But Mistress Elisabeth Cecil-Somerset-Calvert was a matron who never said “No” when she meant “Yes;” and she smilingly kept to her own purpose, yet took good care that no shadow of a coming separation should darken her beloved Dorothy’s wonderful trip in a private car. Just here we may recall to the readers’ attention that this young girl’s earlier experiences have been told in “Dorothy’s Schooling,” her “Travels” and “House Party” and best of all “In California.”
Now those happy days of travel and sightseeing had ended in the city of Denver. The “Erminie” was to be stripped and renovated and put aside to await its owner’s further orders. From this point the ranchers were to proceed by a coaching tour over the long and delightful road to the distant Rockies: while Mrs. Calvert, her black “boy,” Ephraim, and some women friends were to speed eastward by the fleetest “limited” express. One more short hour together, in a hotel dining-room, and the parting was due. Aunt Betty and Mrs. Ford had already been driven away to this hotel as Leslie and his girl guests followed his father from the “Erminie,” and seeing the downward droop of Dorothy’s lip he tried to divert her by exclaiming:
“There was never such a man as Dad! He never forgets. Never. I believe he knows every cripple between New York and San Francisco. I do, indeed. This fellow we’re going to give that ‘trash’ to is one of his pets. I remember him now. Got hurt in a railway smash but is as independent as they make ’em. Wouldn’t sue the company and wouldn’t take money from it when offered. Claimed he was stealing a ride and only got what he calls his ‘come-uppance’ when he got hurt. Dad was so astonished when he heard about that, he said the man ought to be ‘framed and put on exhibition, as the only case of his kind on record.’ Then he suggested this way of earning his living. He has the ‘boys’ keep him fixed up in a little sort of stand just yonder and they see to it that his stock never fails. The cripple’s as proud as Punch. Boasts that any honest man can do well in America if he tries. He hasn’t any legs left and his arms aren’t worth much but his spirit is the bravest ever. It would break his heart if he guessed that most of the stuff he sells is bought for my father by some of his employees, all on the sly. But he’ll never know it. That’s the best of Dad! His ‘boys’ love him. They think he’s just rippin’! And he is. Look now. See how that man’s face lights up when he hears that ‘Halloo’!”
Dorothy stopped short to exclaim:
“Bought the stuff and gave us most of it, and now will buy it over again just to throw away! I never heard anything like that!”
“Reckon you didn’t, for there is only one Dan Ford! But he doesn’t have it thrown away. He has it burned. He says, ‘Burned toads tell no tales,’ and the worst trouble the boys have is to get folks enough to buy the things for them. When they see a likely lookin’ tourist edging around the stand they use him, if they can. If they can’t it’s a ‘short day’ for Cripple Andy, but that doesn’t worry him. ‘The fat and the lean,’ he calls it. Oh! I say, he’s almost as rippin’ as Dad himself, he’s so plucky!”
The cripple’s face did indeed light up as Mr. Ford appeared before him and shouted that gay “Halloo!”
“Well, well, well! If you ain’t the best sight I’ve had since I saw you last. Halloo, yourself and see how you like it!” With this attempt at facetiousness, the seller of notions leaned forward over his stand and extended his best hand toward his benefactor.
“How’s business, Andy?”
“Tollable, sir, fairly tollable. Been sellin’ a lot o’ truck, lately, to some Cookies, and there was a reduction-school-ma’am-racket that nigh cleaned me out. See that your man Jed here has got a heap more things. How’d he come by them? Must ha’ cleared the country of reptiles, judgin’ by them samples.”