he poor girl.

Haggerty proved a prophet, after all. Each mile they covered opened
new vistas of delight to the eager travelers. The air grew more balmy
as they left the high altitudes and came upon the level country to
the north, of the San Bernardino range of mountains, nor was it
long before they sighted Imperial and sped through miles of country
carpeted with the splendid yellow poppies which the State has adopted
as the emblems of California. And behind this golden robe loomed the
cotton fields of Imperial, one of the most fascinating sights the
traveler may encounter. They made a curve to the right here, and
headed northerly until they came to Salton. Skirting the edge of the
curious Salton Sea they now headed directly west toward Escondido,
finding the roads remarkably good and for long stretches as smooth and
hard as an asphalt boulevard. The three days it took them to cross the
State were days of wonder and delight.

It was not long before they encountered the roses and carnations
growing on every side, which the Major had persistently declared to be
mythical.

"It seems all wrong," asserted Patsy's father, moodily, "for such
delicate flowers to be growing out of doors in midwinter. And look at
the grass! Why, the seasons are changed about. It's Springtime just
now in California."

"The man at the last stop we made told me his roses bloomed the year
round," said Patsy, "And just smell the orange blossoms, will you!
Aren't they sweet, and don't they remind you of brides?"

From Escondido it was a short run to the sea and their first glimpse
of the majestic Pacific was from a high bluff overhanging the water.
From this point the road ran south to San Diego, skirting the coast
along a mountain trail that is admitted to be one of the most
picturesque rides in America.

Descending the hills as they neared San Diego they passed through
fields of splendid wild flowers so extensive and beautiful that
our girls fairly gasped in wonder. The yellow and orange poppies
predominated, but there were acres of wild mustard throwing countless
numbers of gorgeous saffron spikes skyward, and vistas of blue
carconnes, white daisies and blood-red delandres. The yucca was in
bloom, too, and added its mammoth flower to the display.

They did not halt at San Diego, the southernmost city of California,
from whence the Mexican line is in plain sight, but drove to the bay,
where Wampus guided the limousine on to the big ferryboat