So Ralph began telling her of his work on the ranch. “I wish you could see it, Jeannie, it’s really beautiful, those rolling prairies and the cattle roaming over the land.”
It was nearly time for supper, so the two walked back to the house together, leaving the others to bring in the wagonload of hay. Ralph went on to talk of other things and by the time they reached the house, Jean felt as though she had known him a long, long time instead of only a few short weeks.
19. Rebecca’s Romance
“Come back here, Ella Lou. No use in chasing rabbits when you never catch any of them,” came Becky’s voice from the driveway. “Anybody home?”
Kit sprang out of the porch swing and Doris emerged from the vegetable garden as if by magic. Billie Ellis sat beside Becky as big as life, as she would have said, and looked amiably at the girls.
“The Judge is very sick,” Miss Craig began abruptly. “I’m going down there with Billie, and I may have to stay overnight. He’s pretty low, I understand, and wants me, so I suppose I’ll have to go. Goodbye. If you’ve got any tansy in the garden, Margie, I’d like to take it down.”
Jean hurried to get a bunch of the herbs, and Mrs. Craig walked out to the car.
“Is he very sick, really, Becky?” she asked.
“Can’t tell a thing about it till I see him, and then maybe not. A man’s a plague at best and when he’s sick he’s worse. I suppose it’s acute indigestion. Dick Ellis always did think he could eat anything he wanted to and do anything he wanted to, and the Lord would grant him a special dispensation to get away with it because he was Dick Ellis. I guess from all accounts he hasn’t changed much. I’ll get a good hot mustard plaster outside, and calomel and castor oil inside, and tansy tea to quiet him, and I guess he’ll live awhile yet. Get back in the car, Ella Lou.”
“Well, of all things,” said Mrs. Craig, as the car backed out of the drive. “And they haven’t spoken to each other in over thirty years. I think that’s the best thing that’s happened since we came here.”