Her friends smiled in sympathy, because they surmised, though Eleanor never confided to any one, that she was more than interested in Paul’s success for his own future.
“Yes, Nolla, and that happy-go-lucky brother of yours—Pete Maynard, is joining this group of engineers, too. That ought to make Dodo happy, since she always thought he needed something besides money to bring out the mettle he has in him,” added Mr. Dalken.
This was a genuine surprise to the others, because no one knew that Dodo was acquainted with Pete Maynard. Dodo flushed and stammered: “I met Pete the time Ma stopped in Chicago to enjoy society there. Pete and I found a lot in common to talk of—you girls, and the college friends we all know, with whom he went through the engineering class.”
“Was that all you two had in common?” laughed Eleanor.
“Oh, well, we are both democratic, you know, and Pete is not as attached to mere money as you all think he is. Anyway, Ma didn’t approve of him, until she heard he was a Maynard of the Maynards of Chicago—a password to society, I’ll have you know, Nolla.”
“Don’t I know it, only too well! My mother and your Ma should have been bosom friends, Dodo, because they think alike about so many things. But, tell me; why did Pete never write me about knowing you, Doe?”
“How can I answer that question? You must ask him when you reach California,” laughed Dodo.
“There are so many important things waiting for us to do in California, I can hardly wait to get there,” declared Polly.
The scenery across country from Phœnix to Barstow, where the railroad branched for the two important points in California—San Francisco being one terminus and Los Angeles the other—was wonderful, and there was not much inclination to talk of other things. The ride over the Mojave Desert seemed to take the tourists from the New World and drop them upon the Sahara, or the great tractless deserts of the East.
Having turned to the southern terminus, the train flew past great orange groves, where, in places, the girls could have plucked the fruit by stretching forth a hand from the windows. The fine palm trees also grew close to the railway tracks, and the magnificent flowers and ferns almost screened the train at places.