“Better than Tavia knows herself, perhaps,” admitted Dorothy.
“Well, see here! I’ve asked her to marry me——”
“Oh, Nat! my dear boy! I am so glad!” Dorothy cried, and she kissed her cousin warmly.
“Don’t be so hasty with your congratulations,” growled Nat, still red and fuming. “She didn’t tell me ‘yes.’ I don’t know now that I want her to. I want to know what she means, getting letters from that fellow out West.”
“Oh, Nat!” sighed Dorothy, looking at him levelly. “Are you sure you love her?”
He said nothing more, and Dorothy did not add a word. But Tavia waited in vain that evening for Mrs. White to come to her and ask the question which she had told Nat his mother must ask for him.
CHAPTER XVIII
CROSS PURPOSES
Tavia was as loyal a girl as ever stepped in shoe-leather. That was an oft-repeated expression of Major Dale’s. He loved “the flyaway” for this very attribute.
Tavia was now attempting to bring joy and happiness for Dorothy out of chaos. Therefore, she felt she dared take nobody into her confidence regarding Lance Petterby’s letter.
She replied to Lance at once, explaining more fully about Garry Knapp, the land he was about to sell, and the fact that Eastern schemers were trying to obtain possession of Knapp’s ranch for wheat land and at a price far below its real worth.