“He knew before I did,” said Alison, but would not explain this enigmatical speech.
After this it was an accepted fact that Laura would one day go to live at the Ross rancho, and the intimacy between the two families was even greater than before. Therefore it was no surprise to Alison when Laura one day hunted her up as she was busy with a brood of young chicks.
“Hallo,” said Laura, looking over the fence of the chicken yard. “A new brood, Alison?”
“Yes, these are just out to-day. Did you come over alone, Laura?”
“No, mother came with me. She is so worried about Blythe and wants to talk over the trouble with Christine, and see if nothing can be done to cure the boy of his infatuation for that wretched Mexican girl. Mother says she will never, never consent to the match.”
“But why? Isn’t Lolita pretty enough for a daughter in-law?” asked Alison, as she put the last chick under its clucking mother.
“What a flippant answer,” said Laura.
“Then is it because Blythe is the first American who has wanted to marry a Mexican?”
Laura was silent and Alison rising from her stooping posture shook out her skirts, and picked up the basket in which she had kept the chicks. “I am sure Lolita is a good, modest, beautiful, sweet-tempered, capable girl, much better in every way than most you meet. What possible objection is there to her?”
“She is not of our religion in the first place.”