But her piety did not prevent her being the first to meet Steenie on her return from the ride, and imparting the intelligence which was the result of Mrs. Courtenay’s visit, instead of leaving that pleasant business to those whose own it really was.
“You ain’t never a goin’ back to no more prisony-school, at all, Steenie Calthorp!”
“Why—not? Will Papa let me stay home every day?”
“No. But trot along an’ hear. I ain’t a goin’ ter take the good news out o’ nobody’s mouth, I guess!”
For once, neglecting to care for her play-fellow, Tito, Steenie bounded in-doors, eager to have Mary Jane’s statement confirmed; which being done, her pleasure knew no limits.
“Why, Papa Calthorp! It’ll be a’most the same as San’ Felisa! They’s a great big house, forty times bigger’n this, an’ a great big grass all round it; an’ trees, an’ flower-beds, an’ hammocks, an’—an’—things! And Sutro must go, too; an’ I’ll ride Tito. An’ sometimes, maybe, the Judge’ll let me go into the fields where the horses are. I’ve seen them, dozens of them—beauties—corralled, I mean paddocked, in cute little places with green fences around them, an’ a reg’lar shed for them to go under when it rains. Just like some o’ the girls play ‘house’ at recess. Oh, do you s’pose he will?”
“I do not doubt it. Especially as he loves horses almost as well as you, and sympathy of tastes makes ready friendships. I foresee a very happy road to learning for you, my Steenie.”
With this assurance in her ears, the child went gayly away on Tito’s back toward Rookwood, with Sutro walking beside her at a pace which Resolved Tubbs could never have equalled, even in his youth.
“Oh, Steenie, how glad I am!” cried Beatrice, for welcome. “Mama says we are to have our lessons out of doors; ’cause it’s good for me, an’ what you’re used to, as well.”
“Only I never had lessons at all, till I came to Old Knollsboro! But just learned to read an’ write a little. An’ do you think your father will ever let me go to see his horses?”