With her eyes smarting and her cheeks burning, for hours Jeanette lay wide awake.
She was alone in her bedroom. After her illness Via had moved into the adjoining room which previously had been reserved at the lodge for guests.
The evening before Jeanette finally decided to discuss with her father the subject so near her heart. The summer days were passing swiftly. Already Mr. and Mrs. Barret were beginning to plan to return to the East, taking Margery and their son to be ready for the opening of school.
Between his mother and his guardian and Cecil Perry the question was being argued: Should Cecil go back to a preparatory school with the idea of entering college, or remain in the West, purchase a ranch and become a ranchman.
His mother favored the first suggestion. Fascinated she might be temporarily with the freer, wider outdoor life of the West, but her interests and more intimate friendships were in the East where she had spent all her previous time. For Cecil she desired a literary or artistic career. With their wealth he need be in no hurry to acquire money or fame. The fact that Cecil had changed so completely with only a few months' residence in a different environment was a daily surprise to his mother. He wished to become a ranchman and his guardian upheld him in his desire. Cecil had grown older, stronger, more self-reliant since his visit, his mother recognized. Her real objection to his remaining in the West was chiefly the enforced separation from her. At present her plan was to stay on at the Rainbow Castle until shortly before the Christmas holidays. Then she would go back, open her New York house and have Jeanette Colter as one of her Christmas guests.
In the meantime Jeanette would enter boarding school with Margery Barret.
This arrangement, dear to any girl's heart, had been overthrown this night by what Jeanette considered her father's obstinacy and false pride.
In their interview during the evening he had refused positively even to consider seriously Mrs. Perry's offer.
"Do you suppose for a moment, Jeanette, that I would decline to permit your stepmother to pay your expenses at school and would then accept the favor from an entire stranger?"
Observing Jeanette's expression, he added: