"No," said Fred, "nor is there another house in all Texas with such a beautiful mistress to reign over it."
She laughed and seemed pleased with the compliment.
As soon as she could throw off her hat and light coat she said:
"Now, Fred, let me see the kitchen and the dining-room."
"All right. This leads into the dining-room," so she went in there and seemed equally pleased with its furnishings and then she looked into the china closet and found two complete sets of china dishes.
Then she went into the kitchen, where Fred and Terry had set up a first-class range to take the place of the wide-open fireplace which Jack had been using. The carpenters had built a splendid closet for all the cooking utensils. There were all the necessary tables and chairs there in the kitchen. She went to the sink and, turning the faucet, saw a splendid flow of water.
"Why, where in the world does this water come from?" she asked, very much surprised.
"Oh, that is one of Jack's ideas," replied Fred. "While we were away he got permission from the superintendent of the railroad to run a pipe from the railroad company's tank, some three hundred yards away, and thus provided for a supply of water for household purposes as well as a bathroom. Those are New York ideas which he brought out here with him, and people who have visited the premises wondered what the Yankee boy was up to. Of course the water isn't for drinking purposes, for he has a driven well out in the yard, and the water is very good; but still it is not like that down at the spring."
She turned around and patting Jack on the shoulder said:
"Jack, were you thinking of your mother or of Katy when you were fixing up all these comforts?"