“And when we visit one another we take our work along and stay to tea,� giggled Lissa, “whether we are invited or not.�
“And just think, mother, I have been in a carriage but once or twice since we came here. I always go horseback,� added Alice. “And Donald,—I’m sure you’ll allow me to follow our custom out here and call you so, as you are one of the family,—the young folks go ‘sparking’ out here, and—�
“And sit in the corner and hold each other’s hands,� put in Nathan.
“Whew, that sounds interesting. I’m booked for at least one winter here. Are the girls pretty?�
“Most assuredly, and there are heaps of them, as we say here. There are more girls than boys, for some reason. Really I don’t know of more than half a dozen marriageable young men in this section.�
“I suppose with so much land in sight they preempt a portion and marry to live upon, and secure it,� said Donald. “But who are the girls?�
“Well, there are the Pemberton twins, who look so exactly alike you could never tell which was which,� continued Alice.
“That sounds interesting! Two fair ones must be better than one. Shall I put a mem. in my note-book concerning them?�
“It will not be necessary. You will see them soon enough, and will rarely see one without the other. They are quite the rage, and have cropped yellow curls, and milky blue eyes.�
Donald lifted his eyebrows quizzically.