Mrs. Brewster and the girls laughed at his intensity, but Jeb's face
lighted up with relief, while Sary's clouded with doubt. Then Jeb led
the horses away, and a happy whistle sounded from his lips as he
marched towards the barn. And Sary stood looking after his receding
form as if she was seeing her future happiness vanish, also.
The weary riders went indoors, and after Mrs. Brewster had removed her
riding togs, she went to the kitchen to see what was ready for supper.
To her joy, she found Sary had prepared an unusually tempting meal, and
had everything in readiness to serve. The table had been set in the
living-room, as it was too dark to eat under the trees; and soon after
the girls had washed and changed their clothes, all sat down to enjoy
the well-cooked and carefully seasoned viands.
Sary and Jeb had had supper, _a la tete-a-tete_, more than an hour
before the riders got home, so Sary gave her attention to waiting on
the famished family. As she served and passed dishes, she conversed
volubly about the mine, and the claim, and the trouble so much work
would make for Mr. Brewster, if he kept on with the ranch at the same
time.
"Not at all, Sary. Ah shall have nothing to do with the work at the
mine. John and his engineers will look after all that. But this does
not mean that Jeb must always remain a hired man. If the time comes
when he wants to settle down at Pebbly Pit and take to himself a
spouse, Ah shall be the first man to reach out a hand to help him on in
life.
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