In that box was the most beautiful doll that the little girl had ever seen. “Why, it’s prettier even than the one that—that—” Carol could say no more, but turned tear-brimmed eyes toward the giver of the treasured gift.
Joy shone in Sylvia’s pale-blue eyes. It was the first time that she had ever known the great happiness of giving a present to some one. Impulsively she stepped forward, and, kissing the girl who was holding the doll in her arms, she said softly: “Carol, I’ve been just mean and horrid. I knew all the time that you didn’t break my dolly, and—and I asked Papa to get this one for your birthday. I’m sorry, and—and I love you now, just like you were a really, truly sister.”
They were too young to know that this love was the greatest gift that was given to Carol on her ninth birthday.
“What do you s’pose the boys went to get?” Sue Piggins was peering out of the door and up toward the trail as she spoke.
“I don’t know. I didn’t ’spect Mr. Tressler to bring anything more’n just the box with the doll in it, and that’s here,” Sylvia said as she, too, peered out curiously.
“The stage is driving up the cañon,” Sue reported to the others in the living-room, “so maybe it wasn’t anything for us after all.” But Sylvia’s sharp eyes caught sight of the two big boys who were coming slowly down the trail, carrying something between them. “Oh! Oh! I know!” she cried excitedly. “It’s ice-cream in a freezer!”
Mr. Clayburn had sent it, and since Sue had brought a wonderful frosted cake as a gift from her mother, Dixie at once laid out the best kept-for-company dishes, and refreshments were served. An hour later, when the guests departed, Ken went with them to help dear teacher into the buggy. He looked up at her with shining eyes. “Oh, gee-whizzle, look’t the sky, Miss Bayley!” he exclaimed. “I do believe a blizzard’s coming. How I do hope ’tis!”
Miss Bayley looked her surprise. “Why, Ken,” she said, “how strange! Do you honestly want this glorious autumn weather to turn into a blizzard?”
“Yes’m, that is, I—er—I mean I’d like to have Rattlesnake Sam come down from the mountains and pay us a visit,” the lad stammered, growing red as though he were embarrassed.
Ira was starting the horses and so Miss Bayley said no more, but she was puzzled, and wondered if anything had happened to the imagination of her best pupil in mathematics.