Clover by Susan Coolidge
page 75 of 185 (40%)
page 75 of 185 (40%)
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there's plenty to do with. Henry's very liberal. He likes to have things
nice, so Ellen she--Why, when I was packing up to come away he brought me that _repoussé_ fruit-knife there in my bag--Oh, it's in my other bag! Never mind; I'll show it to you some other time--solid silver, you know. Bigelow and Kennard--their things always good, though expensive; and my son-in-law he said, 'You're going to a fruit country, and--' Mrs. Peters doesn't think there is so much fruit, though. All sent on from California, as I wrote,--and I guess Ellen and Henry were surprised to hear it." Katy held serious counsel with herself that night as to what she should do about this extraordinary "guide, philosopher, and friend" whom the Fates had provided for Clover. She saw that her father, from very over-anxiety, had made a mistake, and complicated Clover's inevitable cares with a most undesirable companion, who would add to rather than relieve them. She could not decide what was best to do; and in fact the time was short for doing anything, for the next evening would bring them to Denver, and poor Clover must be left to face the situation by herself as best she might. Katy finally concluded to write her father plainly how things stood, and beg him to set Clover's mind quite at rest as to any responsibility for Mrs. Watson, and also to have a talk with that lady herself, and explain matters as clearly as she could. It seemed all that was in her power. Next day the party woke to a wonderful sense of lightness and exhilaration which no one could account for till the conductor told them that the apparently level plain over which they were speeding was more than four thousand feet above the sea. It seemed impossible to believe it. Hour by hour they climbed; but the climb was imperceptible. Now four thousand six hundred feet of elevation was reported, now four thousand eight hundred, at last above five thousand; and still there seemed about them nothing |
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