and the depot is on our side of the track.
Jack's ranch borders the road on the other side. The company has laid
side tracks for each ranch, and built a good depot. I think, in the
course of time, we'll have a far more beautiful home down here than we
had up in Colorado. Of course, though, Fred has told you all about the
magnificent mineral spring a mile from the railroad and on the ranch."

"Yes, both of you have told me all about it."

"Well, Fred thinks it best to build a residence right down there near
the spring in order that we may have the use of the water and some large
shade trees in the yard."

"Terry, isn't there any building there now?"

"No, the only buildings we have now are merely four-room frame buildings
for the men on the place, and we have fixed up one of them for our home
until we build a larger and better house down near the spring. There
isn't a particle of swamp about it; but there is plenty of good solid
earth all around it. Of course, we can cut a splendid road from the
depot down to it. We will build stables and all the necessary out-houses
down there, too, and will fence it in, so that the cattle cannot annoy
the residents of the place. There isn't a passenger depot built yet, and
passenger trains don't even stop there, unless they are flagged by the
freight agent."

The road passed through several patches of timber and wide stretches of
prairie land presenting scenery that Evelyn loved and admired very much.
The splendid team made the trip in a little over two hours, a distance
of twenty miles.

"You see that big building going up out there?" said Terry, pointing to
Jack's new home.

"Yes."

"Well, that is the new house that Jack is building for his mother and
his wife. It has a dozen large rooms in it."

"Well, what in the world does he want with such a big house away out
here?" Evelyn asked.

"Well, it is the first house he ever owned, and he says he wants it
roomy enough for his wife's and mother's friends to come down and stay
as long as they please, as it will cost him nothing to board them. I
guess that Fred and I will build a house just as big as that."

"Terry, you and Fred must not indulge in any such extravagance."

"Sister, don't you know that comfort is not extravagance?" The driver
had never been out there before, so he turned and asked Terry where he
must stop.

"Right in front of that house out there," and he pointed to the house
which he and Fred had furnishe