The four Corners in California

by Amy Ella Blanchard

"Well, he will know better than any one else how to set about it. By the way we are to go there for dinner on Sunday, to the Robertses, I mean. I hope it will stop raining by then. Carter is invited, too. How he did enjoy Christmas."

"How we all did enjoy it," said Mary Lee. "Don't you love your crêpe kimono and those lovely fans and things they gave us?"

"I certainly do. We really never had a better Christmas, although we were away from home. Last year mother was away and that took off the edge from everything."

"It is a great thing to have money," remarked Mary Lee sententiously. "Last year we were so awfully poor and were at our wits' ends to know how we could get presents for everybody and this year all we had to do was to buy things."

"I'm not sure but I liked the old way better," returned Nan thoughtfully. "There was more of ourselves in the things we gave." They lapsed into silence each wandering back into the ways of the old home life. Nan broke the silence by saying, "There comes Carter in all the rain. Shall we go in to see him or shall we leave him to the señorita?" she asked mirthfully.

For answer Mary Lee stalked indignantly away but was recalled as Nan sang after her: "Oh, Mrs. Barnwell, don't get jealous."

"I'll tell mother how you behave," said Mary Lee on the verge of tears. "She won't like your talking that way anyhow; she'll say it is very silly and pert and—and—you know she won't like it, Nancy Corner."

Nan well knew her mother would not like such silly speeches and as Mary Lee moved off she called after her: "I take it all back, Mary Lee. You needn't tell mother. Come on, let's go in and see Cart. We might play ping-pong or something, for it is too wet to go out. Come on. Did its old sissy tease it?" she said affectionately putting an arm around her sister and rubbing her cheek against hers.

Mary Lee accepted the olive branch and the two went together into the living-room where Carter was walking on his hands for Jack's benefit. These two were great cronies, and indeed, Carter seemed to prefer Jack's society to that of any of the others. Mrs. Roberts showed especial favor to gentle little Jean, Nan and her Aunt Helen had always been particular chums, Mary Lee gave no one a chance to dote on her since she was absorbed in the señorita, and Mrs. Corner mothered them all. After lessons Jean almost daily was seen running down street to where Mrs. Roberts lived and Nan often followed to talk to Mr. Pinckney who enjoyed her bright sallies and queer whimsies. The Corners had made other acquaintances, but the Robertses and Mr. Pinckney stood first in their affections while Carter had become almost one of the family.

The storm was over by the next day and now could be expected a period of sunshiny weather till the February rains began. It was a time of much dreaming to Nan. Old Spain appealed to her so that she often lived in its past history and looked with inward eye upon the California of the eighteenth century, yet she was quite as much interested in the progress of modern enterprise and took in quickly all that was told her of newer methods and of the opening up of the country. Mary Lee, too, had her dreams, but they were all for the señorita. What if her father was not dead, that he could be discovered not the worthless renegade whom every one supposed him to be, but a man whom time had made important, who now possessed wealth and station in which his daughter could share. She confided these dreams to Nan sometimes but never to the señorita. Yet Nan who could ordinarily plunge into the wildest regions of improbability was here practical.