Part 19 (1/2)
The carriage entered the big driveway into the main stable, where the men and Fong were waiting to meet them. A pack of greyhounds lying on the floor, leaped and began to yelp in excitement. From the box-stalls sleek heads of handsome horses peered curiously, then they whinnied a welcome home to the team that pawed the floor impatiently.
Nell scarcely had time to note it all when Doctor Powell came from the court-yard of the house and helped her from the carriage.
”I got back yesterday,” he said, after they had all exchanged words of welcome. His eyes rested on Jamie, ”Well, I believe Arizona is fattening you up already,” he exclaimed, taking the child's hand in his own. ”You and I must be chums, Jamie, for we're both tenderfeet, and have lots to learn. Limber picked out a fine little pony for you to ride, and I found a saddle in Tucson that is just your size. We'll both learn to be cowboys, now. Won't that be fine?”
The child's smile told that Powell had won a loyal follower. The doctor's love for children was a magnet that drew them to him at once.
Now he looked down at the child, measuring the battle to be fought, and knew the victory would not be easily won, for the child's vitality had been deeply sapped.
Nell paused in the court-yard. It was eighty feet square, with deep porches on all four sides. Triangular flowerbeds were in each corner, and over a pergola climbing roses in full bloom mingled with honeysuckle and flowering syringa, which recklessly distilled their combined fragrance. Even the windmill in the centre of the court was completely hidden by vines.
She followed her husband into the low-ceilinged living room, and with a little smile she dropped into the same big chair that had held her in sleep when the cowboys discovered her that unforgettable day.
”Come see this view,” called Allan, and she went to the long French window and stood beside him. ”Those mountains are the most wonderful sermons in the world,” he said. ”It took me a long time to understand them. Limber helped me. When I was discouraged, he did not say anything, but just saddled his little pinto pony, Peanut, and my own horse, Chinati, and we rode silently for hours through long, dim trails, until I found courage and peace. Then we came home again. You and I will ride those trails together dear. They have known my dark hours, and now I want them to share our happiness.”
He turned, and with his arm about her waist, led her to a door that connected the living-room with an adjoining one.
”I told the boys to slick up this room for you, and you can select your furniture from the catalogue. That is how we shop when we live on a ranch, you know.”
As he threw open the door, the pink roses and red Navajo rugs shrieked discordant welcome, and Traynor started in surprise.
”Well!” he exclaimed. ”I told them to whitewash it! This certainly is a transformation. I wonder how on earth they managed it? If you don't care for the paper, Nell, it can be changed. It's a trifle gaudy, I must confess.”
”It's the sweetest room I ever had!” she answered warmly. ”I just love every one of those awful pink roses, and I'm going out now to tell the men how I love it!”
She darted from the room and found the men in the main stable. They looked at her with evident embarra.s.sment, but she held out her hand, smiling as she cried impulsively, ”I want to shake hands with each one of you, and thank you for taking such trouble to make my room so pretty!
It is the nicest room I have ever had in my whole life!”
They took her hand awkwardly in turn, then each waited for one of the others to answer. Silence gripped them.
Holy finally made a heroic effort and distinguished himself by exploding, ”Oh, h.e.l.l! That warn't northin'! 'Tweren't no trouble whatsomever!”
Unable to control the corners of her mouth, Nell retreated to the house, where she sank on a couch and shook with laughter as she related to Allan the result of her appreciation.
As soon as her skirt had vanished through the court-yard the men turned wrathfully on Holy.
”Say, Holy,” Bronco said fiercely, ”what the devil do you suppose she will think of this outfit with you cussin' at her that way?”
Holy looked abashed and scratched his head, ”d.a.m.ned if I know how I come to say it! But, if one of you fellers had of said somethin' I wouldn't got no chanct to cuss. You all jest made me do it!” He stalked away in offended dignity, while the other men looked after him.
”Well, what d'ye think of that?” Bronco demanded of Limber and Roarer, who only shook their heads. Holy's logic was too much for them to pa.s.s upon.
The day's surprises did not end with the elaborate dinner upon which Fong had lavished his best efforts. In the evening, as Nell, Jamie, Traynor and Powell sat in the living-room, Fong entered bearing what appeared to be a Chinese paG.o.da of delicate carved ivory.
Beaming, he deposited it upon the center-table, and as they drew near, they saw it was a cake with white icing that loomed almost two feet high. It was a lace-work Eiffel tower from which swung fairy-like bridges to the outer base, and this foundation was a ma.s.s of intricate designs in pure white icing. Along the edge of the cake, in rose pink letters, was written ”Mary Crixmas,” for Fong's previous attempts in such lines had been confined to Christmas festivals, and the spelling of the words had slipped from his memory through long disuse.
The Chinaman presented a sharp knife to Neil, as he said, ”Your clake.