“A person might manage to get a living in summertime by letting lodgings or taking city people in to board, but it would be different in winter,” Nell remarked, noting afresh the exceeding beauty of the wooded heights, and wondering how anyone could endure living in ugly places who had once looked on scenery like this.
“It is the winter that will frighten the people, I expect; but it need not, for there are some new mines to be opened on the other side of the hill, Sam says. They have found copper rich there; that, of course, will bring a lot of men about the place, and anyone who would be willing to cook good plain food, such as pies, cakes, soups, and stews, might make a comfortable living.”
Nell made a grimace. “Oh dear, it just takes away one’s appetite even to think of it!” she exclaimed.
“Do you think so? Cooking never takes away my appetite; but then, I just keep doors and windows open as much as possible when I am boiling and stewing, which makes a great difference. I wish you would take one of those houses when they are finished, and see how well you could make it do,” said Mrs. Peters, wistfully; for, despite her delight in her new dignity, she often felt very lonely at Camp’s Gulch.
Nell burst into a merry laugh. “Fancy me setting up housekeeping at eighteen! And oh, how grand it would sound! Camp’s Gulch Restaurant. Proprietor, Miss Eleanor Hamblyn. Tariff on application. Currant dumpling a speciality. Table d’hôte at noon daily except Sundays.”
“You may laugh as much as you like,” said Mrs. Peters, who had laughed herself until the tears ran down her cheeks. “But mine is a very good idea, after all.”
Later in the day Nell walked over to the Settlement to see poor old Mrs. Trip, who was living in a little one-roomed shack and nursing Joey, who was still very ill.
The old man did not appear to recognize Nell, and she was shocked at the change in him. But Mrs. Trip said he was much better and getting well fast. She seemed to take great pride in her patient, and said it was quite a comfort to have him sick, because now he could not go off leaving her alone for hours at a stretch in the evenings.
Nell found it difficult to keep from laughing outright at this view of the case, and came away thinking that there was a bright side to most troubles if only one knew where to look for it.
She went back to Bratley on the evening cars, and found Mrs. Nichols waiting on the depot to meet her, and the good woman had bad news writ large on her face.