“Isn’t it queer?” Ruth said, all at once. “People aren’t very different any more than birds or animals are. Here you find a cowboy singing hymns and canticles, and with all the East and South to choose from, Miss Diantha married a Westerner who was a scout and rancher. Wouldn’t it be queer if some day we find out we really are all brothers and sisters in one family?”
“Ruth, pay attention. You’re dipping into social economy, and that doesn’t come until you reach college,” laughed Jean.
When the Bishop and Jimmie rode up, all were out to greet them, and he did seem strange to the girls, this young Bishop with the round, hearty voice, and quick laugh, who swung from his saddle as easily as Jimmie himself, and shook hands with them all. When he came into the low-ceiled living room, he had to stoop a little, or surely his head would have touched the lintel. Tall he was, and young, and broad-shouldered, with one of the kindliest and noblest faces that the girls had ever seen, they thought, as he smiled down on them that first night.
“And you’ve ridden far, too, sir,” said Mrs. Murray, bustling about to prepare supper for the travelers. “We thought maybe you and Jimmie’d stay up at Dickerman’s ranch over night.”
“I wanted to get home, Mrs. Murray,” said the Bishop. “When I strike any point within fifty miles of the Crossbar, I feel the homing instinct strongly. You make it so very pleasant for me here.”
Jimmie stood over in the corner, his hands clasped behind him, a slender, curly-haired lad, with eyes like a collie’s, and the way they looked at the Bishop told the girls Jimmie’s opinion of him plainer than words could do.
The next morning they were up early, and after prayers they started out for the little schoolhouse where services were to be held. It was the same one the Murray children had attended when they were small, but now only Peggie took the long ride over the hills.
“And you’re not a bit afraid?” asked Isabel, as the miles stretched out before them. “Isn’t it lonely in the winter?”
“Oh, yes, a little bit, but you don’t mind it after a while,” said Peggie cheerfully. “This year it’s closed because there aren’t enough children to carry the expenses. We’ve had such good times here. One Christmas, when Jeanie taught us, we wanted Santa Claus and a Christmas tree so much, and she said we could have one. So we all went out, and picked out our tree, and one of the Dickerman boys cut it down, and we pulled it back ourselves.”
“Like bringing in the Yule log, wasn’t it?” said Polly.