“H-m-m! I reckon even this old earth could show only its best side to you, little girl. However, it has been pleasant and it’s about over. Aunt Sally’s provisions didn’t have to go into the mesquite bushes, after all. What we couldn’t eat we’ve found plenty of others to take off our hands. Even the medicine didn’t go begging, and that’ll do her proud to hear. Poor wretches who have to take it!”
“But they wanted it, Ephraim. Some of the women said they hadn’t had a dose of medicine in years and seemed as pleased as if it had been sweetmeats. Now the basket is empty. What shall you do with that?”
“Leave it at the next place we stop.”
They had set out upon their ride on Tuesday morning and this was sunset, Saturday. They were descending the slope of a mountain and the guide pointed forward, eagerly.
“Do you see that hazy spot off yonder? That’s our City of the Angels! The city where we shall find justice and honor.”
“Oh, shall we be there to-night?”
“No. We might have been days ago if we’d ridden across country and struck the railway lines, but I wanted to do just as we have done. I knew you’d hear so much about your father it would do you good forever. We can go home the quicker way if we think best; and if we have good news to take will, likely, so think, I–I’m almost sorry we’re so near the end.”
“In one way so am I. Not in another. I long to begin to hunt for that money and the men who have it.”
Ephraim sighed. Now that he was thus far on his mission he began to think it, indeed, as Joe Dean had said, “A good deal of the needle and haymow style.” But he rallied at once and answered, cheerfully:
“There’s a house I know, or used to, at the foot of this slope. I planned to sleep there to-night, make an early start in the morning, and ride the fifteen miles left so as to get to the town in time for the churches. To think you’re eleven years old, Lady Jess, yet have never been inside any church except the rickety old mission.”