thing to each other.
Now let's speak of something else. I want to settle about your coming to
High Valley."

"High Valley? Is that the name of your place?"

"Yes. I want you to see it. It's an awfully pretty place to my
thinking,--not so very much higher than this, but you have to climb a good
deal to get there. Can't you come? This is just the time,--raspberries
ripe, and lots of flowers wherever the beasts don't get at them. Phil can
have all the riding he wants, and it'll do poor Geoff lots of good to see
some one."

"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 t