Dan, noting this, said: “I like your friend’s appearance. I think I shall go with you for a while to the observation platform. I cannot breathe too much of this wonderful air.”
Jane reluctantly consented to accompany them there. “Gee-golly, how I hope Mr. Packard is there,” Gerald whispered as he led the way.
The Westerner rose when the young people appeared and Jane quickly realized that he was not as uncouth as she had supposed all ranchers were.
Dan was made as comfortable as possible and he at once said: “Mr. Packard, Gerald tells me that you are our neighbor. That is indeed good news.”
“You have only one nearer neighbor,” the man replied, “and that is the family of a trapper named Heger. They have a cabin high on your mountain.”
Then, turning toward Jane, he said: “Their daughter, whom they call Meg, is just about your age, I judge. She is considered the most beautiful girl in the Redfords district. Indeed, for that matter, she is the most beautiful girl whom I have ever seen, and I have traveled a good deal. How pleased Meg will be to have you all for near neighbors.”
Jane’s thoughts were indignant, and her lips curled scornfully, but as Mr. Packard’s attention had been drawn to Gerald, he did not know that his remarks had been received almost wrathfully.
“Ranchers must have strange ideas of beauty!” she was assuring herself. “How this crude man could say that a trapper’s daughter is the most beautiful girl he has ever met when he was looking directly at me, is simply incomprehensible. Mr. Packard is evidently a man without taste or knowledge of social distinctions.”
Jane soon excused herself, and going to their drawing-room, she attempted to read, but her hurt vanity kept recurring to her and she most heartily wished she was back East, where her type of beauty was properly appreciated. It was not strange, perhaps, that Jane thought herself without a peer, for had she not been voted the most beautiful girl at Highacres Seminary, and many of the others had been the attractive daughters of New York’s most exclusive families.
Dan returned to their drawing-room an hour later, apparently much stronger, and filled with a new enthusiasm. “It’s going to be great, these three months in the West. I’m so glad that we have made the acquaintance of this most interesting neighbor. He is a well educated man, Jane.” Then glancing at his sister anxiously, “You didn’t like him, did you? I wish you had for my sake and the children’s.”