"`Miss Pryor was so kind,'I answered,`but I enter no man's house without his permission.May I talk with your daughter an hour,and your wife,if she cares to see me?'
"`It makes no earthly difference to me,'he said,which was not gracious,but might have been worse,so I thanked him,and went back to the house.When I knocked the second time,the Princess came,and I told her the word was that it made `no difference to her father'if I came in,so she opened the door widely,took my hat and offered me a seat.Then she went to the next room and said:`Mother,father has given Mr.Stanton permission to pay us a call.Do you feel able to meet him?'She came at once,offering her hand and saying:`I have already met Mr.Stanton so often,really,we should have the privilege of speaking.'""What did she mean by that?"asked mother.
"She meant that I have haunted the road passing their place for two years,and she'd seen me so frequently that she came to recognize me.""Umph!"said mother.
"Laddie tell on!"I begged.
"Well,I sharpened all the wits I had and went to work.I never tried so hard in my life to be entertaining.Of course I had to feel my way.I'd no idea what would interest a delicate,high-bred lady"--mother sniffed again--"so I had to search and probe,and go by guess until I saw a shade of interest,then I worked in more of the same.It was easy enough to talk to the Princess--all young folks have a lot in common,we could get along on fifty topics;it was different with the housebound mother.I did my best,and after a while Mr.Pryor came in.I asked him if any of his horses had been attacked with the trouble some of the neighbours were having,and told him what it was.He had the grace to thank me.He said he would tell Thomas not to tie his horse at the public hitching rack when he went to town,and once he got started,he was wild to talk with a man,and I'd no chance to say a word to the women.He was interested in our colleges,state,and national laws,in land development,and everything that all live men are.When a maid announced dinner I apologized for having stayed so long,and excused myself,because I had been so interested,but Mrs.Pryor merely said:`I'm waiting to be offered your arm.'
"Well,you should have seen me drop my hat and step up.I did my best,and while I talked to him a little,I made it most to the women.Any one could see they were starved for company,so I took the job of entertaining them.I told some college jokes,funny things that had happened in the neighbourhood,and everything of interest I could think up.I know we were at the table for two hours with things coming and going on silver platters."Mother sat straight suddenly.
"Just what did they have to eat,and how did they serve it?"she asked.
"Couldn't tell if I were to be shot for it,mummy,"said Laddie.
"Forgive me!Next time I'll take notes for you.This first plunge,I had to use all my brains,not to be a bore to them;and to handle food and cutlery as the women did.It's quite a process,but as they were served first,I could do right by waiting.I never was where things were done quite so elaborately before.""And they didn't know they would have company until you went to the table?""Well,they must have thought likely,there was a place for me.""Umph!"said mother."Fine idea!Then any one who drops in can be served,and see that they are not a mite of trouble.Candace,always an extra place after this!"Father just shouted.
"I thought you'd get something out of it!"he said.
"Happy to have justified your faith!"replied mother calmly."Go on,son!""That's all!"said Laddie."We left the table and talked an hour more.The women asked me to come again;he didn't say anything on that subject;but when he ordered my horse,he asked the Princess if she would enjoy a little exercise,and she said she would,so he told Thomas to bring their horses,and we rode around the section,the Princess and I ahead,Mr.Pryor following.Where the road was good and the light fine enough that there was no danger of laming a horse,we dropped back,one on either side of him,so we could talk.Mrs.Pryor ate the cake and said it was fine;and the `conserve,'she called it,delicious as she ever had tasted.She said all our fruits here had much more flavour than at home;she thought it was the dryer climate and more sunshine.She sent her grateful thanks,and she wants your recipe before next preserving time."Mother just beamed.My!but she did love to have the things she cooked,bragged on.
"Possibly she'd like my strawberries?"she said.
"There isn't a doubt about it,"said Laddie."I've yet to see the first person who doesn't.""Is that all?"asked mother.
"I can think of nothing more at this minute,"answered Laddie.
"If anything comes to my mind later,I won't forget to tell you.
Oh yes,there was one thing:You couldn't keep Mr.Pryor from talking about Leon.He must have taken a great fancy to him.He talked until he worried the Princess,and she tried to keep him away from the subject,but his mind seemed to run on it constantly.When we were riding she talked quite as much as he,and it will hustle us to think what the little scamp did,any bigger than they do.Of course,father,you understood the price Mr.Pryor made on one of his very finest colts was a joke.
There's a strain of Arab in the father--he showed me the record--and the mother is bluegrass.There you get gentleness and endurance combined with speed and nerve.I'd trade Flos for that colt as it stands to-day.There's nothing better on earth in the way of horse.His offer is practically giving it away.I know,with the records to prove its pedigree,what that colt would bring him in any city market.""I don't like it,"said mother."I want Leon to have a horse,but a boy in a first experience,and reckless as he is,doesn't need a horse like that,for one thing,and what is more important,I refuse to be put under any obligations to Pryors.""That's the reason Mr.Pryor asked anything at all for the horse.
