"One can never tell for five minutes where she is," said the mother.
"I'm going to hunt her up; she's such fun."
But Olive went no further than the group shaded by the passion vine, and the four were in the midst of something amusing, to judge by their merry laughs.
"Why, I didn't know Alvarado could be so gay," declared Victor. "He doesn't talk very well, and last night I hardly knew how to entertain him. His father is to send him North to one of the cities in the autumn. We need some of this work here, high schools and colleges."
"That will come. Think how young you are. I am amazed at the progress," declared Mrs. Personette.
"I suppose San Francisco is an old, young city. The Americanos have really overpowered us. But, Aunt Grace, did you ever stand in the street a few moments and listen to the jargon? You can imagine what the Tower of Babel must have been. I think we have gathered all the nations of the earth within our borders. And the Chinese are the oddest. Oh, mother, I am glad you were not a Chinese woman."
"I think your father would not have been allowed to marry me," she said smilingly. "And I did not know a word of English then. I had been in a convent. We thought it a barbarous tongue."
"It's going to conquer the world some day."
"Will everybody speak English, do you think?" and Laverne glanced up. The baby's arms were tight about her neck.
"Oh, baby!" cried the mother. "Nurse, you had better take him."