Jeanette alone appeared annoyed.
Not that she objected to a party; she was fonder of society than any one of her sisters. She knew, however, that her father disliked every possible form of social entertainment and in her own mother's day rarely ever went anywhere outside their own home.
Why this present change?
She was not long to remain in doubt.
"I don't wonder at your surprise, Jack. I never have been a society man in the past, have I? I shall be out of place at present beside my wife and daughters. Still I don't wish our friends to believe that I shut you up here away from them. I have no right to be so selfish. I happen to remember that you were a very popular character in Wyoming before our marriage."
"So popular a person, Jim, that I was defeated in my election to Congress. I always have been glad Peter Stevens was chosen in my place. I am anxious to see him again and glad he is at home for the summer. He must recently have bought a ranch near ours."
Mr. Colter nodded.
"When Stevens resigned from his law practice he decided to spend the time he was not in Washington in the country. A cranky old bachelor, he is pretty sure to have his hands full making a Westerner out of the boy Jeanette introduced to us."
He was not enthusiastic over their neighbor, Peter Stevens, who had been one of his wife's admirers before their marriage.
"Oh, Cecil is all right if the girls will help him. He is in the wrong environment and I have learned to be sympathetic with people living under new conditions. I was uncomfortable when I first went to live in England.