Mrs. Bronson and her son were highly cultured people, who loved learning for learning’s sake, and with them Dr. Russell foregathered as a matter of course, since birds of a feather flock together, and the two girls, who invariably dropped into the position of silent and absorbed listeners while the other three talked, found that it was a liberal education to be with people who knew so much and wore their knowledge in such an interesting fashion.
Nell left off sighing in private for educational chances, realizing that here within her reach lay stores of information to be had for the asking. But it was not until the summer was almost at its end, and the Bronsons were on the point of departure for their home in Victoria, that she became aware of the strange new influence on her life which had tinged all those busy weeks of summer with a light of golden happiness.
Mrs. Bronson was taking Flossie to the city for the winter. Patsey was going too, as a pupil at Royal Mount College. With the influence of Mr. Bronson to help him, there was no need to wait for the possible chance of a scholarship, and Flossie would be happier to have her brother with her.
Mrs. Trip had been making new shirts for Patsey, and the day before the travellers started for the city Nell went over to the Settlement to pay the old woman for her work, and to carry some cakes for Joey, who had a childish fondness for all sweet things.
Dick Bronson had gone off for a final ramble through the hills, and had been absent all the morning, but he came down to the Settlement just as Nell was coming away from Mrs. Trip’s, and walked home with her.
“What are you going to do when Miss Lorimer gets married?” he asked abruptly, as they turned their backs on the last ugly houses of the Settlement, and took the winding road through the forest.
“Gertrude will not marry just yet,” she said.
“Dr. Russell told me yesterday that he thought it would be in the spring, and he also said that he thought of coming to live at Camp’s Gulch, because it was growing so much faster than Bratley,” Dick Bronson said, not looking at Nell, but watching a fragment of white fleecy cloud that sailed slowly across the blue sky over his head.
“I shall keep the children—at least, some of them. I know Gertrude wants Teddy and Abe to bring up with Sonny; but Flossie and Patsey are my property,” Nell said, with a rather nervous laugh.
“My mother wants Flossie. She says the child reminds her so much of my little sister Frances, who died when I was small,” Dick said slowly. Then he brought his gaze down from the clouds, and looked at his companion, but her face was turned away, and he could only see the soft, dark hair, and the tip of a very pink ear.