 Chapter 6 of Clover This Slipp provokes Recording is in the Public Domain, Recording bei Ellie. Clover, bei Susan Coolidge. Chapter 6, St. Helens Never in her life a Clover fällt so small and incompetent and so very, very young, as when the train was covered, the seven attached, vanished from sight, and left on the platform of the denver station, missing two companions. The other is dead, fill and one side tired in trooping, Mrs. Watson und the other, blinken anxiously about, both evidently depending on her guidance and direction. For one moment a sort of pill consternation swept over her, then the sense of the inevitable and the noble sense of responsibility came to her aid. She rallied herself, the color returned to her cheeks, and she depravedly to Mrs. Watson. Now if you and Phil will just sit down on the seat to over there and make yourselves comfortable, I will find out about the trains for St. Helens and where we have better go for the night. Mrs. Watson und Phil sitted themselves accordingly, and Clover stood for a moment considering what she should do. Outside was the wilderness of tracks up and down, which trains for puffing, in obedience doubtless, to some law understood by themselves, but which looked to be uninitiated like the direst confusion. Inside the station the scene was equally confused. Trevellers just arrived and just going away, verrasching in and out, partners and baggage agents with their hands full hurried to and fro. No one seemed at leisure to answer a question or even listen to one. Just then she caught sight of a shrewd yet good-natured face looking at her from the window of the ticket office, and without hesitation she went up to the enclosure. It was the ticket agent whose eyes she had caught. He was at liberty at the moment, and his answer to her inquiries though brief and polite and kind. People generally did soften to Clover. There was such an odd pretty contrast between her childish appealing look and the dignified little manor, like a child trying to be stately, not only succeeding in being primally sweet. Then they exchanged for some talents left at 9 in the morning it seemed, and the ticket agent recommended the Sherman House as a hotel where they would be very comfortable for the night. The omnibus is just outside, he said encouragingly, you will find the first glass house. Weste is west of Chicago, from the east? Just so, you have not seen our opera house yet, I suppose? Then our folks are rather proud of it, biggest in the country except the one in New York. Hope you will find time to visit it. I should like to, said Clover, but we are here only for the night. My brother's been ill, and we are going directly onto St. Helens. I am very much obliged to you. Her look of pretty honest gratitude seemed to touch the heart of the ticket man. He opened the door of his fastness and came out. They actually came out, and with a long shrill whistle summoned the porter whom he addressed as, Here, you pet, and bathe. Take these ladies' things and put them into the bus for the Sherman. Look sharp now, and see that she's all right. Then took Clover. You will find it very comfortable, that the Sherman is, and I hope you'll have a good night. If you'll come to me in the morning, I'll explain about the baggage transfer. Clover sank the supply chain being again and rejoined her party, who were patiently sitting there, she had left them. Dear me, said Mrs. Watson as the omnibus rolled off. I had no idea that then war was such a large place. Streetcars, too. Well, I declare. And what nice shops, said Clover, equally surprised. Hey, dears, I've been rather vague as to what was to be expected in the close neighborhood of the Rocky Mountains. But she knew that then it only existed a few years, and was prepared to find everything looking rough and unfinished. Why, deaf restaurants here in jeweler shops, she cried. Look fill, what a nice grocery. We needn't have begged all those open biscuits, if only we'd known. Electric lights, how wonderful. But, of course, the Terrence is quite different. The amazement increased when they reached the hotel and were taken in a large dining-home to order dinner from a billfair, which seemed to include every luxury from Oregon's salmon, like superior whitefish, to frozen sherbet and California peaches and apricots. But wonderment yielded to fatigue and again as Clover fell asleep she was conscious of deep depression. What had she undertaken to do? How could she do it? But the night of sound sleep followed by such a morning of uncloudy brilliance as is seldom seen is of Colorado banished its misgivings, courage rose under the stimulus of such air and sunshine. I must just live each day as it comes, set a little clover to herself, do my best as things turn up, keep feel happy and satisfy Mrs. Watson, if I can, and not worry about tomorrow so yesterdays. This is the only safe way and I won't forget if I can help it. With these wise resolves she ran downstairs, looking so blight and bright, that Phil cheered the sight of her and lost her long morning face he had got up with, while even Mrs. Watson caught in contagion became fairly hopeful and content. A little even of Godwell and Godheart in one often avails to lighten the heaviness of many. The distance from Denver to St. Helens is less than a hundred miles, but as the railroad has to climb and cross the range of hills between two and three thousand feet high the journey occupies several hours. The train gradually grows higher and higher the travelers begin to get wide views, first of the magnificent Panorama of the mountains which lies to the northwest of Denver sixty miles away, with longs peak in the middle and after crossing the crest of the divide where a blue little lake rimmed with wild flowers spackled in the sun of the more sudden ranges. After a while they found themselves running parallel to a mountain chain of strange and beautiful forms, crane almost to the top and intersected with deep ravines and cliffs which they contacted and formed them were canyons. They seemed quite near at hand for their bases sinking to low rounded hills covered with woods. They smelted in the undulating tablelands and dosed again into a narrow strip of park-like plain, a cross-swich-rended track. Flowers enumerable grew on this plain, mixed with grass of a Tony-brown green. They were cactus-less red-and-yellow, scarlet-and-white-chillers, tall spikes of uke in full bloom and masses of a superb white poppy with an orange-brown center whose blue-green foliage war sprinkly like that of the Tissel. Here and there on the higher uplands appeared strange rock shapes of red-and-pink-and-pale-yellow which looked like castles with tau-and-pinegles or like primitive fortifications. Glover sawed it all strangely beautiful but Mrs. Watson found fault with the desqueer. It looks unnatural somehow, she objected, not a bit like the east. Red never was a favorite color of mine. Ellen had a magenta-bonnet once and it always worried, but Henry liked it, so of course. People can't see things the same way. Now the green hatchet winter before last was. Don't you think those mountains are dreadful bright and distinct? I don't like such high-color rocks, even the green looks red somehow. I like soft, hazy mountains like Blue Hill and Vecocet. Ellen spent the summer up in Princeton once. It was when little Cynthia had tiffed her ear. She's named after me, you know. And Henry, he sawed. But I don't like the staring kind like these and some of these buildings, which the conductor says are not buildings but rocks, make my flesh creep. They'd be scrumptious places to repel attacks of Indians from, observed for. Two or three skirts with bridge-loads up on the scarlet wall there, could keep off a hundred pirates. I don't feel it way a bit. Glover was singing to Mrs. Watson. I like the color, it's so rich and I think the mountains are perfectly beautiful. If St. Helens like this, I'm going to like it, I know. St. Helens, when they reached it, puffed to be very much like this. Only more so is fill remarked. A little settlement was built on a low plateau, facing the mountains. And here the plain narrowed and the beautiful range, seen through the clear atmosphere, seemed only a mile or two away. Though in reality it was eight or ten. To the east the plain widened again into great upland sweeps like the Kentish towns. Is here and there a belt of black woodland. And here and there a line of low bluffs. Feud for my height was the cloud-shadows slipping across it. It had the extended splendor of the sea and looked very much like it. The town scene from below seemed like a larger place than Glower had expected. And again she felt the gripping nervous feeling come over her. But before the train had fairly stopped, a brisk, active little man jumped on board and walked into the car, began to look about him with skin-observant eyes. After one sweeping glance he came straight over Glower was collecting her bags and passers, held out his hand and said in a pleasant voice, I think this must be Miss Carr. I am Dr. Hope. He went on. Your father telegraphed when you were to leave Chicago and have come down to two or three trains in Hope of meeting you. Have you indeed the Clover with the rush of relief? How very kind of you and so Papa telegraphed. I never thought of that fear. Here is Dr. Hope, Papa's friend, Dr. Hope, Mrs. Watson. This is really a very agreeble attention. You are coming to meet us, said Mrs. Watson. A very agreeble attention indeed. Well, I shall ride to Eln. That's my daughter, Mrs. Phillips, you know. That before we got out of the car as a gentleman and though I've always been in the habit of going about a good deal it's always been the east, of course, and things are. What are we going to do first, Dr. Hope? Miss Carr is a great deal of energy for a girl, but naturally. As opposed as a hotel at St. Helens? Eln is rather particular where I stay. At your age matter you must be make comfortable. What Eric costs, she says. And so I an only daughter you know. But you'll attend to all those things first now, Dr.? There's quite a good hotel. Said Dr. Hope is ice-drinkling a little. I'll show it to you as soon as we drive up. You'll find it very comfortable if you prefer to go there. But for these young people I've taken rooms at the boarding house. A quiet and less expensive place. I thought it was what your father would prefer. He added the lower tone to Clover. I'm sure he would, she replied, but Mrs. Watson broke in. Oh, I shall go wherever Miss Carr goes. She's under my care, you know. Though at the same time I must say that in the long run I've generally found that the most expensive places turn out the cheapest. As Eln often says, get the best end. Although the charge at this hotel that you speak of Dr. Hope. The Shoshun House? About $25 a week I think. If you make a permanent arrangement. That is a good deal. I marked Mrs. Watson meditatively where Clover hastened to say, it is a great deal more than I can spend, Dr. Hope. I'm glad you have chosen the other place for us. I suppose it is better. Admitted Mrs. Watson. But when they came to the top of the hill in the picturesque, many gabled, many balcony structure was pointed out to the Shoshun, her regrets returned and she began again to Murma that often the most expensive places turned out to be the cheapest in the end. And that is so too reason that they must be the best. Dr. Hope rather encouraged his few and proposed that she should stop and look at some rooms. Also, she could not do certain young charges and go on. But at the same time she must say that her opinion is an older person it seemed more of the world was. She was used to being consulted. By Eddie Phillips wouldn't order, they crashed strawberry-bengalino first till Mrs. Watson saw the sample end. But the girls had their own ideas and were bound to carry them out. Ellen always said so and for her part she knew her duty and meant to do it. Dr. Hope flashed on rapid comical looking Clover. Dr. Hitz, if it does nothing else. Investiness as a general thing become pretty good charges of character. It had not taken ten minutes for the keen-witted little doctor to fett on the peculiarities of Clover Sheparan and he would most willingly have planted her in the colonial soul of the Shoshun House which would have provided a wider field for her restlessness in self-occupation and many more people to listen to her narratives and sympathize with her complaints. But it was no use. She was resolved to abide by the rules of her young friends. While this discussion was proceeding the carriage-chapping rolling down a white street running along the edge of the plateau opposite the mountain range. Pretty house is to the either side in green shaded door yards with roses and wine-hung-piazzas in nice little cut grass. Why, it looks like a new England town, so Clover amazed. A sort of a lot of trees here. Yes and no, said Dr. Hope smiling. You came like most eastern people prepared to find a sitting house in the East. We sketched as pink cushions, picking our teas with brownie knives and with no neighbors but Indians and grizzly bears. 16 years ago we could have felt the bell pretty well. Then there was not a single house in St. Helens. Not even a tent. It's not one of these trees that you see here had been planted. Now we have three railroads meeting at our depot. A population of nearly 7000. Electric lights, telephones, a good opera house, a system of works which brings first rates spring water in a town from six miles away and short pretty much all the modern conveniences. But what has made the place grow so fast, as Clover. If I may be allowed a professional bun, it is built upon coffins. It is a town for Invalids. Half the people here came out for the benefit of their lungs. Isn't that rather depressing? It would be more so if most of them didn't look so well that no one would suspect them of being ill. Here we are. Clover looked at the eagerly. At the house. At whose gate the carriage had stopped. It was a large shabby structure with a piazza above as well as below. And on these piazzas, various people were sitting who looked unmistakably ill. The front of the house, however, commanded a fine mountain view. You see, explained Dr. Hope, drawing Clover aside, boarding places that are most comfortable and reasonable are rather scarce at St. Helens. I know all about the table here and the drainage. And the view is desirable. The carriage who keeps the house is one of the best women we have. She is from down your way too. One stable mass I think. Clover privately wondered how one stable mass could be glassed down the same way we spurned. Not having learned this yet to the sore investor mind that insignificant fraction of the whole country known as the East means anywhere from Maine to Michigan. And the such trivial geographical differences as exist between the different sections seems carefully worse consideration than the place, which lie beyond toward the setting sun. But perhaps Dr. Hope was only trying to tease her. For he twinkled amusingly at a puzzled face as he went on. I think you can make yourselves comfortable here. It was the best I could do, but your old lady would be much better suited than they should have, and I wish she go there. Clover could not help loving. I wish the people wouldn't persist in calling Mrs. Watson my old lady, she said. Mrs. Marsh, a pleasant looking person, came to meet them as they entered. Also, she showed Clover and fell their homes, which had been secured for them. And then carried Mrs. Watson off to look at an other which she could have if she liked. The rooms were on the third floor. The big front one for fell was a sunny south window and two others looking towards the west in the mountains and opening from it a smaller home for Clover. Her brother ought to live in fresh air, both indoors and out, said Dr. Hope. And they saw this large room or the answers a sort of sitting place for both of you. He was so nice, and we are both more obliged to you than we can say, replied Clover, holding out their hand as the doctor rose to go. He gave a pleased little laugh as he shook it. That's alright, he said. I owe your father's children any good turn in my power. For I was a good friend to me and I was a poor boy just beginning and needed friends. That's my house with the red roof, is Clover. You see how near this, and please remember, that besides the care of this boy here, I am in charge of you too, and with the rest of the friends you are going to make in Colorado. I expect to be called on whenever you want anything or feel lonesome, or I'd lost in any way. My wife is coming to see you as soon as you have had your dinner. God settled a little. She sent those to you, indicating a vase on the table filled with flowers. The were of the sword which Clover had never seen before. Deep cup shaped blossoms of beautiful pale purple and white. Oh, what are they? She called after the doctor. What the dear nice kind man, great Clover, isn't it delightful to have a friend right off who knows Papa, and thus sings fuzz because we are Papa's children. You like him, don't you fell, and don't you like your room? Yes, only it doesn't seem fair that I should get the largest. Oh yes, it's perfectly fair. I never shall want to be in mine except when I'm dressing or asleep. I shall sit here with you all the time. And isn't it lovely that with those enchanting mountains just before our eyes I never saw anything in my life that I liked so much as I do that one. It was the Cheyenne Mountain in which you pointed, the last in the chain, and set a little apart as it were from the others. There is as much difference between mountains as between people, as mountain lovers know, and like people they present characters in individualities of their own. The noble lines of Mount Cheyenne are full of strange dignity, but it is dignity mixed with an indefinite charm. The canyon nestled about its base as children at the parent's knee. It set a forest to close it like drapery. It lifted its head to the dawn and sunset, and the sun seems to laugh at best of all, and lies longer on it than on the other peaks. Glover did not analyze her impressions, but she fell in love with it at first sight and loved it better and better all the time she stated some talents. Dr. Hope and Mount Cheyenne were our first friends in the place she used to say in days after. Her nice it is to be by ourselves, said Phil, as he lay comfortably on the sofa, watching Glover unpack. I get so tired of being all the time with people. Dear me, the room looks quite home like already. Glover had spread a pretty towel over the bare table, laid some books and a writing case upon it, and was now pinning up a photograph over the mental piece. We'll make it nice by and by, she said cheerfully, and now that I've tied it up a little, I think I'll go and see what has become of Mrs. Watson. She would think I've quite forgotten her. You'll lie quiet and rest till dinner, won't you? Yes, said Phil, who looked very sleepy. I'm all right for an hour to come. Don't hurry back if the ancient female wants you. Glover spread a towel over him before she went and chat one of the windows. You won't have your catching cold the very first morning, she said. That will be a very bad story to send back to Papa. She found Mrs. Watson in low spirits about her room. It's not that it's small, she said. I don't need a very big room, but I don't need a very big room. I don't need a very big room, but I don't like being poked away at the back so. I've always had a front room all my life, and at Elm's in the summer I have a corner chamber and see the sea and everything. It's an elegant room, solid black walnut with maple tops end. Lighthouse is too. I have three of them in few and they're a really company for me on dark nights. I don't want to be fussy, but really to look out of nothing but the side yard with some trees. And they aren't Elms or anything that I'm used to, they're the new kind. There's a thing out there too, that I never saw before, which looks like one of the giant ants nests of Africa in most geography that I used to read about when I was. It makes me really nervous. Clover went to the window to look at the mysterious object. It was a corn shaped thing of fine and burnt clay, whose use she could not guess. She found later that it was a receptacle for ashes. But mine isn't. It's quite a little one at the side. I think it must be under this. First is in front, and this nice large one is a few of the mountains. I wish to throw one just like it for you. The doctor says that it's very important for him to have a great deal of air in his room. Doctors always say that. And of course Dr. Ho being a friend of yours and all. It is quite natural, he should give you preference. Though the Phillips are rather accustomed. But there, it's no use. Dr. Ellen, Boston is the place for me where my family is known and people realize what I am used to. I am so sorry. Clover said again perhaps somebody will go away and Mrs. March have a front room for you before long. She did say that she might as a post she thinks that some of her borders will be dying off. In fact there is one. The tall man in gray in the reclining chair who didn't seem to be likely to last long. Well, we will hope for the best. I am not one who likes to make difficulties. This prospect together with dinner which was presently announced raised Mrs. Watson's spirits a little. In Clover left her in the parlor exchanging experiences and discussing symptoms with some ladies who said opposite them at table. Mrs. Hope came for a call. A pretty little woman is friendly and kind as her husband. Then Clover and Ferner went out for a stroll about the town. The wonder increased at every turn that the place so well equipped and completing its appointments was created out of nothing in 15 years was a marvel. After two or three turns they found themselves among shops whose plate glass windows reveal all manner of theirs. Confectionery, new books, pretty glass and china, bonnets of the latest fashion. One or two large pharmacies clittered with chars, purple and other wise enough to tempt any number of rosemons. Handsome carriages drawn by fine horses roll past them with felt rice people inside. In shards and herons was exactly like a thriving eastern town of doubly size. With the difference that here a great many more people seem to ride than to drive. Someone came to pass every moment. A lady alone, two or three girls together while a party of rough looking men in long boots while a single arrangement sitting loose in his stirrups and swinging a stock whip. Clover and Ferner were standing on a corner looking at some rocky mountain curiosities displayed for sale. Minerales, purple pottery stuffed animals and Indian blankets and Phyllid just commented on the beauty of the black horse which was tied to a pose close by and its rider emerged from the shop and prepared to mount. He was a rather good looking young fellow some burnt and not very tall but with a light active figure red brown eyes and a long moustache of tourney chestnut. He was spurs in the broad prim subrero and carried in his handy whip which seemed too surd slash. As he put his foot into the stirrups um ein Radar stehrt at well passing und den changed his intention took it out again and came toward him. I beg your pardon, he said but aren't you, isn't it Clover car? Yes, the Clover wandering but still without the least notion as to whom the stranger might be you have forgotten me when don the young man with a smile which made his face very bright. That's rather hard to, for a new advance I suppose I'm a good deal changed though I shouldn't have made you out except for your eyes, they are just the same. Why Clover, I am your cousin Clarence Page Clarence Page, cried Clover joyfully not rarely Why Clarence, I never should have known you in the world and I can't think how you came to know me I was only 14 when I saw you last and you were quite a little boy but good luck that we should meet and on our first day too someone wrote that you were in Colorado but I had no idea that you lifted some terns I don't, not much I'm living on a range out that way jerking his elbow toward the north west but I ride in often to get the mail Have you just come? You said first day? Yes, we only got here this morning and this is my brother Phil Don't you recollect how he used to tell you about him at Ashburn? I should think you did, shaking hands quite early she used to talk about you all the time so that they felt intimately acquainted with all the family but first red luck it's two years since I saw anyone from home home? well, the east you know it all seems like home when you are out here and I mean anyone I know of course people from the east come out here all the while they are as sick as bumblebees as terns but they don't amount to much unless you know them have you seen anything of Mother and Lily since they got back from Europe Clover? no indeed I haven't seen them since we left here is over Katie has though, she met them at Nice and she was there in the center waiting present you knew that she was married, didn't you? yes, I got her cards Pa sent him he writes often that in the other stool he came out once and stayed a month on the range with me that was while Mother was in Europe where are you stopping? the Shoshun I suppose no, at a quieter place Mrs. Marsh on the same street oh, I know Mother Marsh I went there when he first came out and he caught the mountain fever you are very kind to me I am glad you are there, she is a nice woman how far away is your range? about 60 miles oh, I say Clover, you and filmers come out and stay with us sometime this summer we'll have a round up for you if you will what is a round up? and who is us? the Clover smiling well, a round up is a kind of general master of stock all the animals are driven in and counted and the young ones brand it it's pretty exciting sometimes I can tell you for the cattle get wild and it's all we can do to manage them we should see some of our boys ride it's blended and there's one half spread that's the best hand with the lasso I ever saw Phil will like it, I know and us is me and my partner you have a partner? yes, two in fact but one of them lives in New Mexico just now so he doesn't count that's Bert Tarkot, he's a New York Fellow the others English, a Devonshire man Choff Temple Store is his name nice? you can just bet your pile that he is the clearance, who seem to have simulated western slang with the rest of the west wait till I bring him to see you we'll come in on purpose some day soon well, I must be going goodbye Clover, goodbye Phil it's awfully jolly to have you here I should never have guessed who he was remarked Clover, as the watch the active figure kent her down the street and turned for a last flourish of the head he was the roughest scrappiest boy what a fine looking fellow he is going to be and how well he rides no wonder, a fellow who can have a horse whenever he's in mind too set for endlessly life on the range must be great fun I think yes, in one way but pretty rough and lonely two sometimes it will be nice to go out and see clearances if we can get some lady to go with us won't it? well just don't let it be Mrs. Watson whoever else it is she would spoil it all if she went now Philly, don't you're supposed to be leaning on her for support oh come now, lean on that old thing why she couldn't support the postage same standing edgewise, as the man says in the play do you suppose you don't know how you have to look out for her and do everything she's not a bit of use yes, but you and I have to be polite to her Philly we mustn't forget that oh, I'll be polite enough if she'll leave us alone retarded Phil promising end of chapter 6 end of chapter 6, recording by Ellie february 2010 chapter 7 of Clover this lip-revox recording is in the public domain recording by Ellie Clover besuchst Coolidge chapter 7, making acquaintance Phil was better than his word he was never uncivil to Mrs. Watson and his distant manners which really signified this taste were set down by that lady to boy's shyness they are often like that when they are young, she told Clover but they get briefly over it after a while he'll outgrow it dear and you mustn't let it worry you a bit meanwhile Mrs. Watson's own flow of conversation was so ample that there was never any danger of awkward silences when she was present which was a comfort she had taken Clover into high favor now and Clover deserved it for though she protected herself against encroachments and resolutely kept the greater part of her free time for Phil she was considerate and sweet and manner to the older lady and found spare half hours every day in which to sit and go out with her so that she should not feel neglected Mrs. Watson grew quite fond of her young friend though she stood a little in awe of her too and was disposed to be jealous if anyone showed more attention to Clover than to herself an early outburst of this feeling came on the third day after the arrival when Mrs. Hope asked Phil and Clover to dinner and did not ask Mrs. Watson she had discussed the point with her husband but the doctor jumped on the idea forcibly and protested that if that old thing was to come to would have a consultation in Pueblo and be off in the 530 train so is fate it's not that I care Mrs. Watson should Clover plaintively I have had so much done for me all my life that of course but I do like to be properly treated it isn't as if I were just anybody I don't suppose Mrs. Hope knows much about the Boston society anyway but still and I should think a girl from South Framingham didn't you say she was from South Framingham would at least know who the Abraham Peabody's are and they are Henry's but I don't imagine she was much of anybody before she was married and out here it's all hail fellow and well met they say though in that case I don't see well well it's no matter only it seems queer to me I hint about it when you are there and just explained that my daughter lives next door to the lieutenant governor when she's in the country and opposite the assistant bishop in town and has one of the Harvard Overseers for a near neighbor and is distantly related to the rivers you'd think even a South Framingham girl must know about the Lenten and the Old South and how much they've always been respected at home Clover pacified her as well as she could by assurances that it was not a dinner party and they were only asked to meet one girl who Mrs. Hope wanted her to know if it were a large affair I'm sure you would have been asked too she said and so left the old woman of the sea partly consoled it was the most lovely evening possible as Clover and Phil walked down the street to her doctor hopes soft shadows lay over the lowest births of the ranges the canyons look black and deep and the peaks still glittered in rosy light the messa was in shadow in her plane lay in full sunshine hot and yellow and the west wind was full of mountain fragrance Phil geflittles kipps as he went along already he seemed like a different boy all the troupe and lenge had gone and given place to an acceleration which half frightened Clover who had constant trouble in keeping him from doing things which he knew to be imprudent Dr. Hope had warned her that Invalids often hampt themselves by overexertion under the first stimulus of the high air by her queer she exclaimed stopping suddenly before one of the pretty places just above Mrs. Marsh's boarding house what? don't you see that yard when we came by here yesterday it was all kind grass and rose bushes and girls were playing cricket and now look it's a pond sure enough there were the rose bushes still and the cricket arches but they were standing so to speak up to their knees in pools of water which seemed several inches deeper and covered the whole place with exception of the flagged walks which ran from the gates to the front and side doors of the house Clover noticed now for the first time that these walks were several inches higher than the grass beds on either side she wondered if they were made so on purpose and resolved to notice if the next place had the same arrangement but as they reached the next place and the next the phenomenon was repeated and Dr. Hope's lawn was in the same condition everything was overlaid with water they began to suspect what it must mean and Mrs. Hope confirmed the suspicion it was irrigation day in Mountain Avenue it seemed every street in the town had its appointed period when the invaluable water brought from a long distance for the purpose was laid on and kept at a certain depth for the prescribed number of hours we owe our grass and shrubs and flower beds entirely to this arrangement Mrs. Hope told them we could live through our dry summers if we did not have the irrigating system are the summers still dry? asked Clover, it seems to me that we have had a thunderstorm almost every day since we came we do have a good many thunderstorms Mrs. Hope replied but we can't depend on them for the gardens and did you ever hear such a magnificent thunder? asked Dr. Hope Colorado Thunder beats the world wait, can you see our magnificent Colorado hail? so quickly, that beats the world too it cuts our flowers to pieces and sometimes kills the sheep on the plains we are very proud of it the doctor thinks everything in Colorado perfection I have always pitted places which had to be irrigated remarked Clover with her eyes fixed on the little twin lakes which yesterday were lost but at the beginning to think I was mistaken it's very superior of course to have rains but then at the east we sometimes don't have rains when we want it the house gets dreadfully yellow don't you remember Phil? how hard Katie and I worked last summer to keep the geraniums and fuchsias alive in that long draft now if we had had water like this to come once a week and make a nice tip on for us how different it would have been oh you must come out west for real comfort said Dr. Hope the east is a dreadfully one horse little place anyhow but you don't mean New York and Boston and you say one horse little place surely don't I? said the undante doctor wait till you see more of us out here yes Poppy at last grabbed Mrs. Hope as a girl came hurriedly up the walk you are late dear Poppy was real name was Mary and Chase was the girl who had been asked to meet them she was a tall rosy creature to whom Clover took an instant fancy and seemed in perfect hers yet she told them that when she had come out to Colorado 3 years before she had traveled on a mattress than the trained nursing attendants your brother will be a strong a stronger than I at the end of a year she said or if he doesn't get well as fast as he ought you must take him up to the huge valley that's where I made my first gain worsted valley 30 miles away to the north west up there on the mountains it's a great deal higher than this and such a lovely peaceful place I hope you'll go there we shall of course if Phil needs it so much that I would rather stay here if I can dinner was now announced and Mrs. Hope led the way into a pretty room hung within cravings and old plates after the modern fashion where a widespread table stood decorated with wild flowers candlesticks with little red shaped tapers and a pyramid of plums and apricots there was the usual succession of soup, fish and roast and salad which one looks for at the dinner on sea level winding up with ice cream of a highly civilized description but Glover could scarcely eat for wondering how all these things had come there so soon so very soon it seemed like magic a minute the solemn peaks and passes the prairie dogs and the sunny plain the next oldest partiers and rocks and edgings and down pillows and pretty devices in glass and china as if some enchanted swan had tapped the wilderness and hey presto modern civilization had sprung up like jonas god all in a minute which Aladdin summoned into being in a single night for the occupation of the princess of china by the wrapping of his wonderful lamp then, just as the fruit plates were put on the table came a call and the doctor was out in the hall hollowing and conducting with some distant patient one of those mysterious telephonic conversations which to those who overheard them seemed all replies and no questions it was most remarkable and quite unlike a preconceived ideas of what was likely to take place in the base of the rocky mountains a pleasant evening followed poppy played delightfully on the piano later came a rubber of fist it was like home before these children go let us settle about the drive said doctor hope to his wife oh yes miscar oh please, won't you call me clover indeed i will, clover then we want to take you for a good long drive tomorrow and show you something but the trouble is the doctor and I will tell you as to what the something shall be I want you to go see Odin's garden and the doctor insists that you ought to go to see the Cheyenne cannons first because those are his favourites now, we shall it be, we'll leave it to you but how can you choose I don't know either of them what the queer name Odin's garden I tell you how you settled it great Mary and Chase whose nickname it seemed to have been given to her because when she first came to St. Helens there was a punch of poppies in her head take them to Cheyenne tomorrow and the next day or Thursday let me get up a picnic for Odin's garden just a few of our special cronies the errands and the blankets and Mary Pearlham and Will Armory will you dear mrs. Hope and be our matron, it would be lovely mrs. Hope consented and clover walked home as if shredding on air was this the St. Helens to which she had looked forward with so much dread such pleasant things happened and people were so kind how she wished that she could get at Katie and Papa for five minutes on a wishing carpet or something to tell them how different everything was from what she had expected one thing only mad anticipations for tomorrow which was the fear that mrs. Watson might be hurt and make a scene happily mrs. Hope's thoughts took the same direction and by some occult process of influence the use of which good wives understand she prevailed on her refractory doctor to allow the old lady to be asked to join the party so early next morning came a very polite note and it was proposed that Phil should ride the doctor's horse and take this escort to mrs. Chase who was to go on horseback likewise no proposal could have been more agreeble to Phil who had bought horses and seldom had the chance to mount one so everyone was pleased and mrs. Watson bringed her ancestral feathers with great satisfaction you see my dear well it was to give that little hint about the rivers and ebra and peabodies she said clover felt dreadfully dishonest but she dared not confess but she had forgotten all about the hint still less that she had never meant to give one the better part of valor is discretion she remembered so she held her peace though her cheeks clothed geltily at three o'clock they set forth in a light roomy carriage not exactly a carry-all but of the carry-all family mrs. Chase and Phil happily cantering alongside or before or behind just as it happened the sun was very hot but there was delicious breeze and the dryness and elasticity of the air made the heat easy to bear the valley crossing down the southern slope of the plateau in which the town was built then they came to splendid fields of grain and alfalfa a cereal quite new to them with broad, very green leaves chileas and mountain palm high pink and purple spikes like foxcloths which they were told by pen testament painters brush whose green tips seemed tipped in liquid vermillion and masses of splendid wild poppies they crossed a foaming little river and the sharp turn brought them into a narrower and wilder road which ran straight toward the mountainside this was overhung by trees whose shade was greatful after the hot sun narrower and narrower grew the road and more and more sharp the turns they were at the entrance of a deep defile at which the road wound and wound followed the links of the river which they crossed and re-crossed repeatedly such a wonderful and perfect little river with water clear as air and cold as ice flowing over a bed of smooth granite here sleeping noiselessly down long slopes of rock like thin films of glass they are deepening into pools of translucent blue green like aquamarino barrel again plunging down in mimic waterfalls a sheet of iridescent foam the sound of its rush and its ripple was like a laugh never was such happy water clover salt as it curved and bent and swayed this way and that on its downward course as it moved by some merike precious instinct like a child dancing as it goes regiments of great ferns grew along its banks and immense cickets of wild roses of all shades from deep checkwilm and red to pale blueish white here and there rose a lonely spike of yucca and in the little ray winds to right and left grew in the crevices of rocks clumps of superb strong-colored colombines for feet high looking up, clover salt above the treetops strange pineclas inspires and obelisks which seemed air-hung of purple red and orange tourney and pale pinkish gray in terracotta which in the sunshine and cloud shadows broke in the multiplicity of wonderful halftints above them was the dazzling blue of the colorado sky through a long, long press so this is a canyon, she said how glad I am that I have lived to see one yes, this is a canyon Dr. Hope replied, some of us think it's a canyon but there are dozens of others and not two of them I like I am glad you are pleased with this for it's my favorite I wish your father could see it clover hardly understood what he said she was so fascinated and absorbed she looked up at the bright pinnacles down at the flowers and the sheen the clover pulls and the mad rush of its cascades and felt as though she were in a dream through the dream she caught half comprehended fragments of conversation from the seat behind Mrs. Watson was giving her impressions of the scenery it's pretty suppose, she remarked but it's so very queer and I'm not used to queer things this road is frightfully narrow if a load of hay, a big conquer coach should come along I can't think what we should do I see that Mr. Hope drives carefully but yet, you don't think we should meet anything of the kind today, do you doctor? not the conquer coach and certainly not the haywagon for they don't make hay up here in the mountains well, that is a relief I didn't know, Aaron she always says mother, you are a fidget but when one grows old and has werfs in the heart as I have you never we might meet one of those big peddlers wagons though and the frightened horse is worse than anything oh, what's that coming now let us get out, doctor Hope pray, let us get out sit still, ma'am for Mrs. Watson was wildly fumbling at the fastening of the door Mary put your arm around Mrs. Watson and hold her tight there will be a real accident sure as fate if you don't then in a gentle tone it's only a buggy, ma'am there is plenty of room there is no possible risk for peddlers autumn earth where the peddler be doing up here oh, I didn't know repeated poor Mrs. Watson nervously she watched the buggy timmarously till it was safely passed then her spirits revived well, she cried we are safe this time but I call it tempting providence to drive so fast on such a rough road if all canyons are as wild as this I shan't ever venture to go into another bless me, this is one of our mildest specimens the doctor Hope who seemed to have a perverse desire to drive Mrs. Watson at this place for canyons this is a smooth one but some canyons are real rough do you remember, Mary? the day we got stuck up at the top of Westmoreland and we had to unhitch the horses and how I stood in the middle of the creek and yanked the carriage around while you heard them that was the day we heard the mountain lion and there were fresh beer tracks all over the mud, you remember God gracious, cried Mrs. Watson quite pale what an awful place, beers and lions what on earth did you go there for? oh, pully for bläscher replied the doctor lightly we don't mind such little matters out west we try to accustom ourselves to wild beasts and make friends of them John, don't talk such nonsense cried his wife quite angrily Mrs. Watson, you must believe a word the doctor says I lived in Colorado nine years that I've never once in a mountain lion or a beer alder except it's tough to once in the shops don't let the doctor frighten you but doctor hopes wicked work was done Mrs. Watson, quite unconvinced by these well-mente assurances said pale and awestruck repeating under her breath dreadful, what will Ellen say beers and lions, odia me look look, cried Clover who had not listened to a word of this conversation did you ever see anything so lovely she referred to what she was looking at a small point of pale, straw colored rock some hundreds of feet in height which her turn in the road had just revealed soaring up off the tops of the trees I don't see that it's lovely at all said Mrs. Watson testily it's unnatural if that's what you mean, rocks ought not to be their color they never hide the east it looks to me exactly like an enormous unreipanana standing on end this simile nearly finished the party it's big enough to disagree with all the Sunday schools in creation at once remarked the doctor beneath his shots while even Clover shook his laughter Mrs. Watson felt that she made a hit and grew complacent again see what your brother picked for me cried Poppy, riding alongside exhibiting a great chief of Columbine tied to the palm of her saddle and how do you like no Cheyenne isn't it an exquisite place perfectly lovely, I feel as if I must come here every day yes I know, but there are so many other places out here about which you have that feeling now we'll show you the other Cheyenne canon the twin of this, said Dr. Hope but you must prepare your mind to find it entirely different after rather half mile or two through woods they came to a wooden shed or shanty at the mouth of a gorge and here Dr. Hope drew up his horses and helped them out is it much of a walk? asked Mrs. Watson it is rather long and steep, said Mrs. Hope but it is lovely, if you only go a little way in and you and I shall sit down the moment you feel tired and let the others go forward South Cheyenne canon was indeed entirely different instead of a green flood it is a wild mountain gorge walled with precipitous cliffs of great height and its river every canyon has a river comes from a source at the top of the gorge in a series of mad leaps forming seven waterfalls which plunge into circular basins of rocks one smooth by the action of the stream these pools are curiously various in shape and the color of the water passes a moment to rest in each before taking its next plunge is beautiful little blank rocks were laid along the river side and roots their cases for the steepest pitches at this the party went leaving Mrs. Watson and Mrs. Hope far behind Poppy with a habit over her arm Clover stopping every moment to pick some new flower fell shining stones in the rapids as he passed till the top of the topmost cascade was reached and looking back they could see the whole wonderful way Climb and down which the river made its turbulent rush Clover gettert a great met of green-skulled buried wine like glorified cranberry which Dr. Hope told her was the famous knick-knick and was just remarking on the cool water which filled the place when all of a sudden these sounds seemed to grow angry the defile of precipices turned the frown in blue and looking up they saw a great zander cloud gathering overhead we must run, cried Dr. Hope raising at full speed along the long flights of steps and blank walks which echoed at the sound of the flying feet far below, they could see two fast moving specks which they guessed to be Mrs. Hope and Mrs. Watson hurrying to a place of shelter nearer and nearer came the storm louder the growl of the zander and great hail stones patted on their heads before they gained the cabin none too soon, for in another moment the cloud broke and the air was full of a dizzy whirl of sleet and rain Others, besides themselves, had been surprised in the ravine and in a few minutes an other in an other wet figure would come flying down the pass so that the little refuge was soon full the storm lasted half an hour then it scattered as rapidly as it had come the sun broke out brilliantly and the drive home would have been delightful if it had not been for the sad fact that Mrs. Watson had left a parasol in the carriage and it had been wet and somewhat stained by the India rubber blanket so as not to be blown over it for protection her lamentations were pathetic Jane Phillips gave it to me she was a Samson, you know and I thought I was so much of it it was at Harvey's we were there together and I admired it and she said, Mrs. Watson, you must let me $6 was the price of it that's a good deal for a parasol, you know unless it's a really nice one but Harvey's things are always nice I had the handle shortened a little just before I came away too it had to be mended anyhow so that it seemed good dear, dear, and now it's bald what a pity I left it in the carriage I shall know better in another time but this climate is so different it never rains in this way at home it takes a little while about it and gives notice and we say that there is going to be a nice Easter or that it looks like a thunderstorm and we put on our second best clothes or we stay at home it's a great deal nice I think kind little Mrs. Hope our storms out here to come up very suddenly I wish I'd noticed that you had left your parasol Well, Clover you've had a chance now to see the doctor's beautiful Colorado hail and center to perfection how do you like them I like everything in Colorado, I believe replied Clover loving I won't even accept the hail she's the girl for this part of the world called Dr. Hope approvingly she'd make a first rate pioneer we'll keep her out here, Mary to go home, she was born to live at the west was I it seems queer then, that they should have been born to live in Bernhard oh, we'll change that I'm sure I don't see how they are ways and means, irregularly Mrs. Watson was so cast down by the Missed Adventure for parasol the chicks pressed no regret at not being asked to join in the picnic next day especially a she understood that it consisted of young people Mrs. Hope very rightly decided that the whole day out of doors in a rough place would give pain rather than pleasure to a person who was both so feeble and so fussy and did not suggest her going Clover and Phil woke up quite fresh and untired after a sound night's sleep they seemed to limit what might be done and enjoyed in that inexhaustible renovating air Odin's garden proved by a wonderful assemblage of rocky shapes rising from the grass and flowers of a lonely little plain on the far side of the mesa and a smile from St. Helens the name of the place can probably from something suggestive in the forms of the rocks which reminded Clover of pictures she had seen of a syrian and egyptian rock carvings there were lion shapes and bull shapes like the rudely chiseled gods of some heathen warship there were slender points and obelisk 300 feet high and something suggesting a cat-face deity and queer similitudes of crocodiles and apes all in the strange orange and red of the formations of the region it was a wonderful rather than a beautiful place but the day was spent very happily under those mysterious stones which, as the long afternoon shadows scattered over the plain and the sky glowed with sunset crimson which seemed like a reflection from the rocks themselves became more mysterious still of the merry young party which made up the picnic 7 out of 9 had come to Colorado for her but no one would have guessed it they seemed so well and so full of enjoyment of life all together there was a day to be marked not with a white stone that would not have seemed appropriate to Colorado but with a red one Clover, writing about it afterward to Elsie felt to her descriptions to so best stay at home might easily sound overdrawn and exaggerated and wound up her lettered house perhaps you think that I am romanzing but I am not a bit every word I say is perfectly true I only have made the colors half bright Colorado is the most beautiful place in the world MB, Clover had seen by the limited portion of the world so far I only wish you could all come out to observe for yourselves that I am not flipping though it sounds like it End of Chapter 7 Recording by Ellie September 2009 Chapter 8 of Clover This will provokes recordings in the public domain Recording by Ellie Clover by Susan Coolidge Chapter 8 High Valley Clover was putting first chamber to rights and turning it into a sitting home for the day which was always her first task in the morning there had been its inheritance nearly three weeks now and the place had taken on a very homelike appearance all the books and photographs were unpacked the washed and advantage behind the screen made of a three lift glass frame draped his chins while a ruffled cover of the same grey chins on which sponges of crimson and pinker aniums streichelt over a green colored ground griff to the narrow bed the air of a respectable white sofa The air, those look very nice I think she said giving the last touch to a bowl full of beautiful garden roses how sweet the air your young man seems rather clever about roses remarked Phil who boy like daily love to thesis sister my young man as you call him has a father with a gardener replied Clover calmly quiet for that in a cordial kindly place like St. Helens people soon make acquaintances and Clover and Phil felt as if they already knew half the people in the town everyone had come to see them and they lutscht them with flowers and invitations to dine, to drive, to take tea among the rest came Mr. Serber Wade whom Phil was pleased to call Clover's young man the son of a rich New York banker whose ill-heilster brought him to live in St. Helens and who had built a handsome house in the principal street the scalded youth had several times sent roses to Clover a fact which Phil had noticed and upon which he was fond of commenting speaking of young man went on Clover what do you suppose has become of Clarence Page he said he should come in to see us soon but that was ever so long ago he is a fraude suspect replied Phil lazily from his sofa in the window he had a geometry on his knees and was supposed to be going on with his education but in reality he was looking at the mountains I suppose people are pretty busy on ranges though he added perhaps they are sheep shearing oh it isn't the sheep range don't you remember his saying that the cattle got very wild and that they had to ride after them they wouldn't ride after sheep I hope he hasn't forgotten about us I was so glad to see him while this talk went on Clarence was cantering down the lower end of the youth pass on his way to St. Helens 3h später his name was brought up to them how nice, cried Clover I think it's a relative he might let him come here Phil with so much place entered in the palace Clarence, who passed the interval of waiting in noting the different varieties of cough among the sick people in the palace was quite of her opinion how troll you look was almost his first remark I'm glad you've got a little place of your own and don't have to sit with those poor creatures downstairs all the time it is much nicer some of them are getting better though some of them aren't there's one poor fellow in a reclining chair who looks badly that's the one whose room Mrs. Watson has marked for her own she asks him three times a day how he feels with all the solicitude of a mother said Phil who is Mrs. Watson well, she's an old lady who is somehow fastened to us and to consider herself our shepherd by but first we want to go talk all by ourselves not tell us why you haven't come to see us before we've been hoping for you every day well I wanted to come badly enough but there has been a combination of hindrances two of our men got sick so there was more to do than usual then Choff had to be away for days and almost as soon as he got back he had bad news from home and they hated to leave him alone what sort of bad news as that poor fellow in England too you said he was English, didn't you yes, she was married her husband was a clergyman down in Cornwall somewhere she was older than Choff a good deal but he was very fond of her and the news kept him dreadfully no wonder it is horrible to hear such a thing when one is far away from home observed Clover she tried to realize how she would feel but her mind refused to accept the question the very idea made her shiver poor fellow, she said again what could you do for him, Glarens not much I'm a poor-handed comforting anyone man generally I guess Choff knows I'm sorry for him but it takes a woman to say the right thing at such times we sit in smoke when the work's done and we know what he's thinking about but we don't say anything 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 them feel can have all the riding events and it will do poor Choff lots of good to see someone 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. Candy out here but I suppose you'd want another lady how would it be if I asked Mrs. Hope the doctors 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 Mrs. Hope would stay on, would you come for a week? I guess you'll like it I guess we should exclaim Clover, her face lighting up Clarence hat die leidvolle Sounds it will be lovely to come with Mrs. Hope says yes then that's alright replied Clarence looking extremely pleased my ride up to the doctors is soon as dinner's over you'll join 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 have been great jams ever since I had fever here and she took care of me Clover was amused at dinner to watch the cool deliberation which Clarence started Mrs. Watson in her deutscheres Conversation and as you would have expressed it took stock of her the result was not favourable apparently what on earth did they send that old thing with you for he asked us soonest event 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 when she likes to imagine she's taking care of me and as it does no harm I let her taking care of you I wouldn't trust her to take care of a blue-eyed kitten observed the reverent Clarence well, I'll ride up and settle with the hopes and stop to 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 dreamed so to speak and the traveling energies ridicrete about them and easily adopt any plan which promises pleasure the following day was fixed for the start and Clover packed her release and fells back with a sense of acceleration and escape she was in truce getting very tired of the exceptions of Mrs. Watson Mrs. Watson on her part did not at all approve of the excursion I think, she said swelling with offended dignity that your cousin didn't know much about politeness when he left me out of his invitation and asked Mrs. Hope instead yes or no, the Doctor had to go up anyway that may be true and it may not but it doesn't all to the case what am I to do I should like to know if the werfs of my heart don't open or don't shut, whichever it is while I'm left all alone among strangers sent for Doctor Hope suggested Phil, he'll only begun one night Clover doesn't know anything about werfs my cousin lives in a rather rough way I imagine in the post-Clover was there a proven look at Phil he would hardly like to ask a stranger in his house when he might not be able to make her comfortable Mrs. Hope has been there before and she's an old friend oh, I dare say there are always reasons I don't say that they should have felt like going but the Doctor have asked me Ellen will be surprised and so will when he must know the Parmenters and Mrs. Parmenter's brother's son is a partner of Henry's brother-in-law it's of no consequence of course by the way into fragmentary and inaudible lamentings Clover attempted no further excuse her good sense told her that she had a perfect right to accept this little pleasure that Mrs. Watson's plans for western travel have been found quite independently of their own and the Papa would not wish her to sacrifice herself in Phil to such unreasonable humours still it was a pleasant and I'm sorry to say that from this time they did a change of feeling on Mrs. Watson's part toward her young friends in grievance toward them confided her wrongs to all newcomers and make Clover with an offended airwitch to Clover ignored it did not add to the happiness of her life at Mrs. Marsh's it was early in the afternoon when they started and the sun was just dipping behind the mountain wall when they drove into the high valley it was one of those natural parks four miles long which lie like heaven-planted gardens among the Colorado ranges the richest of grass clustered in clusters hier und there and the spaces about the house where fences of barbed wire defended the grass from the cattle seemed a carpet of wildflowers Clover exclaimed as they lighted the view the ranges, which leapt and held the high sheltered upland in a brace open toward the south and revealed a splendid lonely peak on whose summit a drift of freshly fallen snow was lying, the contrast was the verdurend bloom below was charming the cabin, it was little more back by a group of noble red sedders it was bird of logs, long and low with a rude porch in front supported with unbacked tree trunks two fine collies rushed to meet them parking vociferously and at the sound Clarence hurried to the door he met them with great enthusiasm lifted out Mrs. Hope, the Clover and then began shouting for his chum who was inside hello choff, where are you? hurry up, they have come then as he appeared ladies and gentlemen, my partner Choffrey Templestow war the tallest in your young Englishman his ratty hair and beard, griff blue eyes and an unmistakable air of good breeding he wore a blue flannel shirt and high boots like Clarence yet somehow he made Clarence look a little rough and undistinguished he was quiet in speech, reserved the men and seemed depressed and under a cloud but Clover liked his face at once he looked both strong and kind she sawed the house consisted of a large square room in the middle a parlor in dining rooms and on either side two bedrooms the kitchen was in a separate building there was no lack of comfort those things were rather rude and the place had a bare masculine look the floor was drawn with coyote and foxkins two or three easy chairs to the round the fireplace in which July as it was a big lock was blazing the covers were shabby and warm but they looked very comfortable and were evidently in constant use there was not the least attempted prettiness anywhere Pipes and books and old newspapers littered the chairs and tables when an extra seat was needed Clarence simply tippte great pile of these onto the floor again wreck hung upon the wall together with several long stockwebs and two or three pairs of spurs and the smell of tobacco pervaded the place Clover's eyes wandered to the corner west of the small parlor organ and over at the shelf of books she rose to examine them to her surprise they were all humanals there were no others she wondered what it meant Clarence given up his own bedroom to fill and was to jump with his friend some little attempt had been made to adorn the rooms which were meant for the ladies clean towels had been spread over the pine shelves which did the duty for dressing tables and on each so the tumbler stuffed as full as it could hold with purple pen testimons Clover could not help loving yet there was something pathetic to her and the clams in my leg arrangement by putting a few of the flowers in her dress and went out again to the parlor where Mrs. Hope set by the fire quizzing the two partners who were hard at work setting their tea table it was rather at all spectacle the two muscular young fellows crickling two and four in their heavy boots and taking such an infinitude of paints with their operations one would have set a plate on the table and the other would force this all to its position slightly or lift its groty nice tumbler and dust its edacious leave with a glass towel each spoon was polished is the greatest particularity before it was laid on the tray each knife passed under inspection visitors were not an everyday luxury in the high valley and too much care could not be taken for the entertainment it seemed supper was brought in by a Chinese cook in a pigtail, wooden shoes and a blue mother hubbored, too low by name he was evidently a good cook for the cornbread and fresh mountain draught and the ham and eggs were savory to the last degree so we slept checks, we switched the meal concluded and we tried eating with the sauce of melted raspberry jelly deserved even higher in chromium we are willing to be treated as company this first night observed Mrs. Hope but if you are going to keep us for a week you must let us make ourselves useful and set the table and arrange the rooms for you we will begin tomorrow morning at the clover, maybe clearance maybe play that this is our house and do what we like and change about in the range things it will be such fun fire away set your cousin calmly the more you change the more we shall like it Jof and I aren't set in our ways and are glad enough to be let off duty for a week they had this yours just as long as you will stay just do what you like with it though we are pretty good housekeepers too considering don't you think so do you believe he meant it as clover confidentially afterward of Mrs. Hope do you think they really wouldn't mind being tidied up a little I should so like to give the drone a good dusting if it wouldn't wax them my dear, they will probably never know the difference except by vague sense of improved comfort men are dreadfully untidy as a general thing and left to themselves but they like very well to have other people make things neat Mr. Tempelstor told Phil that they go off early in the morning and don't come back till breakfast at half past seven so if they wake up early enough I shall try to do a little setting to rides before they come in and I will come to help if I don't oversleep declare Mrs. Hope but this air makes me feel dreadfully as if I shot I shall call you, so clover but it will be nice to have you if you come she stood at her window after Mrs. Hope had gone for last look at the peak which glittered sharply in the light of the moon the air was like scented wine she threw a long press how lovely it is, she said to herself and kissed her hand to the mountain good night, you beautiful thing she focused the first beam of yellow sun after eight hours of dreamless sleep with a keen sense of renovation and refreshment the great splashing was going on in the opposite wing and many voices hushed to suppressed tones were audible then came a sound of boots on the porch and peeping from behind her curtain she saw Clarence and his friends triding across the grass in the direction of the stock hats she glanced at her watch it was a quarter past five now is my chance, she sawed und dreißing rapidly, she put on a little camber check it, knotted her hair up tied a handkerchief over it and hurried into the sitting room her first act was to throw open all the windows to let out the smell of stale tobacco her next to handful broom she found one at last hanging on the door of a sort of store closet in moving the furniture is noiselessly as she could she gave the room a rapid but effectually sweeping while the dust settled she stole out of the place on the hillside before she had noticed some mariposa lilies growing and gathered a large bunch then she proceeded to dust and straighten sorted out the newspapers wiped the woodwork with a damp cloth arranged these orderly books and set the breakfast table when all this was done there was still time to finish her toilet and put a pretty hand in the custom coils and waves so the Clarence and Mr. Templestow came in to find the fireplace the room bright and neat Mrs. Hope sitting at the table in the pretty violet kingham put a coffee which Chulou had brought in and clovered the good fair of this transformation scene in a fresh blue muslin with a ribbon to match in her hair just setting the mariposas in the middle of the table the lilac-strick bells nodded from a tall vase of ground glass O. S. A. cried Clarence this is something like isn't it scrumptious choff they had never looked like this before it's wonderful what the woman no, two women with a bow to Mrs. Hope making things pleasant where did that vase come from clover we never owned anything so fine as that I'm sure it came from a bag and it is present for you in Mr. Templestow I saw it in a shop window yesterday and it occurred to me that it might be just this thing for High Valley in Philly Gap Mrs. Hope has brought you each a pretty coffee cup it was a merry meal the pleasant look of the room the little surprises and the refreshment of seeing new and kindly faces and warmed him out of his reserve he grew cheerful and friendly Clarence was in a prauria spirits and Philly even worse it seemed as if the air of the High Valley had got to his head Mr. Hope left it noon after making a second visit to the lame herder and Mrs. Hope and Clover settled themselves for a week of enjoyment they were alone for hours every day while the young hosts were off on the range and they devoted part of this time to various useful and decorative arts the two gold men of Liberty poked about and rummaged mended, sponged, assorted and felt themselves completely mistresses of the situation a note to Mary and Chase brought up a big parcel by stage to the Ute Valley for miles away from which it was fetched over by a cowboy on horseback and Clover worked the way busily its crimmed curtains for the windows while Mrs. Hope shaped the slip cover of great shins for the shabbiest of the armchairs him the great square of gold colored and made a bright red pink hush and a piece for the bachelor quarters the sitting room took on quite a new aspect and every added touch gave immense satisfaction to the boys as Mrs. Hope called them who sorely enjoyed the effect of these administrations though they had not the least idea how to produce themselves creature comforts were not forgotten the two ladies amused themselves with experiments in cookery the herders brought a basket of wild raspberries and Clover turned them into chamfer winter use Clarence gloated over the little white pots and was never tired of counting them they looked so like New England he declared that he felt as if we must get a girl at once and go and walk in the graveyard a pastime which he remembered as universal in his native town various cakes and puddings appeared to attest the industry of the housekeepers and on the only wet evening when a wild sun Nagas was sweeping down the valley they had a wonderful candy pole and made enough to give all the cowboys a treat it must not be supposed that all the time went in these domestic pursuits no indeed, Mrs. Hope had brought her own side saddle and had bought one for Clover the place was full of horses and not the day passed without the long ride up or down the valley and into the charming little side canyons which opened from it a spirited poncho named Zarrell had been made over to fierce use for the time of his stay and he was never out of the saddle when he could help it except to eat and sleep and so Clover felt nervous about the risk she ran whenever she took time to sink them over he was so very happy that she did not have the heart to interfere check his pleasure she and Mrs. Hope brought out with the gentleman on the great day of the roundup and stationed at the safe point a little way up the hillside watched the spectacle the plunging excited herd the cowboys madly galloping swinging their long whips and lessers darting too and full to head off speed both Clarence und Choffery-Tempelstow were bold and expert riders but the Mexican and Texan-Herders in their employ far surpassed them the ladies had never seen anything like it Florence's poncho were in the midst of sinks of course and had one or two tumbles but nothing to hurt them only Clover was very thankful when it was all safely over in the rides and scrambling walks it generally happened that Clarence took possession of Clover and left Choff in charge of Mrs. Hope und old friendship gave him a ride he considered and he certainly took full advantage of it Clover liked Clarence but there were moments when she felt that she would rather enjoy the chance to talk more with Mr. Tempelstow and there was a look in his eyes now and then which seemed to say that he might enjoy it too but Clarence did not observe this look and he had no idea of sharing his favorite cousin with anyone if he could help it Sunday brought the explanation of the shelf full of prayer books which had bustled them on the first arrival there was no church within reach and it was Choff's regular custom it seemed to hold a little service for the men in the valley almost all of them came except a few Mexicans who were Roman Catholics and the room was quite full Choff read the service well and reverently gave out the hymns and played the accompaniments for them closing with the brief bit of his sermon by the elder Arnold it was all done simply in the semeter of course and Clarence seemed to join in it and wondered whether the idea of doing such a thing would have entered into his head had he been left alone or if so, whether he would have cared enough about it to carry it out regularly she doubted whatever the shortcomings of the Church of England maybe she certainly trained her children into a devout observance of Sunday the next day, Monday, was their last effektlamenti per everyone particularly Phil, who regarded the high valley as a paradise and would gladly remain there for the rest of his natural life Clover hated to take him away but Dr. Hope had warned her privately that the week would be enough of it and that with Phil's tendency to overdue too long a stay would be undesirable so she stood firm to Clarence urged the delay and Phil seconded the proposal with all his might the very pleasantest moment of all the visit perhaps came on that last afternoon and Choff got her to himself for once and took her up a trail where she had not yet been in search of scalloped estimates to carry back to St. Helens they found three chiefs of the Slender Stamps as it were, is truly like blossoms but what was better still, they had a talk and Clover felt that she had now a new friend Choff told of his people at home and a little about the sister who had lately died only a little he could not yet trust himself to talk about her long Clover listened with a frank and gentle interest she liked to hear about the old grange at the head of a China bath globally but Choff was born in which at once been full of boys and girls Laos kettet in the English fashion to all parts of the world there was Ralph in his regiment in India he was the heir it seemed and Chippen check in Australia and Oliver was his wife and children in New Zealand and Elneterro and another boy fitting for the civil service there was a mere assistant in Scotland and other in London and Isabel the youngest of all still at home the light of the house and the special bed of the old squire and of Choff's mother who he told Clover had been a great beauty in her youth and though nearly 70 was in his eyes beautiful still it's pretty quiet there for Isabel, he said but she has Mrs. Helens two children to care for and that will keep her busy I used to think she come out to me one of these years for a twelve months but there's little chance of her being spared now Clover's Sympathy did not take the form of words it looked out of her eyes and spoke in the harsh tones of her soft voice Choff felt that it was there and he comforted him the poor fellow was very lonely in those days and inclined to be homesick as even a manly man sometimes is what an awful time Adam must have had of it before Eve came called Clarence that evening as he sat around the fire he had a pretty bad time after she came if I remember the Clover loving ah, but he had her stuffed and nonsense he was a long shot happier without her and her old apple I think put in Phil, your fellows don't know when you are well off everybody laughed Phil's notion of paradise is the high valley in Seurell and Mogar is about to bother and tell him not to get too tired I'm a Clover it is a fair vision but like all fair visions it must end and ended the next day when Dr. Hope appeared with the carriage and the bags and settlers were put in and the great bundle of white flowers was the stem's tight wet moss and felled one from his beloved Bruncho and her spec he passed so many happy hours was forced to accompany the others back to civilization I shall see you very soon Sir Clarence tucking a lab robe around Clover there is mail to fetch and other things I shall be riding in every day or two I shall see you very soon Sir Choff on the other side Clarence is not coming without me I can assure you then the carriage drove away and the two partners went back into the house which looked suddenly empty and deserted I'll tell you what, begin Clarence and I'll tell you what Rejoined Choff a house isn't worth a red cent which hasn't a woman in it You might ride down and ask Miss Perkins to step up in the dawn of our lives set his friend grimly Miss Perkins was a particularly rigid spinster who thought his school six miles distant and for whom Clarence entertained a particular distaste You be hanged I don't mean that kind, I mean The nice kind, like Mrs. Hope and your cousin Well, I'm agreed I shall go down after the mail tomorrow remarked Clarence between the paths of his pipe So shall I All right, come along but though the words sounded hardy the tone rather beleid them Clarence was a little puzzled by and did not quite like this new one enthusiasm on the part of his comrade End of Chapter 8, Recording by Ellie March 2010 Chapter 9 of Clover This lip-revox recording is in the public domain Recording by Ellie Clover by Susan Coolidge Chapter 9, Over a Pass Through to the Resolve the young heads of the High Valley Ranch rode together to St. Helens the next day ostensibly to get their letters in reality to call the late departed guests they talked imicably as the vent but unconsciously each was watching the other's mood and speech to like the same girl makes young men curiously observant of each other a disappointment was in store for them they had taken it for granted that Clover would be as disengaged and as much at her service as she had been in the valley but no, she sat on the piassa with a lot of girls about her and the young man in an extremely fetching costume of Snow White Duck with a flower in his buttonhole or spending over her chair and talking in the low voice of something which seemed of interest he looked provokingly cool and comfortable to the dusty horsemen and very much at home Phil, who launched against the piassa rail opposite dispensed an enormous and meaning wink at his two friends as they came up the steps Clover jumped up from her chair and gave them a most cordial reception How delightful to see you again so soon she said then she introduced him to a girl in pink and a girl in blue as Miss Purham and Miss Blanchett and they shook hands with Mary and Chase whom they already knew and lastly were presented to Mr. Wade the youth in white this real young man, either one or the other is not a very friendly scrutiny just will be the necessary outward politeness then you will be all ready for Thursday and your brother too of course and my mother will stop for you at half past ten on her way down they heard him say Miss Chase will go with the hopes oh yes, they will be plenty of room no danger about that we are almost sure to have good weather too good morning I am so glad you enjoyed the roses there was a splendid cluster of Jack Vierman's buds in Clover's dress at which Clarence clared wrysfully as he caught his words the only consolation was that the Grinch and Duck was going he was making his last bows and one of the girls went with him which still father reduced the number of what in his heart Clarence dignitarized as he cried I must go too set the girl in blue goodbye, Clover I shall run in a minute tomorrow to talk over the last arrangements for Thursday what's going to happen on Thursday called Clarence as soon as she departed oh such delightful thing cried Clover sparkling and dimpling old Mr. Wade the father of young Mr. Wade whom you saw just now the director on the railroad, you know and they have given him the director's car to take a party or the martial pass and he has asked Phil and me to go it is such a surprise ever since we came to St. Helens people have been telling us what a beautiful journey it is but they never supposed should have the chance to take it Mrs. Hope is going too and the doctor Ms. Chase and Ms. Perham all the people we know best in fact, isn't it nice? oh, certainly, very nice replied Clarence in a tone of deep offense he was most unreasonable in the sulks Clover glanced him with surprise and then a choff was talking to Marion he looked a little serious and not so bright as in the valley but he was making himself very pleasant nonwithstanding surely he had the same causes for annoyance as Clarence but his breeding forbade him to show whatever inward vexation he may have felt certainly not to allow it to influence his manners Clover drew a mental contrast to which was not to Clarence's advantage who's that fellow anyway demanded Clarence how long have you known him what business has he to be bringing you roses and making a parties to take you off on private cars something in Clover's usually soft eyes made him stop suddenly I beg your pardon he said in an altered tone I rarely think you should replied Clover he spread the dignity then she moved away and began to talk to Jove whose grave courtesy at once warmed his son Clarence tass left to pray to remorse was wretched he tried to catch Clover's eyes but she wouldn't look at him leaned against the bell of street moody and miserable Phil, who had watched his various interludes with interest indicated his condition to Clover with an other telegraphic wink she clenced the cross relented and made Clarence a little signal to come and sit by her after that all went happily Clover was honestly delighted to see her two friends again however the Clarence had recovered from his ill temper there was nothing to mother enjoyment Jove's horse had cast a shoe on the way down it seemed and must be taken to the blacksmiths so they did not stay very long but it was arranged that they should come back to dinner at Mrs. Marsh's what the raving bellioir remarked Mary and Chase as the young man rode away three is a good many at the time though isn't it three what three leaves to one Clover it's the usual allowance I believe oh, I dare say there will be they seem to collect around you like wasps around honey it's natural law I presume gravitational levitation which is it I am sure I don't know and don't try to tease me Poppy people out here so kind that it's enough to spoil anybody kind fossils do you consider all pure kindness rarely for such a bell you are very innocent I wish you wouldn't protested Clover loving and colouring I never was a bell in my life that is the second time you've called me that nobody ever said such things to me in Bernhard ah, you had to come to Colorado to find out how attractive you could be Bernhard must be a very quiet place never mind you shan't be teased Clover dear only don't let these three fall of yours get to fighting with one another that good looking cousin of yours was casting quite murderous glances a poor server wait just now Clarence is a dear boy but he's rather spoiled and not quite grown up yet I think when are you coming back from the Marshall Pass in quiet shop after dinner when Clarence had gone for the horses on Saturday we shall only be gone two days then I will ride in on Thursday morning if you will permit with my field class it is a particularly good one and you may find it useful for the distant views when are you coming back demanded Clarence a little later Saturday then I shan't be in a gamble for Monday won't you get your letters oh a guest there won't be any worse coming till then not the letter from your mother she only rides once in a while most of what I get comes from Pa Casno Olivia never did seem to care much for Clarence remark Clover after they were gone he would have been a great deal nicer if he had had a pleasant time at home it makes such a difference with boys now Mr. Templestowe has a lovely mother I'm sure oh was all the reply did feel good vouch safe how queer people are so a little Clover to herself afterward Knight of those boys quite like that are going on this expedition I think though I'm sure I can't imagine why but they all behave so differently Mr. Templestowe sort of us and something which might give us pleasure and Clarence only sort about himself poor Clarence he never had half a chance till he came here it isn't all his fault departing the director's car proof the merry one Mrs. Wade a jolly motherly woman fand of all the good things of life and delighted in making people comfortable had spared no pains of preparation there were quantities of easy chairs and fans in all the colonn the ladder was stocked with all imaginable dents iced tea, lemonade and champagne cup float and the last provocation for all the hot moments and each table was a bank of flowers each lady had a super bouquet and on the second day a great team box of freshly cut roses met de met preblo so that they came back a scaly furnished force as the vent having the privilege on the road the car was attached or detached to suit the convenience and this enabled them to command daylight for all the finest points of the excursion first of this was the Royal Gorge where the Kansas River pushed through a magnificent canyon between pricey pieces so steep and with curves so sharp that only engineering genius of the most daring order could it would seem have devised a way through then after a pause in a pretty town of Salida with the magnificent range of the sacred Christo mountains in full sight they began to mount the paths over long loops of rail stubbled and redubbled on themselves again and again on the way to the summit the train had divided and the first half with its two engines was seen at times puffing and snorting directly overhead of the second half on the lower curve with each hundred feet of elevation the view changed and widened now it was of overlapping hills little mesas like folds of green velvet flung over the rocks now of deep-seen valley depths with winding links of silver rivers and again of countless mountain peaks sharp cut against the sunset sky some rosy pink, some shining with snow the flowers were a continual marvel at the top of the pass eleven thousand feet or more above the sea the colors and the abundance were more profuse and splendid and on the lower levels the the whole fields of pentestaments were the rare scarlet variety like stems of asparagus strung with rubies there were masses of chillias and of wonderful choreopsies enormous green-colored stars with deep orange centers and deep yellow ones with scarlet centers thick heads of snowy-cut mezzilia and of wild rose while here and there a little red lily burned like a little lonely flame in the green arrangements of convolvally waved their stately heads these and the plaintive coup of morning doves on the branches and the rush of the wind which was like cool flower-scented wine was all that broke the stillness of the high places to think I am so much nearer heaven than when I was a boy misquoted clover as she sat on the rear platform of the car with poppy and surber weight are you sure your head doesn't ache this elevation plays the mystery with some people a mother has taken to her birth with eyes on her temples head ache? no indeed, dear is too delicious I feel a story could dance all the way from here to the black canyon you don't look as if your head ache do anything said Mr. Wade, staring at clover admiringly her cheeks were pink with excitement eyes full of light and exhilaration oh dear, we are beginning to go down she cried, watching one of the beautiful peaks of the sun-ready crystals as it dipped out of sight I think I could find it in my heart to cry if it were not that tomorrow we are coming up again so down and down and down they went, they slowly gathered about them and the white-clothed battler set the little tables and brought the broiled chicken and grilled salmon and salad and hot rolls and peaches and they were all very hungry and clover did not cry but failed to work on her supper with an excellent appetite quite unconscious that they were speeding through another wonderful gorge without seeing one of its beauties then the car was detached from the train and when she woke the next morning they were at the little station called Kimaru at the head of the famous black canyon with three hours to spare before the train from Utah should arrive to take them back to St. Helens earliest it was, the small settlement was awake lights glanced from the eating house where cooks were preparing breakfast for the through passengers and smokes curled from their chimneys close to the car was a large brick structure which seemed to be a sort of hotel for locomotives a number of enormous creatures had evidently passed the night there and had just waked up clover now watched the antics with great amusement from her window as the engineers ran them in and out rubbed them down their horses and fed them with oil and coal while they snorted and begged and sidled a good deal is real horses too clover could not at all understand what these manures were for they seemed only designed to show the paces of the iron seats and what they were good for whispered the voice outside her curtains i've got hold of a hand kind a couple of men and don't you want to take a spin down the canyon to see the few with no smoke to spoil it just you and me and miss chase she says she will go if you will hurry and don't make a noise we won't wake the others of course clover wanted to she finished her dressing at top speed hurried on her head and checkered so softly out to where the others awaited her and in five minutes they were quickly running down the gorge with high dresselwork britches and round sharp curves which made her draw her press a little faster there was no danger the man who managed the handcar assured them it was a couple of hours yet before the next train came in there was plenty of time to go three or four miles down and return anything more delicious than the early morning air in the black canyon it would be difficult to imagine cool or the rest with pines and with the press of the mountains there was like a sestful draught of ice in the summer close beside the track reine wanderers river which seemed made of melted jewels so curiously brilliant were its waters and mixed of so many youth its course among the rocks was a flash of forming rapids broken here and there with pools of exquisite blue green deepening into inky violet under the shadow of the cliffs and such cliffs one, two, three thousand feet high not deep colored like those about centelns but of steadfast mountain youth in adresses and spires cracks to spaces were lost in undroden forests needle sharp pine ankles like the swiss agari the morning was just making its way into the canyon and the loftier top's flesh is yellow sun while the rest were still in cold shadow breakfast was just ready and the handcar arrived again at the upper edge of the gorge and louder the reproaches which made the happy three as they alighted from it Phil was particularly afflicted I call it mean not to wake a fellow he said but the fellow was so sound asleep said glober, I really hadn't the heart I did peep in at your curtain and if you had moved so much as a finger perhaps I should have called you but you didn't the return journey was equally fortunate and the party reached centelns late in the evening of the second day in what Mr. Waite called excellent form Monday brought the young man from the range in again and another fortnate passed happily glober's three leaves being most facefully attentive to their central point of attraction three is a good many, as Mary and Chase had said but all girls liked to be liked and glober did not find this her first little experience of the kind and all disagreeable the excursion to the marshal passed forever and an after effect which was not so pleasant either the high elevation it disagreed with Phil or he had taken a little cold and all events was distinctly less well with the lowering of his physical forces came a corresponding depression of spirits Mrs. Watson war with him the sick people traveled him the sound of coughing depressed him his appetite necked and his sleep was broken glober felt that he must have a change and consulted Dr. Hope who advised they are going to the huge valley for a month disinvolved giving up their homes at Mrs. Marsh which was a pity, as it was by no means certain that they would be able to get them again later glober regretted this so often does brought a compensation Mrs. Watson had no mind whatever to go to Udvalley it's a dire place they tell me and there is nothing to do there but ride on horseback and as I don't ride on horseback I don't really see what use there could be in my going she said to glober if I were young and there were young men ready to ride with me all the time it would be different though I never did care too except with Henry of course after the day so much different from what he was though if Dr. Hope says so literally you, he's a queer kind of doctor it seems to me to send lung patients up higher than this which is higher already gracious knows no, if you decide to go I shall just move over to the Chauchon for the rest of the time that I am here I am sure the Dr. Carr couldn't expect me to stay on here alone just for the chance that you may want to come back when as like as not Mrs. Marsh won't be able to take you again if I tried sure he wouldn't only I thought doubtfully that as you have always admired for his home so much you might like to secure it now that we have to go well yes, if you were to be here I might if the man who is so sick had got better gone away or something I dare say I should have settled down in his home and been comfortable enough but it seems just about as he was when he came so there is no use waiting and I tried to go to Chauchon anyway I always said it was a mistake he didn't go there in the first place it was Dr. Hope's doing and I have not the least confidence in him he hasn't osculated me once since I came hasn't he, the clover feeling her voice tremble and perfectly aware of the shaking of her shoulders behind her no, and I don't call just putting his ear to my chest listening Dr. Banks at home would be ashamed to come to the house without his stethoscope I mean to move this afternoon I have given Mrs. Marsh notice this is what St. Belong's went on to Chauchon and clover packed the trunks with the lighter heart for the departure the last day of July found clover and fell settled in Ute Park it was a wild beautiful valley some hundreds of feet higher than St. Helens and seemed the very home of peace a sandy-like quiet pervaded the place most stillness was never broken except the birdsongs and the rustle of pine branches the sides of the valley near its opening were dotted here and there with huts and cabins in addition to parties who had fled from the heat of the plains for the summer at the upper end stood the range house a large rather rudely built structure and about it were a number of cabins and cottages in which two or four or six people could be accommodated clover and fell were lodged in one of these the tiny structure contained only a sitting and two sleeping homes and it was very plain and bare but there was a fireplace what was abandoned so that the cheerful place could be head for cool evenings and the little piasser faced the south and made a sheltered sitting place on windy days one pleasant feature of the spot was its nearness to High Valley Clarence and Choth Temple Stove saw a nothing of riding for miles and scarcely day passed when one or both did not come over they brought wildflowers or cream or freshly churned butter as offerings for the range and what clover valued as a greater kindness get they brought first beloved broncho and they ranged with the owner of the Ute range that it should remain as long as Phil was there this gave Phil hours of the lightful exercise every day and though sometimes he settled early in the morning for the High Valley and stayed late in the afternoon than his sister sought prudent she had not the heart to child as long as he was visibly getting better hour by hour Sunday's the friend spent together as a matter of course Choth waited till his little home service for the range man was over there was no lack of kind people at the main house and in the cottages to take an interest the delicate boy and his sweet motherly sister so clover had an abundance of volunteer matrons and plenty of pleasant ways in which to spend those occasional days on which the High Valley Attachés filled to appear it was a simple healthful life the happiest on the whole which they had led since leaving home one's advice Mr. Serber Wade made his appearance gallantly mounted and frightened his flowers and kind messages from his mother to his car but clover was never sorry when he rode away again somehow he did not seem to belong to the happy valley as in her heart she denominated the place there was a remarkable deal of full moon advance as it seemed at least the fact served as an excuse for a good many late transits between the valley and the park now and then either Clarence or Choth would lead over a saddle horse and give clover a good gallop the herpet which had extemporized for a visit to the High Valley answered very well Mrs. Hope had led to her head on one of those occasions she and Clarence had ridden further than usual quiet down the end of the pass where the road dipped and descended to a little watering place of Kenya and Greek a Swiss like village of hotels and lodging houses and shops for the sale of minerals and mineral waters set along the steep sides of the narrow green valley they were chatting gaily and agreed that it was time to turn the horse's heads homeward when a sudden darkening made them aware that one of the unexpected Zandergast peculiar to the region was upon them they were still a mile above the village but as no nearer place of shelter presented itself they decided to proceed but the storm moved more rapidly than day and long before the first houses came inside the heavy drops began to pile down a brown young fellow lying flat on his back and a sick bush with his horse standing over him shouting to them to try the cave wewing his hands in its direction and hurrying on they saw in another moment a sharing poor frog in a cliff under which was a deep recess to this Clarence directed the horses he lifted Clover down she half set half leaned on the slope of the rock well under cover then he stretched himself at full length on the higher ledge and held the bridles fast the horse's heads and settles were fairly well protected but the hindquarters of the animals were presently streaming with water this isn't half bad, is it? Clarence said his mouse was so close to Clover's ear that she could catch his words in spite of the noisy thunder and the roar of the descending rain no, I call it fun you look awfully pretty do you know? was the next and very unexpected remark nonsense not nonsense at all at that moment a carriage dashed rapidly by the driver guiding the horses as well as he could between the points of an umbrella which constantly menaced his eyes other travelers in the past had evidently been surprised by the storm besides themselves the lady who held the umbrella looked out and caught the picture of the group under the cliff it was as a chesty fun Clover's head was a little pushed forward by the rock against which she leaned which in its turn pushed forward the waving rings of hair which shaded her forehead and did not hide her loving eyes or the dimples in her pink cheeks the fairest lender girl was young fellow so close to her the rain, the half sheltered horses it was easy enough to construct a little romance the lady evidently did so it was what photographers call an instantaneous effect caught in three seconds as the carriage world passed but in that fraction of a minute the lady had nodded and flashed a brilliant sympathetic smile in the direction and Clover had nodded in return and laughed back a good many people seemed to have been caught as we have a streaming vehicle dash by I wish it would rain for a week observed clearance my gracious what a wish what would become of us if it did we should stay here just where we are and I should have you all to myself for once and nobody could come to interfere with me thank you extremely how hungry we should be how can you be so absurd clearance I am not absurd at all I am perfectly in earnest do you mean that you really want to stay a week in this rock with nothing to eat well no, not exactly that perhaps though if you could, I would but I mean that I would like to get you for a whole solid week to myself there's such a gang of people about always and they all want you Clover he went on, so puzzled at his tone she made no answer, couldn't you like me a little I like you a great deal you come next to Phil and Dory with me hang Phil and Dory who wants to come next to them I want you to like me a great deal more than that I want you to love me couldn't you Clover how strange you talk, I do love you of course you are my cousin I don't care to be loved, of course I want to be loved for myself Clover, you know what I mean you must know, I can't afford to marry now won't you stay in Colorado and be my wife I don't think you know what you are saying clearance I am older than you are I thought you looked upon me as a sort of mother or older sister only 50 months older retarded clearance I never heard of anyone's being a mother at that age, I am a man now I won't have you remember, though I am a little younger than you and know my own mind as well as if you were 50 dear Clover coaxingly, couldn't you you like the high valley, didn't you I do anything possible to make it nice and pleasant for you I do like the high valley very much said Clover, still with the feeling the clearance must be half in choke or she half in dream dear boy, it isn't my home I couldn't leave papa and the children and stay out here even with you it would seem so strange and far away you could, if you cared for me replied clearance, rejectedly Clover's kind argumentative elder sisterly tone was precisely that which was discouraging to a lover oh dear, cried poor Clover not far from tears herself this is dreadful what, Modely, having an offer you must have lots of them before now indeed, I never did people don't do such things in Bernhard please don't say any more clearance I'm very fond of you just as I am of the boys, but but what, go on how can I, Clover was fairly crying you mean, that you can't laugh me in the other way? yes the word came out half as a sob but the sincerity of the accent was a mistake well, the poor clearance after a long bit of pause it isn't your fault, I suppose I'm not good enough for you still, I'd have done my best if you would have taken me, Clover I'm sure you would, eagerly you've always been my favorite cousin, you know people can't make themselves care for each other it has to come in spite of them, or not at all at least, that is what the novels say but you're not angry with me, are you dear? you will be good friends always shan't we? persuasively I wonder if we can, the clearance in a hopeless tone but I don't know any more about it than you do it's my first offer, as well as yours then, after a silence in the struggle he added in a more manful tone he'll try for it at least I can't afford to give you up you're the sweetest girl in the world I always said so, and I say so still it will be hard at first but perhaps it'll make her easier this time oh it will, cried Clover hopefully, it's only because you're so lonely out here the keeper that makes you suppose I'm better than the rest one of these days you'll find a girl who's a great deal nicer than I am and then you'll be glad, didn't say yes there, the rain is just stopping it's easy enough to talk remark Clarence Gloomily as he gathered up the briles of the horse but the shelter nothing of the kind I declare I won't end of chapter 9 recording by Ellie, September 2009