eyes held an acquiescence which overbalanced 
 her command. 
 
 When the quartette were released, Carol found 
 herself beside Mr. Nicholson. He had been one to 
 applaud most heartily.
 
 AN " AT HOME " 143 
 
 " You folks must have awfully jolly times up 
 here," he said to her. 
 
 " We do have good times. I wish you and Miss 
 Tolmy were nearer." 
 
 " Miss Tolmy ? She is a right nice young lady, 
 but quiet. I can hardly think of enough to say 
 for both of us." 
 
 " I thought you were getting on famously, at 
 the picnic." 
 
 " Oh, we get on, you know. But say, Carol, 
 tell me what a fellow could do with himself, if 
 time were to drag at home? Would you advise a 
 man to marry, provided he might, unless he 
 felt sure he could make good there? I don't ap- 
 prove of a married man seeking solace at clubs, 
 after business hours." 
 
 " Perhaps the young lady doesn't feel quite at 
 ease with you on such short acquaintance. It 
 may be there is some embarrassment on her part, 
 I mean." 
 
 " No. It isn't that." 
 
 " Have you tried sending her books and 
 flowers? " mischievously. 
 
 " Well, no ; but I've taken her to shows and 
 - Well, I'm sure I'm not the one to awaken 
 ' Love's young dream ' in her heart. Perhaps 
 because " 
 
 " Oh, you can't tell me, Patsy. I know al- 
 ready, and I shall not breathe the secret to Ruby. 
 But you are doing fine, just splendid!"
 
 144 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " I want you all down to our hotel to-morrow 
 evening. I'm getting hungry for a good laugh," 
 he said, abruptly. 
 
 " I rather think we will all go down." 
 
 " Good ! I shall live until then." 
 
 " My dear man. Is it so bad ? " and Carol 
 laughed merrily at his evident seriousness. 
 " Cheer up, and don't lose faith. I believe it will 
 all come out just right! " 
 
 " Carol, I want you to meet my friend Mrs. 
 Wallaber and her niece. They're swell! " whis- 
 pered Mrs. Morley, close to Carol's ear; and tak- 
 ing her arm with an apology to Mr. Nicholson, 
 she led her away. 
 
 He glanced hallward. Marshall was interview- 
 ing Miss Tolmy. Her face was more animated 
 than he had before seen it. Ruby stood near the 
 piano, and was, at the moment, unoccupied. Un- 
 able to resist the temptation, he walked over, and 
 began almost immediately to talk to her of Miss 
 Tolmy. 
 
 "Isn't she looking fine, to-day, quite rested? 
 Doesn't she display excellent taste in her dress? 
 Her mother told me the pearl necklace the daugh- 
 ter has on is a family heirloom." 
 
 " I suppose she is a considerable heiress," re- 
 sponded Ruby. 
 
 " Half a million, I'm told." 
 
 " Ah, Patsy, I hadn't surmised you were so 
 avaricious." 
 
 " Did I say I was wishing for any of it? "
 
 AN " AT HOME " 145 
 
 " You intimated as much." 
 
 " I generally say what I mean, don't I ? " 
 
 " Y-es sometimes, anyway. But you have 
 hardly made yourself visible, up here." 
 
 " That is no joke." 
 
 " No and I had thought you really cared 
 a little bit." 
 
 "For you?" 
 
 " Whether we were properly looked after, 
 Carol and I. I had supposed you would show 
 some interest." This with a smile lest she seem 
 too anxious about the turn of affairs. 
 
 " Haven't I? Why I've given you every op- 
 portunity possible." Directly they saw Mrs. 
 Tolmy advancing toward them. There was small 
 chance for private conversation. 
 
 " I beg your pardon, Miss Guild ; but daughter 
 and I feel that we must be going. I've come to 
 tell you how much I enjoyed your music. You ac- 
 company with so much expression, and I distin- 
 guished your voice in the quartette. Evelyn 
 plays, but she doesn't like to, in company. She's 
 like her father, and he was always backward about 
 displaying his talents publicly. But do come 
 down and see us." 
 
 " I shall," said Ruby ; " and you are good to 
 praise me so much. Carol soars so far above me. 
 Don't you think she is a wonder? " 
 
 Mrs. Tolmy smiled as she replied : " You are 
 quite unassuming, Miss Guild. I'm sure I think 
 you are, both of you, quite unusual girls ; and
 
 146 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 those young men, they must be interesting com- 
 panions for you, being so musical." 
 
 Just then Miss Tolmy stepped up to say 
 " Good afternoon " and " Such a lovely time." 
 
 The three walked away side by side. Mr. 
 Nicholson had given Ruby's hand a parting 
 clasp, a hurried one, she thought, and a care- 
 less nod. She believed that he admired Miss 
 Tolmy and the mother. She saw him assist her 
 with a little wrap which she had carried on her 
 arm, and she wondered if he were trying to deceive 
 himself by thinking that he could soon forget his 
 old friends his particular friend herself. 
 Or, was he trying to deceive her? She felt that 
 she would like to know. She was almost sure that 
 Phil cared much for Carol, and she was confident 
 that she, herself, should never care especially for 
 Hubert Marshall. He was kind, reasonably at- 
 tentive, most gentlemanly, always. Yet, she 
 scarcely liked to acknowledge it, she believed that 
 Marshall, like herself, was a trifle disappointed. 
 He had come expecting to renew acquaintance with 
 a girl he had greatly admired in the East. The 
 young lady had treated him with every considera- 
 tion ; but she had, in various subtle ways, noted 
 by the watchful eyes and ears of her dearest girl 
 friend, shown a preference for Phil. There mat- 
 ters stood, and she really had no wish to blame 
 anyone, for she felt it could not be helped. 
 
 Many were leaving now, and Ruby advanced to 
 meet others who wished to say good-by.
 
 AN " AT HOME " 147 
 
 Carol, bright, beautiful as a goddess, happy in 
 seeing, as she believed, others happy, was gay- 
 est of them all. 
 
 " Don't you forget that invitation, now," said 
 Mr. Nicholson, at parting ; and to Ruby : " I'm 
 inviting you folks all down to dinner to-morrow 
 evening." 
 
 " Thank you," she answered, simply. 
 
 "Wasn't it a success, girls?" asked Mrs. 
 Morley, when the last caller had departed ; " And, 
 Charles, do say for once that you enjoyed an * at 
 home.' " 
 
 " 'Twas remarkably clever, nice crowd," he 
 conceded. 
 
 " A charming affair," said Marshall. 
 
 " Thoroughly delightful," added Phil. 
 
 " And now, girlies ? " suggested Mrs. Morley. 
 
 " It was simply perfect ! " exclaimed Carol. 
 
 " Everything it could have been, subtracting 
 my part of it," was Ruby's offering. 
 
 " Now hear that child ! " said Mrs. Morley, lift- 
 ing her hands deprecatingly. " I owe almost 
 every bit of the charm to you young people." 
 
 " And are we to have any dinner to-night," sub- 
 mitted her husband with a wink at the younger 
 ladies. 
 
 Glancing at the mantel clock : " I declare ! 
 It's twenty minutes past six. But I couldn't 
 hurry people away, now could I? " 
 
 " However anxious you were to do so," finished 
 Mr. Morley.
 
 US THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Charles Henry " 
 
 At this juncture, Aunt Lucinda appeared in 
 gingham gown and white apron, announcing that 
 " supper " was " a waitin'." Oddly, no one had 
 noticed her disappearance from the reception 
 rooms. 
 
 " I've be'n a showin' the cook heow tew make 
 an old-fashioned apple pie, with layers of salt pork 
 in between," she said, " and we're a goin' tew her it 
 fer desert. It looks ez ef it w'u'd be fust rate."
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 MR. NICHOLSON ENTERTAINS 
 
 A private dining room in the big hotel which 
 sheltered the Denver acquaintances was more than 
 usually gorgeous. A table with covers laid for 
 twelve had, over the white damask cloth, a scarf 
 of orange satin, and there were bows of orange 
 satin ribbon at the corners ; bows fastened to chair 
 backs and ribbons festooned from the chandeliers 
 overhead. A rustic basket of oranges, over a 
 silver-rimmed mirror, spaces filled in with 
 orange sprigs, waxy leaves and blossoms, 
 formed a centre piece for the table. Blossoms and 
 leaves were scattered over the orange scarf. 
 Place-cards bore orange sprigs in water colors, 
 and there were boutonnieres of orange blossoms, 
 besides souvenirs for each guest, in orange-colored 
 satin boxes, bon bons for the ladies, cigars for 
 the gentlemen. Orange-colored shades were over 
 electric bulbs and candles, and here and there, on 
 the walls, were orange boughs, bright with blos- 
 soms. The odor of oranges pervaded the room, 
 and Mr. Nicholson, giving directions, began to 
 wonder if it were too much of a very good thing. 
 
 " I'll have Mrs. Merriman down," he said. 
 149
 
 150 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Fortunately, the lady was in. She whisked off 
 a small white apron, over which she had been knit- 
 ting something soft and woolly, and consented to 
 oblige. 
 
 " But why didn't you call Evelyn ? " meaning 
 Miss Tolmy. " She is probably up to this sort of 
 thing. I'm not an artist, you know, Mr. Nichol- 
 son," she said, apologetically. 
 
 " You are an old acquaintance, and I think you 
 will tell me the truth. I don't want any flattery 
 in mine." 
 
 "Oh, that's it?" and Mrs. Merriman's well- 
 developed shoulders shook in amusive unison with 
 her light laughter. 
 
 The assistants were nearly through with the 
 scheme of decorating as at first planned. 
 
 " Now what's the matter? " asked Mr. Nichol- 
 son of Mrs. Merriman as she surveyed the room in 
 silence, though her face betokened an appreciative 
 interest. 
 
 " My! It's gay, isn't it?" she answered, pres- 
 ently. " Was it your idea, Mr. Nicholson ? " 
 
 " Yes, you see we don't have these things so 
 plentiful at home." 
 
 " Well, I should say not, and they're beautiful." 
 
 "Is that all they are?" 
 
 " Why, the fragrance. Did you mean that it 
 might be too strong? " 
 
 " That's it. Now you've hit it, exactly. 
 Please tell me what to do about it." 
 
 " Have you any ferns ? "
 
 MR. NICHOLSON ENTERTAINS 151 
 
 " No, nothing but orange." 
 
 " You might dispense with the little individual 
 bouquets, and some of the blossoms on the scarf 
 and other places, distribute them later in the 
 parlor, don't you see? " 
 
 " Yes. Thanks. Too many bows ? " 
 
 " Well " laughingly " they're ever so 
 pretty." 
 
 " Take off some of them, do ! " 
 
 With a gracious smile, Mrs. Merriman removed 
 the corner bows from the table, plucked blossoms 
 discriminately from various places, filled a plate 
 with the boutonnieres, and then she said : " Just 
 a little of the asparagus plumosis, or of the 
 maidenhair fern, would soften up things, don't you 
 know, Mr. Nicholson ? " 
 
 " You are a jewel, Mrs. Merriman! I'll tell the 
 doctor so ; " and " Here, one of you fellers, won't 
 you go somewhere right off and get an arm- 
 ful of What did you call it, Mrs. Merriman?" 
 
 " Asparagus plumosis " 
 
 " That's it, and some of the other, maidenhair, 
 and please hurry." With this Mr. Nicholson 
 dropped some silver coins into the hand of a youth, 
 and dismissed him on the errand. 
 
 " You see I wanted something a bit original, 
 but I'm willing you should share the honors, Mrs. 
 Merriman, and say : What do you think of my 
 taking in Mrs. Tolmy to dinner, and I'll ask Mr. 
 Morley to be your escort, and that would leave 
 his wife for Dr. Merriman."
 
 152 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " All right," she agreed : " But who is to have 
 the young lady, Evelyn ? " 
 
 " I'll get Winthrop to ask her. His sister will 
 be at the beach. Then there'll be Ruby and young 
 Tracy, that will suit, I reckon, and Marshall 
 and Carol." 
 
 " M-m-m-m-e-e All thought out," she com- 
 mented. 
 
 " Any criticisms ? " 
 
 " No only I happened to see Carol talking 
 with Mr. Tracy at the reception, and she looked, 
 and he looked, well, you know, as if they were 
 more than good friends." 
 
 "And Ruby?" 
 
 " I don't know, but I didn't notice any sheep's 
 eyes between her and that Marshall, all plain 
 sailing, just everyday sort of friendship, I 
 judged." 
 
 " Well, let's change 'em 'round, to-night. No 
 harm done." 
 
 " No. No harm, I hope, either way." 
 
 " You have good eyes, Mrs. Merriman." 
 
 " Thank you. It's not hard to see, sometimes, 
 with only ordinary eyesight." 
 
 Directly, the boy returned with the ferns, and 
 Mrs. Merriman helped in their arrangement. 
 Finally, she said : " Now I must go and prink, 
 or I shall not be in keeping with all these fine fix- 
 ings." 
 
 Early evening brought the guests. When the 
 lights were on and the company seated, Mrs.
 
 MR. NICHOLSON ENTERTAINS 153 
 
 Morley said to Dr. M erriman : " It's really won- 
 derful what a bachelor can think of, all by him- 
 self. Are you sure Miss Tolmy hadn't a hand in 
 the scheme? " 
 
 " Sure as can be. He wanted to surprise her, 
 I suppose." 
 
 " Well, she ought to appreciate that. We think 
 Mr. Nicholson is fine, Mr. Morley and I, such a 
 bright business man, too, Carol says." 
 
 " Does Ruby have nothing to say ? " 
 
 "Nothing much. Wonders why he stays away 
 so from our place, and thinks he must be interested 
 in the Virginia girl." 
 
 " Ah? Good," the doctor replied, rubbing his 
 hands complacently. 
 
 Mr. Nicholson sat at the head of the table, with 
 Mrs. Tolmy at his right; the daughter, with Mr. 
 Winthrop, at his left. Dr. Merriman and Mrs. 
 Morley were at the foot. Midway sat Carol and 
 Ruby, one on either side, queenly in dainty ap- 
 parel, and seemingly satisfied with Mr. Nicholson's 
 disposition of people and things. 
 
 The host was at his best, and had a store of 
 good humor and anecdotes for the occasion. 
 
 " Doesn't Patsy look well this evening? " 
 asked Carol, low, of Marshall. " He has cer- 
 tainly the mark of a domestic man. One can see 
 that he thoroughly enjoys presiding at his own 
 table." 
 
 " Quite so. How about me, have I the mark? " 
 he questioned lightly.
 
 154 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Not so plain. You're sort of indifferent, that 
 is, you are more interested in something else, at 
 present." 
 
 A little frown crept between Marshall's eyes, 
 though he did not dream of it. " Don't you think 
 a man should be more interested in accumulating 
 means before he thinks seriously of establishing 
 himself in a home of his own? " 
 
 " No ; in my opinion " for an instant Carol 
 hesitated, with a half smile, then determined to 
 speak what was in her mind, " he ought to have 
 the home thought uppermost, first, last, and all 
 the time. A boy should be trained with that idea 
 as a goal toward which all his energies and his 
 education and efforts should be directed, a goal 
 to be reached at his earliest convenience, after he 
 shall have become of age, before he shall have 
 become crusty and crabbed and opinionated, when 
 he would find it doubly hard to secure a companion 
 with whom he could live amicably. There, I have 
 been honest with you." 
 
 " That is evident." 
 
 " Isn't my advice sensible? " 
 
 " I suppose you are theoretically right ; but how 
 about the girl? Doesn't she expect so much, 
 that is, a girl that would be at all congenial to 
 an educated man, not meaning to be purely per- 
 sonal, that a fellow has to wait until he is a 
 graybeard before he can well support her? " 
 
 " Not the sensible girl. But tell me, what should 
 be expected of her, please."
 
 MR. NICHOLSON ENTERTAINS 155 
 
 " Carol, what was that little song you sang the 
 evening before we left Denver, * The Swanlet ' ? 
 Was that it ? " interrupted Mr. Nicholson, quite 
 unintentionally. 
 
 " ' The Duckling,' " answered Carol, dimples 
 dancing adown the length of the table between 
 them. 
 
 "That's it, 'The Duckling'! It's a gem! 
 Will you sing it again after dinner? " 
 
 " Yes," she nodded. 
 
 " You see I was a bit down in the mouth that 
 evening over a bad trade I had consummated; but 
 that was a wonderful tonic. I haven't got over 
 the effects of it yet. If I were wishing for some- 
 thing I could have, like the kids in fairy tales, I 
 would wish for the talent to compose a piece like 
 that. It's great!" 
 
 " Equal to the * Star-spangled Banner ' on the 
 eve of battle? " asked Mr. Winthrop. 
 
 " Just about." 
 
 " Every time has its song," said Mr. Morley, 
 tritely. 
 
 " And every song its interpreter," added Phil, 
 looking toward Carol. 
 
 " Some are mistaken interpreters," she sug- 
 gested, naively ; but Phil answered confidently : 
 " When they are out of harmony, I suppose," to 
 which she smiled an indulgent affirmative. 
 
 " I wasn't mistaken in my interpretation of the 
 duckling piece, I'm sure," said Mr. Nicholson, 
 " for it gave me an inspiration."
 
 156 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " I'm anxious to hear that song," confessed Dr. 
 Merriman ; but his wife demurred : " It may not 
 affect you as it did Mr. Nicholson. You see it 
 all depended upon his condition of mind previ- 
 ously." 
 
 " Do you mean that to have a proper under- 
 standing of it I must have made a poor trade? " 
 he inquired. 
 
 " Yes, or lost a patient, or something. You 
 would need to feel somewhat depressed." 
 
 " Perhaps it is because misery loves company 
 that * The Duckling ' proved inspiriting in the 
 case of our host. It was a disappointed fowl, 
 probably," ventured Marshall. 
 
 Waiters were removing a first course, and sub- 
 stituting a second. 
 
 Carol tossed back a stray fluff of gold from her 
 forehead with her jeweled fingers, and appealed 
 to Mr. Nicholson : " Do you think there may be 
 danger of discussing its possibilities so long that 
 it will prove unattractive? " 
 
 " Yes, now that you mention it, I do. We will 
 let the discussion rest, if you please," he replied, 
 soberly. 
 
 At the same instant there was the click of an 
 electric bell, and an orchestra, which had been un- 
 noticed behind a voluminous screen, began a 
 quaint, catchy air. Carol with leisurely grace 
 arose in her place, and in her most charmingly 
 dramatic manner rendered from beginning to end,
 
 MR. NICHOLSON ENTERTAINS 157 
 
 in unison with the hidden instruments, the song 
 of " The Duckling." 
 
 Mrs. Morley gave a little gasp at the maneuver. 
 Was it a preconcerted plan? It must have been. 
 Presently she remembered having seen Carol and 
 Mr. Nicholson conversing together before they 
 came down to the dining room. 
 
 There was hardly time for an encore or re- 
 sponse, and Carol sat down amid the applause, 
 bowing sweetly to every one. 
 
 "Were you in the secret, Ruby?" asked Phil. 
 
 " Not I. But wasn't it cute? So like Carol." 
 
 " Then don't you give Mr. Nicholson any of the 
 credit? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, but she was the principal actor. She 
 always is, wherever she goes." 
 
 " Except when Miss Ruby alternates," he added 
 chivalrously. 
 
 " Thank you. That is so seldom, it's hardly 
 worth mentioning," she insisted. 
 
 A laugh from Mr. Winthrop attracted their at- 
 tention. 
 
 " Miss Tolmy has been telling a duckling story," 
 he said. 
 
 Other guests called for Miss Tolmy. 
 
 With a slight blush of embarrassment, which 
 added to her prettiness, Miss Tolmy recited a bit 
 of humorous verse, drawling out the final words in 
 Southern fashion, quite pleasing to all. 
 
 " So unlike Evelyn," said her mother to Mr.
 
 158 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Winthrop afterward. " I'm glad you encouraged 
 her." 
 
 " So am I," said Mr. Nicholson. " Won't you 
 say some more verses? " 
 
 " That was all of it," she answered with a 
 pleased expression, which deepened as Marshall 
 gave his approval of the reading in a well worded 
 compliment. 
 
 " Now, Ruby, it is your turn," said Phil. 
 
 Quite to the young lady's satisfaction, she re- 
 called a short story, tragic to the last line, but 
 ending in comedy. So she repeated it. Carol 
 clapped her hands gleefully, and Phil whispered 
 his thanks. 
 
 Eight elaborate courses over, the ladies as- 
 cended to Mrs. Merriman's parlor, while the gen- 
 tlemen opened their satin-covered boxes and puffed 
 away the contents as they talked of the war situa- 
 tion, the outlook for Los Angeles with Owens River 
 water brought in, nonpartisanship in politics and 
 other subjects of common interest. 
 
 Ruby sat at the piano playing an old melody 
 when Phil stepped up behind her, whistling a 
 snatch of it. 
 
 Meanwhile Marshall was saying to Carol : " I 
 am ready to answer your question about the girl, 
 the part she should assume." 
 
 Carol was attentive. 
 
 " Her aim should be to cultivate the beauty of 
 the flower and the butterfly, to acquire the essence
 
 MR. NICHOLSON ENTERTAINS 159 
 
 of music and art, and to possess the spirit of char- 
 ity." 
 
 " Would you have her neither domestic nor lit- 
 erary, a beauty, an artist, charitable, without a 
 knowledge of cookery? " she asked, pointedly. 
 
 " She could hardly be a thorough artist and 
 omit that, I think. Yes, I meant to include that, 
 and as to literature, of course, to be charitable, 
 she would need to be sympathetic and congenial. 
 An uneducated beauty could not be." 
 
 " Ah, I see. She will do very well in that case. 
 I hope you will soon find her." There were no 
 blushes to betray hidden thoughts, and Marshall 
 was well aware that Carol Wilton was not for him. 
 
 " This is more like old times," said Mr. Nichol- 
 son, joining Phil and Ruby. 
 
 " Ask Miss Tolmy to play, Patsy," she said, 
 rising. 
 
 Marshall, as the request was made, offered to 
 escort her to the piano. 
 
 To Mrs. Tolmy's sincere delight, she consented, 
 and her pink cheeks were a shade deeper when 
 Marshall remained by, watching her soft, flesh- 
 cushioned finger-tips as they executed a difficult 
 classic with precision and a commendable degree 
 of expression. As she stood, he thought of the 
 allusion made at the Morleys to the bluebell, and 
 decided that this young lady was a hybrid, a 
 very dainty commingling of the bluebell and for- 
 get-me-not.
 
 160 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 Carol watched the pair, dimpling now at Phil, 
 now at Mr. Nicholson, and by and by, when Miss 
 Tolmy had declined to play more, she began a 
 tra-la-la to a popular air, in which all the young 
 people joined, with Ruby again as accompanist. 
 
 Mr. Nicholson, with a look of sublime content- 
 ment, sat lounging in a roomy, leather chair, and 
 Miss Evelyn Tolmy seemed no part of his dreamy 
 vision, at least, he was not looking her way. 
 
 Ere long he brought in cards. 
 
 " Isn't it late to begin, half past nine? " ques- 
 tioned Mr. Morley. 
 
 " Not for me. I hope you will stay and play, 
 no money at stake, you see, just an old-fash- 
 ioned game of whist, or something." 
 
 With the tables came choice of partners. 
 
 " Look here, Ruby. I'm pretending I'm at 
 home to-night. I want you to help me out in 
 beating Carol and Mr. Tracy." 
 
 Ruby saw that Marshall had Miss Tolmy as his 
 partner. 
 
 " All right," she agreed. 
 
 For the first time since their coming to the city 
 she had opportunity to study Mr. Nicholson at 
 close range. Once, when he caught her observant 
 eyes, he turned to Miss Tolmy with some trifling 
 question to show that he had not forgotten his les- 
 son. Ruby played remarkably well, he considered, 
 and won his repeated praise. Carol and Phil 
 " dawdled," he declared.
 
 MR. NICHOLSON ENTERTAINS 161 
 
 " I don't believe you play cards much, at least 
 not whist," he said to Tracy, as this was the game 
 upon which they had decided. 
 
 " No," answered Phil, " I haven't played much 
 for some time." 
 
 "What do you play?" asked Mr. Nicholson, 
 " solitaire? " 
 
 " Yes, he plays solitaire all the time at the Mor- 
 leys'," replied Carol in his stead, with a meaning 
 glance at her auburn-haired opposite, which caused 
 Mr. Nicholson to blunder in matching a spade 
 with a heart. 
 
 The laugh grew until the four were in a tumult, 
 and Phil remarked that he was quite sure Mr. 
 Nicholson hadn't been playing solitaire lately. 
 
 " Well, anyhow, this is what I call jolly. It's 
 the best time I've had," and suddenly catching 
 his wits, " since I went with Miss Tolmy to 
 vaudeville yesterday, no, the day before." 
 
 Ruby looked up quickly. 
 
 " What was it so funny at vaudeville, Patsy ? 
 Do tell us," she urged. 
 
 " It's much too long a story to tell just now. 
 Let's reserve it for San Diego. By the way, when 
 do we start? " he asked, quietly. 
 
 " I haven't thought," acknowledged Carol. " I 
 don't like to think. It is so perfectly charming 
 right here in Los Angeles." 
 
 " You agree, Ruby ? " 
 
 " To be sure." But Ruby did not seem en-
 
 162 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 thusiastic. She wondered if Mrs. and Miss Tolmy 
 would go to San Diego ; but she did not like to 
 inquire. 
 
 Mr. Morley was setting back his chair and his 
 wife followed his example. 
 
 " We must go, or Aunt Lucinda will have the 
 fidgets over us," she asserted. 
 
 The ladies bade each other good-night in the 
 parlors, but Mr. Nicholson and Dr. Merriman saw 
 the Morley party to their car. As the former 
 assisted Ruby to enter, she said very sweetly: 
 " You've given us a lovely time, Patsy. Come up 
 and see us." 
 
 " Yes, I will," he consented. " And the dinner 
 doings, they were more yours than mine."
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 AN IMPORTANT CALL 
 
 " Some one to talk with you, Ruby," called 
 Carol from the telephone in the hall of the Morley 
 home. But, though she recognized the voice, she 
 did not say who. 
 
 Ruby laid aside her needlework and hastened 
 to answer, without question. 
 
 " Hello," she said, taking up the receiver. 
 
 " Oh, it is you, Patsy. How are you ? " 
 
 " Yes, it was Carol, and we are fine, all of us. 
 How is Miss Tolmy?" 
 
 "Haven't you? Well she is probably rest- 
 ing. I was a bit sleepy myself this morning." 
 
 " No, I'm not going out, at least, I don't care 
 about it " 
 
 " Ha, ha ; surely. Glad to see you." 
 
 " Oh, just whenever convenient any time ' 
 
 " All right. I'll expect you, then." 
 
 " Good-by, Patsy," and obeying a pressing 
 impulse: " Shall you bring Miss Tolmy along? " 
 
 "No? Why yes to be sure. Just 
 wanted to know, that was all. Well good-by 
 I'll be most happy, of course." 
 
 Not long after this conversation, Ruby seated 
 
 herself in the porch swing. She waited over an 
 163
 
 164. THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 hour, with a book in her lap, a late story of in- 
 terest to most story-lovers, and by an author of 
 world-wide repute, but daydreams had proved 
 much more fascinating to this particular young 
 lady. At her back were pillows, high-piled; a 
 Mexican scarf fell across her shoulders ; at her feet 
 was a Navajo blanket, and just beyond, an im- 
 mense bougainvillea, weighted with green foliage 
 and crimson bells with golden tongues, swayed 
 lazily in the soft breeze from the sea. 
 
 " How late he is," she concluded. " I wonder 
 if something has kept him, if he won't come, after 
 all. Though he would surely have 'phoned in that 
 case. Poor Patsy ! He really seemed afraid I 
 wouldn't care to see him without Miss Tolmy, 
 Miss Tolmy, indeed! Well " 
 
 A step on the pavement at some distance away 
 caused her to look quickly down the street. The 
 step had a significant sound, a familiar stamp, 
 and was followed by a vision of Mr. Nicholson's 
 well-groomed, agile figure, walking stick in hand. 
 She noticed that the stick was a new one with an 
 ivory handle, and so intimately were the Tolmys 
 associated of late with Mr. Nicholson in the mind 
 of Ruby, that she caught herself suggesting to 
 some one who seemed to be another self : " Possi- 
 bly it was a present from Mrs. Tolmy, or from 
 Evelyn." And the other self, the real self, 
 good-naturedly acquiesced in the suggestion, and 
 persistently kept it in mind after his arrival. She 
 had time to assure herself that Patsy wasn't so
 
 AN IMPORTANT CALL 165 
 
 bad, after all. It shouldn't be surprising if people 
 did wish to give him things. He was always giv- 
 ing to others : people he liked and people he didn't 
 even know, if they were in need, or he felt it might 
 make them happier. And that fine dinner at the 
 hotel " More hers than his," he had said, and 
 " Oh, he is good, good and kind. I wonder I 
 didn't appreciate it all in Denver ! " 
 
 Springing from her seat with this conclusion, 
 she went to meet him. 
 
 " Hello," she said, offering him her hand. 
 " Glad to see you, Patsy." 
 
 " Well, now that is something like," he said, tak- 
 ing the hand and holding it as he re-seated her in 
 the swing and himself beside her, when he gently 
 let it fall to her lap. 
 
 " AU alone? Where's the folks? " he asked. 
 
 " Gone to Universal City to see the moving pic- 
 ture plant." 
 
 " And didn't you care to go? " 
 
 " Not 'specially. I'll hear all about it when the 
 friends return, and then I can imagine what it is 
 like, and I shall have escaped the tired feeling 
 sight-seeing gives one." 
 
 " Very well. I came to see you, anyway, so it 
 doesn't matter much about the others." 
 
 " Why haven't you been to call before, Patsy ? " 
 
 " Don't you remember the agreement, child? I 
 was to give you a fair chance, and not to ' butt in,' 
 unless I was needed. I can't say that I have ob- 
 served any indication of being really needed, yet,
 
 166 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 but, we are making a long stay, almost a fort- 
 night already ; and I thought we ought to make up 
 our minds about leaving for San Diego. The 
 Merrimans would like to go early next week." 
 
 "And the Tolmys?" 
 
 " They talk of it." 
 
 " M-m-m-m-e. You find Miss Tolmy quite 
 congenial, don't you? " 
 
 "She is all right. Why?" 
 
 " Oh, I just wondered. Her mother looked as 
 if she thought you were about the whole thing last 
 night and say, Patsy, what a pretty new 
 walking stick. Where did you find it? " and, tak- 
 ing it from its resting place on a near-by window 
 ledge, she examined the carved ivory and came, 
 not wholly unexpectedly, upon some recent let- 
 tering: " J. B. N.," his monogram, and the date, 
 yesterday's. 
 
 " That? Oh, you don't care to know," tenta- 
 tively. 
 
 " Why, yes, I do, Patsy ; I'm interested in what- 
 ever interests you, don't you know? " 
 
 " Well, then, I bought it at a Japanese store. 
 Mrs. Tolmy and Miss Evelyn and I were looking 
 about, and they admired it." 
 
 " Oh, they." 
 
 " Nice people," he added, unwilling to concede 
 too much at the outset. 
 
 " Tell me about the vaudeville show. What 
 was so delightfully amusing there? " persisted 
 Ruby.
 
 AN IMPORTANT CALL 167 
 
 " Oh, I can tell you that in a minute ; usual 
 thing, comic songs, Persian wonder, athletes " 
 
 " But last evening you told me that it was a 
 long story to be reserved for San Diego. Was 
 it Evelyn you found so interesting, and is that 
 why it may be continued indefinitely ? " 
 
 Mr. Nicholson gazed into Ruby's eyes curiously 
 a moment, and then he answered : " Why, Ruby, 
 you don't mean to say you care whatever it 
 is?" 
 
 " Certainly, I do ! Haven't we been friends for 
 years and years ? " 
 
 " Yes I hope so." 
 
 "Don't you know it? " 
 
 " I've allowed myself to think so nearly al- 
 ways. And that you take a sisterly interest in 
 me, I can now believe. Well I'm grateful for 
 that." 
 
 Ruby had replaced the walking stick on the win- 
 dow ledge. Her cheeks were aflame, and to hide 
 her embarrassment she looked down at her rings 
 and toyed with them. 
 
 Mr. Nicholson urged, seriously : " Am I 
 right?" 
 
 " Y-es I'm interested in you as much as if 
 I were a sister," and lifting her eyes to his, with 
 a half smile: " Why shouldn't I be? " 
 
 " You have every right in the world to be inter- 
 ested in me in any way you please," he acknowl- 
 edged, " and as turn about is fair play, I will say 
 that I haven't lost my interest in you."
 
 168 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " So you will tell me whether you really like 
 Evelyn well enough to marry her ? " 
 
 " Do you wish me to marry her, Ruby ? Men 
 like to know that their sisters are pleased with 
 their choice, particularly of a wife." 
 
 For an instant Ruby was silent. Presently she 
 compelled herself to say : " I ought to be willing, 
 if you wish it. She is a nice girl, I believe and 
 I have no right to keep you from marrying the 
 girl you love." Her voice was a little tremulous, 
 and again she toyed with her rings. 
 
 " See here, Ruby, I want you to look at me," he 
 commanded gently, but firmly : " How is it about 
 Tracy? " 
 
 " He is devoted to Carol." 
 
 " And the other fellow? " 
 
 " 7 don't want him," was the decided answer. 
 
 " Do you want Tracy ? " 
 
 " No, indeed ! " Her hazel eyes were blazing. 
 " I want, oh, I can't say " 
 
 " Do you want me, dear? " he sacrificed, lifting 
 her unresisting hand. " Because if you do, 
 why, Ruby, honestly I have never felt that I 
 truly belonged to any one else." 
 
 " I do, Patsy, I'm sure I do," she confessed 
 with downcast eyes. " I've only lately found it 
 out. I have been very, very stupid " ; and looking 
 up quickly into his face. " You deserve to know 
 that I've been oh dreadfully jealous of you 
 ever since Miss Tolmy, Evelyn, came. I 
 haven't been able to think of anything else for
 
 AN IMPORTANT CALL 169 
 
 long, and I couldn't feel quite happy even here, 
 where every one is so kind, just through a horrid 
 fear that you would fall in love with Evelyn 
 and marry her. There ! Now I've told you, 
 and I'm glad it's over with. But wasn't I stupid, 
 Patsy, not to see all along? " 
 
 " That I cared most for you ? " 
 
 " That you are the nicest man in all the world, 
 except my father, and the only man I really 
 wanted for a husband." 
 
 " That pays me up in full, Ruby ! I felt that 
 you would do the right thing, whatever you did. 
 If you had decided in favor of the other fellow, I 
 couldn't have blamed you, but I'm mighty 
 glad you didn't, little girl." 
 
 " And would you have liked Evelyn best 
 if I had chosen some one else ? " 
 
 " Do you suppose I could have learned to like 
 Evelyn best in a week, when I have been loving 
 you for years ? I can't say that I might never 
 have found any one else to love, but I'm not easily 
 turned aside from anything, once it gets a hold 
 upon me. Can't you see? " His eyes held hers 
 with eager questioning. 
 
 "I didn't know," she faltered. 
 
 " But you are sure of it now, dear? " 
 
 " Yes quite sure " 
 
 " And I won't need to ask * papa ' for you, 
 Ruby," was a somewhat later declaration. " He 
 kindly informed me before I came away that he 
 would be pleased to have me for a son-in-law."
 
 170 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 "Did he really? And, oh, Patsy, I know 
 mama likes you tremendously well, and so do Dr. 
 and Mrs. Merriman and everybody." 
 
 Mr. Nicholson turned aside his head in mod- 
 est incredulity. 
 
 " It's true, Patsy, every bit." 
 
 Mr. Nicholson laughed, and, finding compli- 
 ments embarrassing, offered as a diversion : " I 
 heard Miss Tolmy say last evening that she con- 
 sidered Marshall the swellest fellow she had ever 
 met, and the two of them discovered that their 
 grandfathers were chums at Harvard." 
 
 " Marshall ! If only she could break through 
 his reserve. He has seemed to me afraid to as- 
 sume big responsibilities, deplores his lack of 
 means, and the extravagance of the times, es- 
 pecially of marriageable young ladies. A girl is 
 willing to wait for the man she loves, Patsy, and 
 to work, if need be, to help him on. She doesn't 
 expect a mansion to start with, if he can't afford 
 it, and she would rather have love than a mansion 
 any day, if she can't have both." 
 
 " That is like a sensible girl, I am sure. But 
 he may have had some rather bitter experiences 
 with those girls back in Boston." 
 
 " Possibly," she laughed. " But, do you know, 
 I don't think I would care for a great big house, 
 Patsy. And we'll have a dear little bungalow, 
 like some we have seen here, won't we? They are 
 so cozy and homelike." 
 
 " I've built a home for you over and over in
 
 AN IMPORTANT CALL 171 
 
 my mind hundreds of times, Ruby, nothing is 
 too good for you ; but I should like the bungalow 
 myself." 
 
 " Out somewhere near the City Park ? " 
 
 " Yes, anywhere you say." 
 
 " Oh, Patsy, you have made me so glad and 
 happy ! " 
 
 " And I, words fail - 
 
 " And I will write mama this very evening," said 
 Ruby by and by. 
 
 " And I will telegraph * papa.' " 
 
 " And we'll have a quiet, little home wedding, 
 won't we? " 
 
 " After we return from the trip? " 
 
 " Yes, as soon as I can have a trousseau made 
 up. And we'll invite the Morleys, and Carol, and 
 Phil, and Marshall, and Mrs. Tolmy and Evelyn, 
 and" 
 
 " There's the Morley car ! " 
 
 "Oh, Patsy, shall we tell?" 
 
 " If you care to." 
 
 " I do; I'm as proud as proud can be! " 
 
 Mr. Nicholson smiled, even blushed a trifle, 
 and wondered if Ruby were proud of him as a 
 fiance, or just because she was engaged to be mar- 
 ried. Girls were inexplicable anyway.
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 FURTHER SURPRISES 
 
 " How do you do, Mr. Nicholson ? Have you 
 and Ruby had a nice visit? " asked Mrs. Morley, 
 meeting them on the porch. 
 
 " Fine, thank you, Mrs. Morley, the best ever," 
 he answered. 
 
 Mrs. Morley gave him a questioning glance as 
 she replied : " We had hoped you would arrive 
 in time to go out to Universal City with us." 
 
 " A little matter of business detained me ; and 
 besides, I wanted to have a talk with Ruby," was 
 the significant response. 
 
 Mrs. Morley turned to the girl. Her cheeks 
 were fairly pink. 
 
 " Has he been telling you good news from 
 home? " she inquired. " You look so happy." 
 
 " Ruby and I have been making an engagement, 
 Mrs. Morley," Mr. Nicholson answered in Ruby's 
 stead. 
 
 " An engagement? " 
 
 " Yes to be married," he replied, soberly. 
 
 " An engagement to be married! " 
 the lady repeated in amazement. 
 
 " Yes. I've wanted her for a wife for a good 
 
 while," he appealed. 
 
 172
 
 FURTHER SURPRISES 173 
 
 " Oh, but that is grand ! " exclaimed Mrs. Mor- 
 ley. "I wish you joy, both of you, with all 
 my heart." 
 
 Carol and Phil rushed out from the hall op- 
 portunely, quite unsuspicious of the turn of 
 events. 
 
 " Carol Phil, what do you think has tran- 
 spired in our absence? " asked Mrs. Morley ex- 
 citedly. 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 " How ? " said the two at once. 
 
 " Why, right here. I don't know how. It's 
 Ruby and Mr. Nicholson. They've gone and got 
 engaged." 
 
 " You, Ruby? " cried Carol, and, penetrating 
 the gravity with her violet eyes dancing and a rush 
 of her body through the space between, she caught 
 the girl friend in her arms and kissed her. Then 
 turning to Mr. Nicholson, who was standing: 
 " Here's to you, my friend all my sincerest 
 congratulations," and grasping his hand : " I've 
 been hoping and hoping this would be for, oh, 
 ever so long ! " 
 
 Phil and Mrs. Morley followed with other hand- 
 shakes and hearty good wishes as Mrs. Dobbins 
 arrived from spending the day with Mrs. Graham. 
 Mr. Graham had brought her back in the electric 
 phaeton. 
 
 " Oh, auntie ! What do you suppose has come 
 about since you left us ? " said Carol, running to 
 assist the elderly woman up the steps. " We have
 
 174 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 an engagement on our hands. Do come, quick ! " 
 
 "Engagement? What fer? " she asked, step- 
 ping on the front gore of her gown in her haste to 
 comply. 
 
 " Ruby and Mr. Nicholson are going to be mar- 
 ried ! " 
 
 "Fer pity's sake! Yeou don't say so? Not 
 right this minute, be they? " 
 
 " Not till you've had a chance to give them your 
 blessing, auntie. At least, I think not." 
 
 " Wall, Ruby," said Mrs. Dobbins, when at last 
 she reached the young lady, " I'm glad yeou're en- 
 gaged tew an old acquaintunce. It's most yews'- 
 ally the safest plan " ; and to Mr. Nicholson, " I 
 guess mebbe yeou'll make Ruby a good man. 
 Yeou're old 'nough tew know what yeou aire a 
 doin', and not tew be led by any o' them silly rea- 
 sons some folks give fer gettin' married. I hope 
 yeou won't ever be sorry, either of yeou." She 
 also shook hands with the pair while Phil and 
 Carol were looking into each other's eyes, and Phil 
 propounded a mute query to which Carol replied 
 with a nod. 
 
 " What would you say to another engagement, 
 auntie ? " he asked aloud. 
 
 " What, yeou and Carol? " and she pointed 
 her forefinger in their direction. 
 
 " Yes, we might as well own up," he acknowl- 
 edged. "Won't you congratulate us?" 
 
 Mrs. Morley took out her pocket-handkerchief 
 and began to wipe her eyes, then, recovering her-
 
 FURTHER SURPRISES 175 
 
 self, she said : " Oh, you children Well 
 this is " 
 
 "A dispensation of Providence?" suggested 
 Phil. 
 
 " ' He works in wondrous ways,' myste'rous 
 ways, ' His wonders tew perform,' as the hymn- 
 writer says," declared Aunt Lucinda. 
 
 " What's the matter, what you crying about, 
 Ida? " demanded Mr. Morley, joining the group. 
 
 " Oh, Charles Henry, we're just crying for 
 joy, I do believe! These young people here have 
 been getting engaged, all four of them ! " 
 
 " Hurrah ! That is good news, sure enough ! 
 Say, Phil Carol, and you over there, Mr. 
 Nicholson, I hadn't expected you would steal one 
 of our girls while we were away, but I'm sure 
 it's just completely all right. Shake, all of you, 
 and be happy ever after ! " To each he gave his 
 hand and special good wishes. 
 
 " Where's Marshall ? " asked Mrs. Morley, 
 abruptly. 
 
 " Can't prove it by me," said her husband. 
 " He started back on the trolley before we were 
 ready to come ; but I supposed we should find him 
 here." 
 
 " I heard Miss Tolmy say he intended calling 
 there this afternoon," volunteered Mr. Nicholson. 
 
 " Oh, did you, really ? " asked Ruby, " and, 
 my, I was just feeling a little bit sorry for him, 
 thinking he might feel lonesome up here, don't you 
 know? I think I'll reserve my pity."
 
 176 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Well," said Mr. Morley, shaking his head 
 slowly, " if you had only been up here oftener, 
 we might have guessed, Mr. Nicholson." 
 
 " Let's 'phone Marshall to bring Miss Tolmy 
 up to dinner. You'll stay, won't you, Mr. Nichol- 
 son? " begged Mrs. Morley. 
 
 " Yes and thank you." 
 
 " Ruby, I shall believe you are a gay deceiver, 
 I am afraid ; but I couldn't have planned it better, 
 if I had tried," continued the hostess. 
 
 " You can't most always sometimes tell," added 
 Mr. Morley, and Aunt Lucinda contributed: 
 " Looks is turrible deceivin' when yeou ain't a 
 lookin' fer 'em tew be. But I wa'n't noways de- 
 ceived abeout yeou tew," she averred, nodding at 
 Carol and Phil. 
 
 " Why, auntie, weren't we behavin' ? " asked 
 Carol, mischievously. 
 
 " Behavin'? Wall, I'm an old woman, an' I've 
 seen lots o' billin' and cooin' in my time." 
 
 " Ha, ha," laughed Phil, while Carol's eyes 
 sparkled like jewels in the sunlight. 
 
 " And nobody's kissed me," she said with a 
 mimic pout. 
 
 " You dear " said Mrs. Morley, drawing the 
 girl close. 
 
 " And now it's your turn, auntie," said Carol. 
 
 " Land sakes, I e'en a'most fergot ! There ! " 
 and a genuine smack resounded from the withered 
 lips, a manifestation of kindly feeling which Carol 
 thoroughly appreciated, though she laughed mer-
 
 FURTHER SURPRISES 177 
 
 rily over the subsequent display of anxiety, when 
 Aunt Lucinda said to them all : "I hope yeour 
 pa's and ma's won't fret." 
 
 In the meantime, Marshall had arrived, but evi- 
 denced little surprise at the news. He agreed to 
 return for Miss Tolmy, provided she would con- 
 sent to come. First, he inquired by 'phone, and 
 an affirmative reply took him once more to her 
 hotel. 
 
 After dinner, the friends assembled in the liv- 
 ing room and stood in little groups, chatting, 
 familiarly. Marshall and Miss Tolmy were near 
 Aunt Lucinda, who, with much animation, related 
 for their benefit her experience on arriving from 
 Mrs. Graham's. 
 
 " Greatly shocked, were you ? " asked Marshall. 
 
 " Wall, no, kinder supprised, that's all, though 
 I'd be'n a suspicionin' Carol an' Phil; an' it 
 seemed nat'ral that Ruby sh'u'd take up with an' 
 old acquaintunce o' her'n." 
 
 " What would you have thought of a third an- 
 nouncement? " was another query, of Marshall. 
 
 " Ours? " asked Miss Tolmy, smiling at the 
 previous questioner. 
 
 Aunt Lucinda lifted her hands in dismay. 
 
 " What's that? " exclaimed Phil, overhearing. 
 
 " Really? " " No " said Mrs. Morley and 
 Carol at the same instant, the latter protesting 
 involuntarily. 
 
 " Do explain," begged Mr. Nicholson. 
 
 By this time everyone was listening, and Mar-
 
 178 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 shall bravely proceeded to satisfy the curiosity 
 aroused. 
 
 " In the first place," he began : " I've had sev- 
 eral talks with Mrs. Tolmy and Miss Evelyn, and 
 we find that we have mutual acquaintances in Bos- 
 ton, and at Bar Harbor, a resort I have fre- 
 quented with my people in midsummers, where 
 I have frequently, also, heard of the Tolmys, 
 though we were not so fortunate as to meet. Be- 
 sides, I have learned from them what I had not 
 known before, that my Grandfather Marshall 
 would probably have married a great-aunt of Miss 
 Evelyn, had not the death of the lady occurred by 
 accident after she had become his fiancee. The 
 engagement came about during a vacation he spent 
 with the family, by invitation of Miss Evelyn's 
 grandfather. So we came very near being cousins. 
 Secondly, a certain young lady, not far distant," 
 here he glanced amicably at Carol, " has menaced 
 me with sordid details of a crabbed, morose, 
 notional, critical, cynical old bachelorhood " 
 
 " All of that? " asked Carol, to the amusement 
 of everyone, and then : " Oh, I beg your pardon ! 
 I didn't intend to interrupt." 
 
 " Granted," he conceded ; " and to resume : I 
 was advised to marry early, thereby escaping these 
 manifold ills and acquiring happiness. Conse- 
 quently, on the way up from the hotel this evening, 
 in the company of Miss Evelyn, I informed her of 
 the double engagement, and suggested that it 
 might be commendable in us, to follow suit. She
 
 FURTHER SURPRISES 179 
 
 offered some seemingly plausible reasons in refu- 
 tation of my argument, but was finally persuaded 
 to acknowledge that in our case they hadn't much 
 weight." 
 
 " But we are not going to rush into matrimony," 
 declared Miss Tolmy, coloring prettily and 
 drawling the words a little, in Southern fashion, 
 as he, hesitating, looked toward her expectantly. 
 
 " It's to be a sort of trial engagement I be- 
 lieve," he added ; " but I shall not be at fault if it 
 isn't made permanent and soon." 
 
 " Ain't yeou afeerd yeou'll be disapp'inted, 
 when yeou find eout each other's failin's? Ev'ry- 
 buddy has 'em," said Aunt Lucinda dolefully. 
 
 " Yes, and we imagine ours are no worse, Mrs. 
 Dobbins," answered Marshall, complacently ; 
 " and we hope to exercise charity." 
 
 " Wall, I never see nuthin' like this, an' I've 
 lived tew be a'most eighty," she groaned. 
 
 " / can't somehow realize it, everything has 
 been so precipitate," said Mrs. Morley ; " but, of 
 course, you are all in earnest." 
 
 We were never more so," answered Marshall, 
 soberly. 
 
 " Good for you, Marshall ! " cried Carol. " I'm 
 as glad as glad can be," and approaching Miss 
 Tolmy, she gave her a belated kiss and wishes of 
 a happy ending to the affair; while Phil, taking 
 Marshall's hand, gave him a long, long look, which 
 eventually banished doubt in the matter, and made 
 it appear altogether right between them.
 
 180 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Mama knows I've been partial to Marshall all 
 the while," said Evelyn to the ladies who gathered 
 around after Marshall had led her to a seat; and 
 to Ruby, " Mr. Nicholson could only talk of you. 
 I have never seen a man so much in love with any- 
 one before." 
 
 " Until you met Marshall ? " asked Mrs. Morley. 
 
 " Oh, I haven't known him long enough to tell," 
 she laughed ; " but we will take plenty of time to 
 get acquainted." 
 
 " That is right," replied Mrs. Morley. 
 
 " We have an old daguerreotype at home of 
 Marshall's grandfather," she continued, brightly. 
 " I almost knew him from that, right away." 
 
 " I've heard my father say that he both looks 
 and acts like his grandfather," said Phil. " And 
 if your great-aunt could trust the grandfather, 
 why not the grandniece the great-grandson ? " 
 
 " So I think," she responded. 
 
 " Good luck to you, anyway, Evelyn, if I may 
 be so informal." 
 
 " Surely ! Marshall says you are like a 
 brother." 
 
 " Isn't she sweet ? " whispered Carol to their 
 hostess. 
 
 " She has her inspiration, to-night," was the 
 reply. 
 
 A solemnity had fallen upon the group, which 
 later music failed to dispel. It was as if a strong, 
 resistless current had caught up these young lives
 
 FURTHER SURPRISES 181 
 
 to bear them onward, either to destructive rocks 
 or shoals, or to an open sea, clear, majestic and 
 full of beauty. The mystery of untried ways im- 
 pressed them.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 LITTLE JOURNEYS 
 
 Womanlike, particularly motherlike, Mrs. 
 Tolmy felt a drawing of the heart strings upon 
 hearing of her daughter's decision to become en- 
 gaged. She was an only child, and had been most 
 carefully guarded. Besides, since her father's 
 death she had been an almost inseparable com- 
 panion. But with a tolerant spirit, the more 
 easily held because of her implicit faith in the 
 character of Hubert Marshall, she wept in silence 
 and in secret, while openly commending the 
 daughter's judgment, yet without urging or desir- 
 ing anything like haste in the matter. 
 
 " You ought to be able to learn each other's 
 ways, and to make up your minds about marrying, 
 by next fall, Evelyn," she said ; " I wouldn't think 
 of having a wedding before that." 
 
 " Nor I, and Marshall wouldn't, mama," replied 
 Evelyn, " but I feel just as sure as can be that it 
 will come off. It's a feeling I've never had before, 
 like intuition, or what is it, mama? Do you 
 know? " 
 
 " Bless you, child, you know as well as I, a 
 182
 
 LITTLE JOURNEYS 183 
 
 selection of the fittest, I suppose; a soul-mate, 
 some say, that one knows at first sight. But I 
 wouldn't place too much stress on it." 
 
 Dr. Merriman caught himself smiling many 
 times after the engagements were reported to him 
 by his wife; and she, good woman, spent much of 
 her time sympathizing with Mrs. Tolmy and pet- 
 ting Evelyn. 
 
 " I suppose you'll expect to live in Boston, if 
 you marry," she remarked to the latter. " They 
 say Marshall thinks it's the only place there is." 
 
 " He told me he would go wherever I wished, 
 and thought he could work up a practice most any 
 place," said Evelyn. " Of course, I shall not wish 
 to be far from mama, and we like Washington, or 
 Baltimore. I feel sure that Marshall will come 
 into prominence in his profession, and some day 
 he may be a judge of the Supreme Court. He's 
 so distinguished looking. Don't you think he is, 
 Mrs. Merriman?" 
 
 " I do, and I shouldn't be a bit surprised to find 
 him a Supreme Court judge. He's smart, and 
 blood will tell." 
 
 " Yes, that is a great consolation," assented 
 Mrs. Tolmy. " We know he is of a fine family." 
 
 " It isn't as if Evelyn had fallen in love with 
 some titled foreigner, who would, as likely as not, 
 make a rake of a husband," said Mrs. Merriman, 
 tritely. 
 
 " No, indeed I'm glad she has chosen an Ameri- 
 can, like ourselves ; and most girls marry at some
 
 184 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 time in their lives. We did," she laughed, " and 
 we didn't do so badly." 
 
 At the Morleys', late at night and early next 
 morning, these momentous affairs were discussed 
 and re-discussed, up stairs and down stairs, and 
 even in Stephen's quarters, for in some unaccount- 
 able way, the news had leaked into the kitchen. 
 For a brief period, there was a constant whirl of 
 excitement. 
 
 " I suppose you young people haven't forgot- 
 ten that we are to take an excursion to Riverside 
 to-day," said Mrs. Morley, at length, " and you 
 must see Redlands, and Smiley Heights ; and after 
 that, Mt. Lowe, and Catalina " 
 
 " And only three or four days to do them in," 
 said Phil, " for it has been decided that we go to 
 San Diego early next week." 
 
 " Oh, dear," sighed Mrs. Morley, " why can't 
 you stay right along; just settle here? You can't 
 find a better place." 
 
 " That is easy to believe," said Carol. 
 
 " We'll come back and take you and Charles 
 with us to the Panama Pacific Exposition," of- 
 fered Phil, cheerfully. 
 
 "Oh, wouldn't that be lovely, if they'll go," 
 said Carol. 
 
 " Ida can go as well as not, if I can't," Mr. 
 Morley answered. 
 
 " Oh, I shall wait until you can go too, 
 Charles," she declared : " I couldn't be happy up
 
 LITTLE JOURNEYS 185 
 
 there looking at all those beautiful sights and 
 thinking of you working away alone at home." 
 
 " There is wifely sympathy illustrated for us," 
 said Marshall. 
 
 " And the unselfish husband exemplified, too," 
 submitted Phil. 
 
 " I shall always think of you, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Morley, as a model couple," exclaimed Ruby. 
 
 " We've been ' keeping the best foot forward,' 
 since you came," said Mr. Morley without a sem- 
 blance of a smile, and his wife added: 
 
 " ' There's more truth than poetry ' in that. 
 You should have seen us dressing it up before you 
 came." And laughing aloud, she questioned : " I 
 wonder what they would have thought if they 
 had seen me among the paint pots and samples of 
 wall paper? " 
 
 "Ha, ha," laughed Phil in turn. "Did you 
 go to all that trouble for us ? " 
 
 " Not exactly ; but you stirred up our ambition, 
 don't you know," she replied. " As to being 
 models, we make no pretentions, though it's nice 
 of you to say so, Ruby." 
 
 A little later, Stephen with the car was waiting 
 under the porte-cochere. 
 
 " Them young folks have 'livened things up 
 equal to a circus, with the parades and side shows 
 thrown in," he told himself. " 'T will seem lone- 
 some like, when they're gone. And to think they 
 come a beggin' or pretendin' to," he chuckled,
 
 186 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 giving his head, meanwhile, an affirmative shake. 
 "The old lady, she's jolly, too, in a way, but, 
 Gimminy Christmas ! how she hates this gasoline 
 wagon." At this point, Stephen rubbed his knee 
 with his gloved hand, as if it might help him to 
 realize a wish that the party would appear. 
 
 Presently, out they came, Mr. and Mrs. Mor- 
 ley, Carol, Ruby, Phil and Mr. Nicholson, with 
 grips and wraps for a trip across country. The 
 Denver people at the hotel, the Tolmys and their 
 maid, Marshall and Mrs. Dobbins were to meet 
 them that evening at Riverside, the hotel con- 
 tingent and others named going by rail. 
 
 " It's suthin' of an undertakin' fer me," said 
 the old lady to Mrs. Merriman, " but they dew say 
 it's wuth the trouble of goin'. It wouldn't be 
 wuth it tew me, ef I hed tew ride in that 'ere 
 machine of Charles's." 
 
 " No? Well, one does have to get used to 
 them." 
 
 " I c'u'd as soon get yewsed tew a cyclone, 
 seems tew me. They aire a good deal like 'em, in 
 some respecks : a whizzin' an' whirrin' an' tearin' 
 along, fillin' the air with dust, an' ez likely ez not 
 upsettin' things that come in their way. I'm 
 thanful yeou aire willin' tew take me with yeou." 
 
 At six P. M., those who went by rail were at the 
 famous Mission Inn. They had removed their 
 wraps and were awaiting the arrival of the Morley 
 car.
 
 LITTLE JOURNEYS 187 
 
 '* It's strange they aren't in," said Dr. Merri- 
 man, who for the third or fourth time had traversed 
 the piazzas, looking for the absent party. 
 
 " They are probably all right, somewhere," 
 said his wife. " You know you've told me a thou- 
 sand times that it doesn't do anyone any good to 
 worry." 
 
 " That's a fact. It does harm; but they should 
 have been here an hour ago, and we're all hungry, 
 at least I am." 
 
 " Very likely they have taken some side trip 
 to see some unusual thing, a model ranch, perhaps. 
 The country is perfectly wonderful! But don't 
 for anything scare old Mrs. Dobbins. She's mor- 
 tally afraid of an automobile, anyway." 
 
 The old lady sat at one end of a large sun par- 
 lor and was conversing with Mrs. Tolmy. 
 
 Quarter past six half past quarter of 
 seven and still the Morley party were ab- 
 sent. 
 
 " You'd better take the rest of the women folks 
 here, and go in to dinner," suggested the doctor 
 to his wife. " Possibly Marshall will go with you. 
 I'll watch out awhile longer, though probably they 
 wouldn't expect anyone to, and would rather we 
 would all eat." 
 
 " I think so," she replied ; and turning to Mar- 
 shall, who was also on the watch, she asked his 
 opinion. 
 
 " I'm not anticipating trouble," he said, " that 
 is, anything serious. Some trivial accident may
 
 188 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 have caused delay for repairs. I'll take you ladies 
 in to dinner, if you wish." 
 
 But the two failed to induce Mrs. Tolmy, 
 Evelyn or Aunt Lucinda to go to the dining room. 
 
 " We would feel better to wait and dine to- 
 gether when they shall have come," said Mrs. 
 Tolmy. 
 
 " I haven't much appetite, I ate so heartily at 
 lunch time," said Evelyn. 
 
 " I thought you were imitating a bird," said 
 Marshall. " How do you subsist on so little? " 
 
 " You couldn't have been very observing," she 
 laughed. " Do I look like a fairy, Mrs. Merri- 
 man?" 
 
 " I should call you quite a substantial young 
 lady ; but I've known people to thrive on very 
 little, sometimes that is a small amount of 
 victuals where there's a mental or heart stimu- 
 lus," she said, smiling at Marshall. 
 
 " Ah, Mrs. Merriman, I'm glad to hear you say 
 that," he returned. " I'll remember it, not to save 
 victuals, but worry," he admitted. 
 
 Aunt Lucinda was strangely silent. 
 
 "Aren't you hungry, auntie?" asked Mrs. 
 Merriman, who had readily adopted the familiar 
 title. 
 
 " No, I never feel like eatin' when mebbe there's 
 trouble fer some o' my folks," she answered, 
 grimly. " We don't none of us know what's hap- 
 pened. Mebbe they're all a lyin' stark dead by the 
 roadside, this minute. I can't help a thinkin'
 
 LITTLE JOURNEYS 189 
 
 that mebbe they wuz all tew happy last night, tew 
 hev it last." 
 
 " I think not," said Mrs. Merriman. " We 
 ought to be happy, when it's possible." 
 
 " Well, I'm glad we are here," said Evelyn. 
 " We know ice are safe." 
 
 " I dun'no' abeout that child," objected Aunt 
 Lucinda. " We ken never tell what may happen 
 tew any of us. There might be an earthquake, or 
 a simoon, 'r a tidal wave, 'r suthin' tew destroy us 
 right here. We're all sinful creetur's." 
 
 "Oh!" exclaimed Evelyn, with a joyous, little 
 start: "Look there!" 
 
 Directly there appeared, at the entrance of the 
 sun parlor, a radiant face overtopped by fluffy, 
 golden hair ; and a sweetly musical voice rang out 
 with the words : " Here I am, auntie and Evelyn 
 and all, and the rest are coming. Did you 
 worry about us? The doctor thought so. I'm 
 awfully sorry. We stopped back aways to see a 
 really and truly aeroplane, right where we could 
 examine it closely, and we saw it start off and 
 go sailing oh ever so high ! It was grand ! 
 I wanted to go up in it, but the folks wouldn't let 
 me." 
 
 Mrs. Dobbins had jumped up at sight of Carol 
 as if she had seen an apparition, and as the girl 
 drew nearer, she reached out her bony hands, let- 
 ting them fall on Carol's shoulders, as she asserted 
 solemnly, " Ef yeou hed a be'n killed, child, I'd 
 a'most, I don't say quite, but a'most, lost my
 
 190 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 faith in Proverdunce. 'T w'u'd 'a' g'in it a tur- 
 rible shock ! " 
 
 " Oh, I'm quite alive, auntie, thank you, and 
 ravenously hungry," declared Carol, patting the 
 old lady's cheek, dimples deepening as she smiled. 
 
 A little later, walking with her to the dining 
 room, she drew the lady's hand within her arm and 
 said low : " Whatever happens don't worry 
 auntie, especially about me. I'm young and not 
 very wise, perhaps, but it looks to me, this way : 
 God couldn't have made us free, in every right 
 sense of the word, and then have shut us up in a 
 safety-deposit vault. Now, could he ? And 
 suppose, auntie, your son, Jimmie, should play a 
 game of foot-ball and get his nose mashed, or his 
 elbow dislocated by the means, then some one 
 should come to you and say he thought 'twas cruel 
 and negligent in Jimmie's wife not to have pre- 
 vented him in the first place, when she might have 
 done so. You would feel like saying that Jimmie 
 wasn't tied to his wife's apron strings. Wouldn't 
 you? And that Jimmie's wife wouldn't want him 
 to be." 
 
 " Wall, mebbe mebbe I would. I should 
 think Jimmie wuz drefful foolish ef he got intew 
 sech a scrape with sech a big fam'ly dependunt on 
 him. But I wouldn't want nobuddy tew say my 
 Jimmie wuz henpecked." 
 
 " No, indeed you wouldn't ! And Jimmie 
 wouldn't endanger his life without some good rea- 
 son; nor would I."
 
 LITTLE JOURNEYS 191 
 
 " Wall," quoted Aunt Lucinda, " A little child 
 shell lead 'em,' an' I guess mebbe yeou're a leadin' 
 an' I'm willin'," she murmured. " Things look 
 sorter skewin' to old folks, sometimes, I guess, 
 mebbe." 
 
 Leaving the dining room, the party stopped in 
 the lobby to consider some plan for spending the 
 evening " pleasantly and profitably," as Dr. Mer- 
 riman put it. Someone volunteered the informa- 
 tion that an organ recital in the chapel was " on," 
 and someone else, that an amateur minstrel per- 
 formance would be held at a certain music hall 
 for the benefit of some philanthropic organiza- 
 tion. 
 
 " I believe that would suit us," said the doctor. 
 " What do you think, good people ? And will 
 you go with the rest, Mrs. Dobbins ? " 
 
 " Ef Carol goes, I'm a goin'," she assented. " I 
 guess mebbe ef it's tew be home talunt, an' fer 
 charity, it ain't nuthin' very bad." 
 
 All decided to attend the minstrel show, and 
 found it quite amusing. Mrs. Dobbins was as gay 
 as a short time before she had been depressed, and 
 laughed until tears filled her eyes over a touching 
 little " coon song " sung by a tot of six or seven, 
 blackened to the depths of charcoal, barefooted 
 and clothed in a curtailed garment of white cheese- 
 cloth. 
 
 " Real funny, ain't it, auntie? " whispered Phil, 
 in her ear. 
 
 " Humph ! It's redikerlus ; but I can't help 
 laughin'," she answered.
 
 192 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " That is an indication that you are happy and 
 thankful," he observed. 
 
 "I be an' I hope it'll last a spell," she con- 
 fessed. 
 
 Another day, a shift of scenes, and the party, 
 having left the shaded drives and splendid views 
 of Riverside, were winding their way up the noted 
 Smiley Heights, at Redlands. It was a hillside 
 garden, a magnificent private park, an earthly 
 paradise : banks of flowers in variety, overshadow- 
 ing trees, sunlight filtering through to earth, mak- 
 ing rainbows in dewdrops and fountain-sprays ; 
 and below, an expanse of splendid ranch lands, 
 stretching out, green and golden, in waves of 
 grass, blossom-sprinkled; in twining vines, and 
 fruit-laden trees, to the grand chain of the 
 Sierras. It was a joy to breathe, a joy to see, 
 a joy to feel! Carol expressed the joy in words, 
 when she said : " A bevy of angels would make it 
 a manifestation of Heaven ! " 
 
 " Yeou'll dew fer one of 'em, I guess," said Mrs. 
 Dobbins, who had begged to be allowed to ride 
 with her favorite. 
 
 " If she only had some wings, now," said Phil. 
 
 " The sperit of human kindness will dew jest 
 as well, I guess, mebbe," was the reply. 
 
 A day of rain followed; beautiful, softly pour- 
 ing rain, which the ranchers welcomed ; and towns- 
 people were apparently little inconvenienced by it.
 
 LITTLE JOURNEYS 193 
 
 " The first, for us," said Marshall, " and we like 
 to see all sorts while we are here." 
 
 Again, sunshine, and Catalina Island, with its 
 extended beach, its stretches of blue sea, beyond, 
 its mountains, hotels and cottages, and its wonder- 
 ful glass-bottomed boats, in which the party sur- 
 veyed the exquisite marine gardens alongshore. 
 
 Afterward, came a visit to Mt. Lowe, with its 
 steep " incline," its dizzy line of railway over 
 chasms and up ascending grades, revealing yet 
 more of the splendors of valley and hillside. 
 
 Then, Mt. Wilson, the lofty, with its long, sin- 
 uous trail, red cheeks and " jollification." 
 
 " Picking oranges and orange blossoms from 
 green trees this morning, and snowballing this 
 afternoon, all within a radius of a few miles ! " ex- 
 claimed Phil. " That's going some ! " 
 
 " It beats me ! In fact, I've nothing more to 
 say," replied Marshall. 
 
 " Not if I should hit you squarely on the nose 
 with this ? " asked Evelyn, playfully holding up a 
 formidable looking ball, her face aglow, and her 
 blue eyes scintillant. 
 
 Marshall retaliated by catching girl and ball, 
 and with the latter, rubbing, not too strenuously, 
 the girl's already rosy cheeks. 
 
 Carol remarked slyly to Ruby : " The blue- 
 bell has become a rose ! Do look ! Isn't she 
 cute? " 
 
 " I wouldn't have believed she could be so full 
 of fun," answered Ruby, pressing snow in her two
 
 194 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 hands which she intended for Mr. Morley, who had 
 shown himself a belligerent. 
 
 " Ah, there ! Look out, Ruby ! There's an- 
 other ball coming," shouted Phil. 
 
 Ruby dodged quickly, and, stumbling over an un- 
 noticed obstacle in the path, fell into a snow bank. 
 Phil and Mr. Morley rushed to the rescue ; but 
 Ruby, unhurt, had picked herself up in an instant, 
 and having clung to her ball with one hand, tossed 
 it at close range, knocking Phil's hat askew. 
 
 " That's what I call plucky," said Mr. Morley. 
 " I haven't had so much sport in a dog's age." 
 
 " Nor I," said Phil, replacing his hat. 
 
 At this juncture, Mrs. Morley and Mr. Nichol- 
 son appeared, and the lady announced : " Tea 
 is ready in our shanty."
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 GOOD-BY 
 
 " Off for San Diego ! " Phil's voice reached 
 the delinquent young ladies, giving last touches 
 to their traveling garb, in the room above stairs, 
 which, for a fortnight, quickly passed, had held 
 the many little appurtenances of their wardrobe ; 
 kept secretly within its four walls the confidences 
 they had there whispered to each other, and had 
 been a place of seclusion for tumultuous thoughts, 
 both grave and gay. 
 
 Carol, keenly alive to the sentiment of things, 
 exclaimed : " Wherever we go, there will never 
 be a dearer place for us, than this. Why, Ruby, 
 I feel as if we had made friends with the furni- 
 ture; and I would like to shake hands with every 
 piece, and say fare-you-well to the doorknob ! " 
 
 " I suppose But do let's hurry ! I believe 
 they are leaving us down below." 
 
 " Here goes," obeyed Carol and tossed a kiss 
 from her fingers, indiscriminately, as she said: 
 " Good-by, dear, dear room ! " 
 
 Phil met her at the top of the stairway. 
 
 " Hello," she said, surprised. 
 
 " That room! If it had ears, I should be jeal- 
 ous," he laughed. " Anything for me to carry 
 
 down?" 
 
 195
 
 196 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 " Yes, these umbrellas, please, and say, 
 Phil, would you mind carrying me ? " 
 
 At the instant, she turned and, fleeing along the 
 corridor, escaped her pursuer by a hand's breadth, 
 as she ran, half leaped down the back stairs and 
 out into the kitchen, where the cook, bread-knife 
 in hand, gaped at the scurrying pair. 
 
 " Here we are, and good-by," gasped Carol. 
 
 " My ! But you give me the scare. And it's 
 sorry I be that you're goin'," she said. 
 
 Phil offered her his disengaged hand for a part- 
 ing shake. " I hope you will pardon the fright," 
 he said : " We "were rather unceremonious," and 
 he slipped a bill into her palm, " to keep for luck." 
 
 Carol opened her Japanese bag and took out 
 some trinkets which she and Ruby had purchased 
 for the cook and second maid. 
 
 In the upper hall, Mrs. Dobbins was saying ex- 
 citedly, to Ruby : " Did yeou hear that turrible 
 noise jest neow, like suthin' tumblin'? Dew yeou 
 s'pose somebuddy's hurt ? Carol, mebbe ? " 
 
 " I think not, Mrs. Dobbins. It was Carol and 
 Phil having a race." 
 
 " Wall, I never ! I sh'u'd think they'd be tired 
 'nough tew set deown and rest a spell, after bein' 
 up pritty much all night with comp'ny. I never 
 could see no yewse in tuckerin' yeourself all eout 
 jest ez yeour goin' tew start on a journey." 
 
 " Ho ho ha ha ha," from below. 
 
 " There they be neow ! Such goin's on ! " said 
 Mrs. Dobbins, softly.
 
 GOOD-BY 197 
 
 " Want your veil tied, auntie ? " called Carol, 
 presently, catching a glimpse of the old lady as she 
 peered down over the balustrade. 
 
 In the same moment, she was at the top of the 
 stairs to assist. 
 
 " Why, yes, yeou might pin it to the back of 
 my bunnit, ef yeou want tew," was the meek reply. 
 
 " Do you think I'm a terror, again, auntie ? 
 I'm so happy I feel like dancing a jig, right now. 
 Will you dance with me? Do just once 
 please do," and catching the elder woman firmly 
 by the waist, she swung her around, once, twice, 
 thrice, as she hummed a merry air to keep time. 
 
 " Wall, yeou beat me ! Is that what yeou call 
 waltzin'? " she asked, as her feet rested again on 
 the floor. 
 
 " Yes, auntie, and isn't it jolly? Want to waltz 
 some more? " 
 
 " I guess mebbe that'll dew fer this time. We 
 don't want tew be late fer the train ; and don't 
 yeou, raelly now, think it's kinder f riverlous ? " 
 
 " I would call it being frivolous to spend most 
 of my time that way, just as I would to spend most 
 of it eating bread and honey, or playing cards, 
 or golf, or going to shows, or on my knees pray- 
 ing, or at church, ' temperance in all things,' 
 you know. But once in awhile, auntie, just 
 once in awhile, there's positively nothing else 
 which can express my mood like dancing." Carol 
 proceeded to fasten the gloves on the worn hands, 
 as she continued, soberly : " Do you suppose,
 
 198 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 auntie, that Heaven can ever be anywhere, except 
 within ourselves ? " 
 
 " Why, yes ; the Bible tells abeout the New 
 Jerus'lum and the many mansions. It must be 
 some sort of a place, it 'pears tew me." 
 
 " Of which Los Angeles, with its beautiful 
 homes, is typical? " 
 
 " I sh'u'd say they ain't nuthin' on earth that 
 ken be compared tew it." 
 
 " Sometimes, you know, people are awfully un- 
 happy in the very most beautiful places in all the 
 world. Don't you believe happiness, even in 
 Heaven, must depend on the way we feel? " 
 
 The gloves were fastened, and Carol laid the 
 camel's-hair shawl across her arm as she spoke. 
 
 " I dun'no', child ' Ask me suthin' easy ' as 
 my Lishy w'u'd say. But ef I ever get intew 
 one o' them he'v'nly mansions, I shell expect tew 
 be happy. Anybuddy who can't be, won't be- 
 long." 
 
 " That's logic, good, sound logic, I think, 
 auntie," concluded Carol, supporting her com- 
 panion down the stairway. " I wish you were 
 going with us, to San Diego; but you'll promise 
 to come and visit me, sometime, won't you, auntie? 
 Will you come to my wedding? " she whispered. 
 
 " I'd love tew, but I don't s'pose I ken. Yeou 
 must bring Phil tew see me, afterwa'ds." 
 
 " All ready ? Time to start," called Mr. Mor- 
 ley from the doorway leading to the porte-cochere. 
 
 A short drive, and a few steps brought the party
 
 GOOD-BY 199 
 
 to the long platform of the station, where the ladies 
 gave each other parting injunctions and renewed 
 their declarations of the happy, happy time spent 
 in Los Angeles. The gentlemen were attending 
 to baggage and checks. 
 
 Dr. Merriman was smiling and brisk, the dys- 
 peptic patient was likewise smiling, and almost 
 brisk. Mr. Nicholson, ever thoughtful of others, 
 returned from the baggage room with a box of 
 chocolate caramels, which he had extracted from 
 his grip and generously proceeded to distribute, 
 together with some pocket-folders gotten out by 
 the company over whose road they were to travel. 
 
 Miss Tolmy in a suit of blue was chatting en- 
 thusiastically, with Miss Winthrop and Mar- 
 shall. 
 
 " Don't Marshall and Miss Tolmy make a stun- 
 ning couple? " asked Mrs. Morley of Ruby. 
 
 " Yes, and they can afford to be with half a 
 million in prospect. I am glad Marshall had the 
 good luck to get her." 
 
 " Why ? He doesn't need the money, 'spe- 
 cially." 
 
 " No, but it will give him confidence." 
 
 " Marshall's professional ability, which Phil 
 tells us is most promising, should offset the girl's 
 financial prospects through her ancestors." 
 
 " To be sure. They are well-mated, I think," 
 concluded Ruby. 
 
 " Now tell us, Mrs. Morley, how glad you are 
 to see us going," demanded the doctor, stepping
 
 200 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 up. " It'll give you a needed rest, don't you 
 know? " 
 
 " Oh, it's dreadful to lose you, all at once, 
 nearly, too! Aunt Lucinda and I shall feel like 
 old mother-birds going back to a deserted nest. 
 Won't we, aunt ? " 
 
 " 'Twill be pritty lonesome ; but we'll hev tew 
 stan' it. They's nuthin* else we ken dew, ez I 
 ken see," then, as the thought occurred to her: 
 " Yeou folks must write tew us, an' tell us heow 
 yeou aire a gettin' on, an' heow yeou like the fair." 
 
 " To be sure we will," answered Phil ; and Carol 
 patted her on the shoulder as if she were a baby, 
 and her very own. 
 
 " I hope yeou'll allers be good tew her, Phil. 
 I've made up my mind she's wuth it," she ad- 
 monished. 
 
 " Trust me," he said, gripping her hand : 
 " You'll see us at Bolton on our wedding trip, 
 possibly. We won't forget you, anyway, wher- 
 ever we go." 
 
 " Well, good-by, auntie, good-by all. We've 
 had the most delightful visit ever, Mrs. Morley," 
 said Carol, and off dashed the vivacious couple 
 through the iron gateway leading to the tracks. 
 
 Mr. Morley followed with some of their grips. 
 
 " Good-by, Aunt Lucinda. Good-by, Mrs. 
 Morley. I've had ' the time of my life,' " ex- 
 claimed Ruby, kissing them both, hastily. This 
 declaration, though trite, was none the less ac- 
 ceptable.
 
 GOOD-BY 201 
 
 The last farewells over, Mrs. Morley inquired 
 of Mrs. Dobbins : " Wouldn't you rather have 
 Steve drive us around a little and then take lunch 
 at a cafe than to go directly home? It will seem 
 so lonely there, I feel like putting off as long as I 
 can." 
 
 " Jest ez yeou say, Ida, ef 'twon't be tew much 
 expense. You've be'n tew an awful lot, hevin' 
 so much comp'ny." 
 
 " We've been more than paid in the good times 
 we've had," she replied. 
 
 Mrs. Dobbins had but little longer to remain in 
 the city, as the Seldens soon arrived, and after a 
 brief visit, took her away with them to San Fran- 
 cisco. 
 
 " The last remnant of our house party ! " said 
 Mr. Morley to his wife, as he picked up a forgot- 
 ten handkerchief marked " L. D." from the floor of 
 the living room. " Aunt Lucinda wouldn't have 
 left that a few years ago. It shows age on her 
 part." 
 
 " She still has a pretty keen mind, though, 
 Charles, and I shall miss her a great deal more than 
 I had expected to, and in a different way." 
 
 " Yes," with a smile twitching the corners of 
 his mouth, " I never saw such a change in anybody 
 in a short time, before, in my life. Why she wasn't 
 a bad person to have around, by the time she got 
 ready to go. That's a fact. You and Carol re- 
 constructed her, someway." 
 
 " Give the credit to Carol. That girl would
 
 202 THE WONDER GIRL 
 
 make a domestic pussy of a wildcat, or a diplomat 
 of a bushwhacker! Phil was mighty lucky to win 
 her." 
 
 " So I think ; and I'm glad Ruby chose Mr. 
 Nicholson. She couldn't have been happy with 
 Marshall, they're too much alike." 
 
 " I hadn't thought of it, but I believe you are 
 right. And isn't it perfectly wonderful how Miss 
 Tolmy blossomed out in his company ? " 
 
 Mr. Morley chuckled. " I think, at bottom, the 
 whole arrangement is chiefly your doing, Ida." 
 
 " I've felt the weight of responsibility, I can as- 
 sure you," she acknowledged. " If one of those 
 couples should turn out badly " 
 
 " Don't you worry ! They are thoroughbreds, 
 every one of them, and there's little danger of 
 divorces following such mating." 
 
 " I'm very glad to hear you say so, Charles. 
 But they have assumed big responsibilities. Just 
 think of that ! " 
 
 " No more than we assumed, are they ? Be- 
 sides, I'd rather think of something to eat, just 
 now. Is dinner most ready? " he asked with a 
 fine air of nonchalance, which elicited from Mrs. 
 Morley the characteristic response : 
 
 " Charles Henry ! How can you ? "
 
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