e can rent it for
enough to pay taxes and upkeep."

"I think you are perfectly right there, Anne, and the sooner you place
it in good hands, the better. When did you think of running up to town?"
said Mrs. Brewster.

"Well, you see, mother, Tom and I should have joined our men long ago,
but one thing or another kept us on here. Now that all is settled for
two years at least, I want to get away and plunge into work so I will
be ready for Anne when she comes back," said John.

Mrs. Brewster smiled. "Will you go to Denver to-day?"

"To-night! Why, it is eight o'clock! But I could take the noon train
when it goes back from Oak Creek, and Anne might go with me."

"That's what I thought you could do, but your evident impatience made me
wonder if you had an air-route you could travel by."

John laughed, and Anne placed her arm about her future mother-in-law.
Then the talk veered to Polly and her future education. John and his
fiancee had a hard task in convincing Mrs. Brewster that it was best for
Polly to accompany the Stewarts to New York, to school; but finally,
when all three returned to the house, a resigned look was upon Mrs.
Brewster's face. But not a word was said at that time.

The next morning, every member of the family accompanied John and Anne
to Oak Creek, and gave them a merry send-off to Denver.

"It's only for a few days, you big sillies!" laughed Anne, as she leaned
from the little car-window to answer many questions from her friends on
the platform.

"True, but think of all that can happen in a few days! Jeb may jilt
Sary and elope with Barbara--I've seen her casting jealous eyes at Sary,
lately! Then Tom Latimer may suddenly find he is in love with----" but
Barbara choked further words from Eleanor at this point, by shaking her
viciously from the rear.

The others had to laugh at Eleanor's teasing, but her sister was
furious. "I simply will not stand this treatment, so now! You can act
like fools and farmers, but I am a _lady_!"

So saying, Barbara wheeled and marched defiantly over to the box-car
station. She entered and remained there until the train had disappeared
around the bend. Then she came forth with a victorious look upon her
face. No one asked her what caused the change of expression, and soon
the incident was forgotten for the day.

Tom Latimer was unusually quiet on the homeward drive, and when he had
assisted Eleanor to alight from the great wagon, he whispered for her
ears alon