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Page 57
"There's water laid on," she said; "you don't have to pump any. Here's
the washtubs in the shed. That's a real nice tin boiler for the
clothes,--I never see a nicer. Mis Starkey had that heater in the
dining-room set the very week before she went away. 'Winter's coming on,'
she says, 'and I must see about keeping my husband warm;' never thinking,
poor thing, how 't was to be."
"Does this chimney draw?" asked the practical Clover; "and does the
kitchen stove bake well?"
"First-rate. I've seen Mis Starkey take her biscuits out many a time,--as
nice a brown as ever you'd want; and the chimney don't smoke a mite. They
kep' a wood fire here in May most all the time, so I know."
Clover thought the matter over for a day or two, consulted with Dr. Hope,
and finally decided to try the experiment. No. 13 was taken, and Mrs.
Kenny engaged for two days' work each week, with such other occasional
assistance as Clover might require. She was a widow, it seemed, with one
son, who, being employed on the railroad, only came home for the nights.
She was glad of a regular engagement, and proved an excellent stand-by and
a great help to Clover, to whom she had taken a fancy from the start; and
many were the good turns which she did for love rather than hire for "my
little Miss," as she called her.
To Phil the plan seemed altogether delightful. This was natural, as all
the fun fell to his share and none of the trouble; a fact of which Mrs.
Hope occasionally reminded him. Clover persisted, however, that it was all
fair, and that she got lots of fun out of it too, and didn't mind the
trouble. The house was so absurdly small that it seemed to strike every
one as a good joke; and Clover's friends set themselves to help in the
preparations, as if the establishment in Piute Street were a kind of
baby-house about which they could amuse themselves at will.
It is a temptation always to make a house pretty, but Clover felt herself
on honor to spend no more than was necessary. Papa had trusted her, and
she was resolved to justify his trust. So she bravely withstood her
desire for several things which would have been great improvements so far
as looks went, and confined her purchases to articles of clear
necessity,--extra blankets, a bedside carpet for Phil's room, and a
chafing-dish over which she could prepare little impromptu dishes, and so
save fuel and fatigue. She allowed herself some cheap Madras curtains for
the parlor, and a few yards of deep-red flannel to cover sundry shelves
and corner brackets which Geoffrey Templestowe, who had a turn for
carpentry, put up for her. Various loans and gifts, too, appeared from
friendly attics and store-rooms to help out. Mrs. Hope hunted up some old
iron firedogs and a pair of bellows, Poppy contributed a pair of
brass-knobbed tongs, and Mrs. Marsh lent her a lamp. No. 13 began to look
attractive.
They were nearly ready, but not yet moved in, when one day as Clover stood
in the queer little parlor, contemplating the effect of Geoff's last
effort,--an extra pine shelf above the narrow mantel-shelf,--a pair of
arms stole round her waist, and a cheek which had a sweet familiarity
about it was pressed against hers. She turned, and gave a great shriek of
amazement and joy, for it was her sister Katy's arms that held her.
Beyond, in the doorway, were Mrs. Ashe and Amy, with Phil between them.
"Is it you; is it really you?" cried Clover, laughing and sobbing all at
once in her happy excitement. "How did it happen? I never knew that you
were coming."
"Neither did we; it all happened suddenly," explained Katy. "The ship was
ordered to New York on three days' notice, and as soon as Ned sailed,
Polly and I made haste to follow. There would have been just time to get a
letter here if we had written at once, but I had the fancy to give you a
surprise."
"Oh, it is _such_ a nice surprise! But when did you come, and where are
you?"
"At the Shoshone House,--at least our bags are there; but we only stayed a
minute, we were in such a hurry to get to you. We went to Mrs. Marsh's
and found Phil, who brought us here. Have you really taken this funny
little house, as Phil tells us?"
"We really have. Oh, what a comfort it will be to tell you all about it,
and have you say if I have done right! Dear, dear Katy, I feel as if home
had just arrived by train. And Polly, too! You all look so well, and as if
California had agreed with you. Amy has grown so that I should scarcely
have known her."
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