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Page 43
"It would be very nice indeed," doubtfully; "but who could we get to go
with us?"
"I thought of that. We don't take much stock in Mrs. Grundy out here; but
I supposed you'd want another lady. How would it be if I asked Mrs. Hope?
The doctor's got to come out anyway to see one of our herders who's put
his shoulder out in a fall. If he would drive you out, and Mrs. Hope would
stay on, would you come for a week? I guess you'll like it."
"I 'guess' we should," exclaimed Clover, her face lighting up. "Clarence,
how delightful it sounds! It will be lovely to come if Mrs. Hope says
yes."
"Then that's all right," replied Clarence, looking extremely pleased.
"I'll ride up to the doctor's as soon as dinner's over."
"You'll dine with us, of course?"
"Oh, I always come to Mother Marsh for a bite whenever I stay over the
day. She likes to have me. We've been great chums ever since I had fever
here, and she took care of me."
Clover was amused at dinner to watch the cool deliberation with which
Clarence studied Mrs. Watson and her tortuous conversation, and, as he
would have expressed it, "took stock of her." The result was not
favorable, apparently.
"What on earth did they send that old thing with you for?" he asked as
soon as they went upstairs. "She's as much out of her element here as a
canary-bird would be in a cyclone. She can't be any use to you, Clover."
"Well, no; I don't think she is. It was a sort of mistake; I'll tell you
about it sometime. But she likes to imagine that she's taking care of me;
and as it does no harm, I let her."
"Taking care of you! Great thunder! I wouldn't trust her to take care of a
blue-eyed kitten," observed the irreverent Clarence. "Well, I'll ride up
and settle with the Hopes, and stop and let you know as I come back."
Mrs. Hope and the doctor were not hard to persuade. In Colorado, people
keep their lamps of enjoyment filled and trimmed, so to speak, and their
travelling energies ready girt about them, and easily adopt any plan which
promises pleasure. The following day was fixed for the start, and Clover
packed her valise and Phil's bag, with a sense of exhilaration and escape.
She was, in truth, getting very tired of the exactions of Mrs. Watson.
Mrs. Watson, on her part, did not at all approve of the excursion.
"I think," she said, swelling with offended dignity, "that your cousin
didn't know much about politeness when he left me out of his invitation
and asked Mrs. Hope instead. Yes, I know; the doctor had to go up anyway.
That may be true, and it may not; but it doesn't alter the case. What am I
to do, I should like to know, if the valves of my heart don't open, or
don't shut--whichever it is--while I'm left all alone here among
strangers?"
"Send for Dr. Hope," suggested Phil. "He'll only be gone one night. Clover
doesn't know anything about valves."
"My cousin lives in a rather rough way, I imagine," interposed Clover,
with a reproving look at Phil. "He would hardly like to ask a stranger and
an invalid to his house, when he might not be able to make her
comfortable. Mrs. Hope has been there before, and she's an old friend."
"Oh, I dare say! There are always reasons. I don't say that I should have
felt like going, but he ought to have asked me. Ellen will be surprised,
and so will--He's from Ashburn too, and he must know the Parmenters, and
Mrs. Parmenter's brother's son is partner to Henry's brother-in-law. It's
of no consequence, of course,--still, respect--older people--Boston--not
used to--Phillips--" Mrs. Watson's voice died away into fragmentary and
inaudible lamentings.
Clover attempted no further excuse. Her good sense told her that she had a
perfect right to accept this little pleasure; that Mrs. Watson's plans for
Western travel had been formed quite independently of their own, and that
papa would not wish her to sacrifice herself and Phil to such unreasonable
humors. Still, it was not pleasant; and I am sorry to say that from this
time dated a change of feeling on Mrs. Watson's part toward her "young
friends." She took up a chronic position of grievance toward them,
confided her wrongs to all new-comers, and met Clover with an offended air
which, though Clover ignored it, did not add to the happiness of her life
at Mrs. Marsh's.
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