The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-08-01
By II. s...cANFlELD

hard white ground Glynn assisted his
new governess to alight, said some
words of simple welcome and busted
himself about the disposition, of the, I
trunks. In high thin drawl, extend
ing two fingers of her right hand, Mrs.
Glynn said:
"Ve'y welcome, vey welcome, indeed,
to BALCONIES rancho, Miss English. L.
trus' you ah not tiahd. 1 would show
you to your room myself, but am not
we'll. This climate tiahs me-"
j. Miss English was not at all tired,
she said. The long ride on the train
had naturally wearied her, but the trip
to the rancho had been most enjoyable
'ant-refrsshing: She smiled gratefully
at Allyn as she said it and he smiled
frankly back. No one having thought
to introduce the children Lois gravely
shook hands with "Toddy" as became
his eleven years, bestowed shoulder
pat as we'll as handshake on "Miggs,"
STOPPING to whisper Ito him that she.
was hungry, whereat his face lightened
wonderfully, and then, she gathered the
little girl into her arms and kissed her
on the cheek. With that divination
which is shared between children and
the. lower animals, "Palomita" in
stantly snuggled close to her and piped
to her father:
my governess has come, papa"
Glynn laughed and the party went
into the house, along whose front ran
gallery, also rooted with water grass.
Here tidy English maid-servant took
Miss Englishs hand luggage and led
the way into a wide, dim hall whose
walls were covered with deer-horns,
gun-racks, whip-racks and so forth.
Diverging into a side passage, which in
turn made sharp angle to the right,
she found herself after a walk of fifty
feet in a large low-ceilinged room, with
snow-white walls and comfortably fur
nished. A narrow door led into
bathroom beyond. Two wide windows
in the east side of the apartment op-
ened upon an interior court, quarter
acre in extent, which was gay with
flowers, green with dwarf-palms and
palmettos, and in its center fountain
tinkled. This patio, or court, was not
rooted. The Maine girl found that the
house, as is the case with many houses
in that climate, was built around the
interior court, forming four sides of
square about it. There were benches
here and there in the court, which was
paved with fagstones, and the foun-
tain had a cool refreshing sound
Pointing to a hand bell on the center
table and intimating that it was to be
rung if anything were wanted, the girl
made way for the Mexicans bringing
in the trunks and withdrew.
An hour later, having emerged from
a bath of cool clear water, which ran
through wooden pipes and clothed her
self in fresh raiment, Lois opened her
door to faint rap. Looking straight
in front she saw nothing, but glancing
down there were her three charges,
Teddy" in front with dusty bottle
of claret, glass and a corkscrew,
"Miggs" next, bearing a large tray
filled with broiled chicken and light
biscuit, and "Palomita" last, also with
small tray, on which was a teapot and
cups
Il thought you were hungry, Miss
English" said "Toddy," depositing the
bottle, glass and corkscrew on the ia
BILE, $50 I brought you this"
81 thought she was hungry, said
"Miggs." "She said she was hungry.
You thought she was thirsty, To-day"
Il thought you wanted tea," said
"Palomita," nesting against her.
Lois set the teapot on the table, took
the little one in her arms, sat down.
and said: "You were the rightest Of
all, my dear" and asked "Toddy" to
carve the chicken for her. Proud of
the task, the boy set to work while
"Miggs" looked hungrily on. In
quarter of an hour a four-sided lunch
con was in progress and at the end OF
it the new governess and the children
were as intimately acquainted as if
they had been friends all of their lives.
The newcomer found that they did not
know much, but that they were not
expected to- know much. She found, in
addition, from unconscious betrayals
by the youngsters, that she was ex-
pected to keep them out Of the way Of
their mother, and that was all, or
nearly all, she was expected to do. It
became apparent after awhile that she
had been imported more to become
their guide, counsellor and friend than
anything else, to keep them out of mis-
chief, to teach them little at such
hours as she might select, to form
their manners and, above all, to pre-
vent them Earring Mrs. Glynn during
her constant headaches.
II don't know why it u.s." said Tod
dy, who had been permitted one small
glass of the claret, "but when Mamma
has a headache she lies down in a cool
place and reads novel hard. I can't
read when 7 have headache"
Putting the little ones out OF the
room with the remnants Of the lunch
con on tray in the hands Of "Mfggs.n
Lois drew sofa close to a window
and living within hearing Of tho |n,r