Her Father's Daughter

green skirt and an orange blouse. Katy pinned one of her aprons

the very best of everything. Lay the table for four, and you

second, her heavy black brows

sue these instructi

nd I'll say I never saw her lookin' such a perfect picture. Th

to the front of her well-worn blouse, and s

asked Marian in such a way that Marian won't come. And the caution as to care with the soup means that I am to serve my father's table like a paid waitress. Katy, I have run for over three years on Eileen's schedule, bu

ugh widely spreading branches of ancient live oaks, palm, and bamboo thickets. She entered the house without knocking and in the

d no idea you were so far along

and Mother's and my own that I wish to keep I have put in storage, and the remainder

Linda, "why you refused Eileen'

peculiarly acceptable to me, since the kitchen is barren as the remainder of the house, and I w

d her friend in her ar

night with me; and I must have been mistaken in thinking Eileen had been here. She probably will come any minute. There

has always talked of him. He had some ext

e that it would be a particularly attractive feather in our cap if he would endorse our valley sufficiently to home in it. So Eileen has invited them to sam

arian, "I'm glad I nev

t wanting a certain place I since

ut finished getting that home on paper, and I truly have high hopes that I may stand at least a fair chance of winning with it the prize Nicholson and Snow are offering. That is one of the reasons why I am hurrying on my way to San Francisco much so

ner. She filled a basket with beautiful flowers of her own growing for a centerpiece, and carefully fol

, "take a look a

vely," said K

igned, vamoosed, quit, dead stopped being waitress for Eileen. I was seventeen my last birthday. Hereafter wh

aty. "I'll do my best, and if that's not goo

ldn't be driven to leave me, by anything on this e

'll get everything ready, and I can serve I six as nicely as anyone. But you'r

little sister Linda any longer. This is the year of woman's rights, you know, Katy, and I am beginning to realize that my rights have been badly inf

on they heard a motor stop, and laughing v

d Linda, "whether M

rian appeared at

y, "I am feeling queer about

e folks have come, and she was only waiting to m

n hes

lowing me much

er owned anything in your life so becoming as that old red blouse. So farewell, Katy, we're due to burst into high society

uld have something in common since I am going t

if you insist, because I took him, and left you the author, and it w

raised Linda's work in laying the table; and

appy home. When she saw the two girls she paused, the color swiftly faded from her face, and Linda, who was watching

bloom cheeks, deep, dark eyes, her face framed in a waving mass of hair whose whiteness dated from the day that the brakes of her car failed and she plunged down the mountain with her father beside her, and her mother and Doctor and M

situation. Eileen was white with anger. John Gilman was looking straight at Marian, and in his soul he must have wondered if he had been wise in neglecting her for Eileen. Peter Morrison and his architect, Henry Anderson, had two things to think about. One was the stunning beauty of Marian Thorne as she paused in the doorway, the light misting her white hair and deepening the tints of her red waist The other was why the

, John Gilman turned to Linda, asking: "Why 'an hour'? I

o me," answered Linda quietly; "so you must find yo

uence to prove that the stars hung lower and shone bigger and in bluer heavens than anywhere else on earth; that nowhere could be found air to equal the energizing salt breezes from the sea, snow chilled, perfumed with almond and orange; that the sun shone brighter more days in the year, and the soil produced a greater variety of vegetables and fruits than any other spot of the same size on God's wonderful footstool. This could be done with unanimity and enthusiasm by every resident of Lilac Valley for the very simple reason that it was the truth. The valley stood with its steep sides raying blue from myriad wild lilacs; olives and oranges sloped down to the flat floor, where cultivated ranches and gardens were so screened by eucalyptus and pepper trees, palm and live oak, myriads of roses of every color and variety, and gaudy plants gathered

y she was going to sulk in the hope that this would prove that any party was a failure at which she did not exert herself to be gracious. It had not been in Linda's heart to do more than sit quietly in t

or a home in California. Is this true, or is it merely that every good Calif

use my ideas on the subject are still slightly nebulous

wagon load in this valley and we are perfectly willing to donate the amount re

Ever since I finished college I have been in newspaper work and I have lived in an apartment in New York except while I was abroad. When I came back my p

said Linda slowly. "How do you think we wo

one felt much easier. Marian turned

ections, so I hope it's not out of the way for me to ask straightforwar

but it is very remarkable how quickly one changes in this world. I have had some success in my work, and the higher I go, the better work I feel I can do in a quiet place and among less enervating surroundings. John and I were in college together, roommates, and no doubt he has told you that we graduated with the same class. He has found his location here and I would particularly enj

l. This valley is filled with people who came here saying precisely what you have said;

s?" inquired

erning her that one may go the limit of imagination without shame," laughed

straight and narrow," broke i

o herself for the evening. She realized too, from the satisfaction betrayed in the glances these men were exchanging among each other, the ease with which they sat, and the gusto with which they ate the food Katy was deftl

The wing of a white sea swallow never swept a lovelier curve on the breast of the ocean than the line of this valley. My mother was the d

rned in his chair, his eyes in

set up my rest.' With such a name as Lilac Valley and with such a thought in the heart concerning it, I scar

rson, "and from what I could see as we d

on turned to

to. Are there desirable homesites still to be found in the valley, and

or field cultivation is taken. I doubt if there is much of the orchard land higher up remaining and what there is would command a rather stiff price; but if you would be content with

sage and greasewood?" cried Linda. "Next thing they'

he greatest nerve specialists the world ever has known. She knows every inch of the mountains, the canyons and the desert. She always says that she cut her teeth on

eter-you should have assumed that sage and greasewood would simply have vanished from any home location chosen by Peter, leaving it all lacy blue with lilac, and misty white with lemonade bush, and lovely gold with m

deas of a house, Henry, are shriveling. I did have a dream of something that must have been precious near a home. There might have been an evanescent hint of flitting draperies and ine

n and the salty fog creeps up from the sea, and the icy mist rolls down from the mountains to chill our bones; and when it has not rained for six mon

eter, "and I was depending on the ocean for my

John Gilman, glancing in her direction, realized that he was having the best time he had ever had in the Strong household since the passing of his friends, Doctor and Mrs. Strong, vaguely wondered wh

laughed

ealth. I haven't the faintest notion what it means to be ill. I am merely waiti

interested you had better begin to polish up, because it appeals to me that the world goes just so far in one direction, and then it whirls to the right-about and goes equally as far in the opposite direction. If Daddy were living

ied Eileen

endulum has swung far and it is time to swing back to where one man and one woman choose any little spot on God's foots

ee any suitable spot, and you think I would serve fo

da. "Would it be the old case of 'I furni

is doing mighty well. I guarantee that he woul

ter Morrison to write a book in; and I want to warn you people when you go hunting to keep a mile away from Marian's plot. She has had her location staked from childhood and has worked on her dream house until she h

f Miss Thorne will tell me even on which side of the valley

inda before Marian had time to speak. "It is sure to be on the sunny si

rison. "But isn't there enough sun in all this

reedom of the valley. There's not one chance in ten thousand that you would find or see

er Morrison. "You truly have a place s

Linda. "I dream about it myself. When she builds it and lives in it awhile and finds out all the things that

a house and lived in it, say ten years, and did not find one single thing about it that they wou

"and it's a queer thing. I can't see why people don't

Marian he had fallen in love

possible five years ago and learned today that infinitely superior lighting and heating and living facilities could be installed at much less expense and far greate

no doubt therein lies at least part o

es. Sometimes more babies than they expect come to

Linda. "Just look at Sylvia T

eathed Eile

y name, dear," murm

to me but a haunted house, and I don't feel that I can be blamed for wanting to leave it. I will be glad to know that there are people living in it who won't see a big strong figure meditatively smoking before the fireplace and a gray dove of a woman sitting on the arm of his

you for selling your home and going, Marian," said Lin

gone, that she immediately went to her room, leaving Linda and Marian to close the house and make their own arrangements for the night. Whereupon Linda deliberately led Marian to the carefully dusted and flower-ga

go to a real estate man in the morning and loo

will," said Mar

ng about homes tonight; which reminds me, Marian, in packing ha

sketches from which I drew the final plans as I now think I'll submit them for the contest.

to wear with it, and a dress to match the coat, and slippers to match the dress, a

floor plans; and sitting down, she explained these to Linda. Then she left them lying on a table, waiting to be returned to her case before she replaced her clothes in the morning. Both girls were

he change in Eileen and John Gilman, the two girls slept until late in the morning, so that there were but a few minutes remaining in which Marian might dress, have a hasty breakfast and make her train. In helping her, it fell to Linda t