“Hale’s. Name Prince. Was on the mesa with Pedro till he died.”
“Pedro dead? I’m sorry. Was it his ‘funeral’ you meant?”
“Yes. Terrible pity he couldn’t have held on till Christmas, his Navidad, that always meant so much to him. But he couldn’t. Things have changed at Sobrante since you was here. I’m glad you’ve come. I’m powerful glad you’ve come.”
“Any new trouble, Ephraim?”
“H’m! I should say. Ghosts, the women think, and scamps for certain. But it’s a long story, and here we are at Aleck’s. We mustn’t spoil that good supper of his and talk will keep. We’ve thirty miles ’twixt us and bed, ’less you change your mind and stop here, and that should give time enough to turn a man’s mind inside out.”
“Were you so certain of my coming that you ordered a special supper, without hearing?”
“Sure. I took you to be a man and I put myself in your place. In your place I should have come if I could; and if I couldn’t I should have sent word. Light.”
Aleck came out to meet them, and Janet followed, of course. Where one of that worthy couple was the other was sure to be; and both extended to the city man such welcome as made him more impressed than ever by that “home feeling” which had possessed him all day. He returned their good wishes with heartiness and did full justice to his supper, adding as a thankful tribute to Janet’s fine cookery:
“That’s the first thing has passed my lips that hadn’t the flavor of ashes, since many a day. The doctor was right.”