"Ah, yes, yes. I remember the first wife very well, a fine woman. Her people were my good friends. Fine old man your grandfather."
Mary Lee listened attentively to all this. Anything which pertained to her dear Miss Dolores was of the greatest importance to her. Fortunately she remembered the conversation afterward, and it was well that she did; on such slight threads do fortune or misfortune hang.
Carter returned later with the necessary things to doctor up the motor car, but it was too late to start for Santa Barbara that day and as Mr. Sanders insisted upon keeping the party for over night, they consented to stay as it was evidently his wish. The next morning it was decided to return home and make the trip to Santa Barbara when the flower festival should take place, and when they could remain as long as they felt inclined.
"Li Hung will not know what has become of us," said Mrs. Corner, "for I told him we would be back by this evening, and to-morrow will be Sunday, Helen, so I think we would better go back, for you know we promised to dine with the Robertses to-morrow."
Miss Helen agreed that they must not go on, though the younger ones begged hard not to go back.
"You will let Bessie come to see us, won't you, Mr. Sanders?" said Jean, who had taken a fancy to the little girl.
"To be sure I will," was the reply. "And when you come this way you must all stop as long as you can. You'll find the latch-string out, ain't that so, mother?" He turned to his wife.
"I reckon the door'll be wide open when they come along," she said hospitably. "I wish, Mrs. Corner, you'd let the little girls come up and stay with Bess awhile. We'll take good care of them and Mr. Sanders will go down for them any time."
"Oh, may we come?" cried Jean, before whose vision arose unlimited supplies of honey, raisins for the taking, horses to ride and such delights as only a big ranch could afford.
"We'll see about it," said Mrs. Corner. And they all went off laden down with branches of oranges, combs of honey, and a basket of choice fruit, although the month was December.