In the High Valley / Being the fifth and last volume of the Katy Did series

len's with the only "slavey" attainable, in the shape of an untidy, middle-aged I

nough to be her mother-a great many desirable things which she herself did not very well understand. It was thankless work and resulted as such experiments usually do. Katty gave warning at the end of a week, affirming that she wasn't going to be hectored and driven round by a bi

of manner, and a certain amount of training as a matter of course in a servant. One has to learn one's way in a new country by the hardest, and perhaps, the least hard part of Imogen's lesson were the intervals when she and Lionel did the work themselves, with only old José to scrub and wash up; then at least they could be quiet and at peace, without daily controversies. Later, relief and comfort came to them in the shape of a gentle Mongolian named Ah Lee, procured through the good

made the most of her few possessions, and supplied what was lacking with wild flowers, which could be had in any quantity for the picking. Lionel had hunted a good deal during his first Colorado years, and possessed quite a good supply of fox, wolf, and bear skins. These did duty for rugs on the floor. Elk and buffalo horns fastened on the walls served as pegs on which to hang whips and hats. Some gay Mexican pots adorned the chimney-piece; it all looked pretty enough and quite comforta

and their extraordinary "handiness." If a herder met with an accident they seemed to know just what to do. If Choo Loo was taken with a cramp or some odd Chinese disease without a name, and laid aside for a day or two, Clover not only nursed him but went into the kitchen as a matter of course, and extemporized a meal which

Americans rose accordingly. She was forced to own that whatever the rest of womankind in this extraordinary new coun

about it. Before I came over I always imagined that American women spent their time in reading fashion magazines and talking over their clothes. Mrs. Geoff and Mrs. Page certainly don't do that. I don't often hear them speak about dresses, or see them at work at them; and both of them kno

ation to lunch or dinner or both. New books made their appearance from below, newspapers and magazines; and if ever the day came when Imogen felt hopelessly faint-hearted, lonely, and over-worked, she was sure to see the flutter of skirts, and her pretty, cordial neighbors would come riding up the trail to cheer her, and to propose something pleasant or helpful. Sometimes Elsie would have her baby on her kne

y shaken. Compelled to admit that Clover was worth liking, compelled to own her good nature and friendliness, Imogen yet could not be cordially at ease with her. Always an inward stiffness made itself apparent when they were together, and always Clover was aware of the fact. It made no difference

ll, that it caused a universal excitement. Elsie ran to the window overhead with Phillida in her arms; little Geoff stood on the porch staring out of a pair of astonished eyes, and Clover came forward to meet the new arrivals with an unmistakable look of surprise in her face. The gentleman who was driving and the lady beside him were quite unknown to her; but from the back part of the carriage a head extended itself,-an elderly head,

rather ride ten on a level, any day, as I told Ellen, and-well, they said you were living up here; and though the road was pretty rough, it was possible to- And if ever there was a man who could drive a buggy up to the moon, as Ellen declares, Henry is the-but really I was hardly prepared for-but any way we started, and here we

rrent of words, "and Mrs. Phillips too,-this is Mrs. Phillips, is it not? Let me help you out, Mrs. Wa

re at the hotel in the Ute Valley for three days, and my mother wished so much to dri

w I know what Mr. Watson must have been like." Mr. Phillips was also tall, with a keen, Roman-nosed face, and eye-glasses. Both had the look of people who knew what was what and had seen the world,-just the sort of persons, it would seem, to whom a parent like Mrs. Watson would

how you used to go on about them at St. Helen's- Take care, Ellen, your skirt is caught! Ah, that's right! Miss Carr is always so-but I mustn't call her that, I know, only I never- And now, my dear, I must have a kiss, after climbing up all this way; and there were gopher holes-a

flower-scented, was a surprise to the Eastern guests, who were not p

with delight over the Mariposa lilies which filled a glass bowl on the table, and the tall sheaves of scarlet penstamens on eithe

circumstances do alter; and it is a world of changes, as Dr. Billings said in one of his sermons last spring. And I'm sure I'm glad, only I wasn't prepared to- Ellen! Ellen! look at that etching! It's exactly the same as yours, which Jane Phillips gave y

y sister's are here as well as our own. So we are rather rich in pretty things, as you see, but not in anything else, except cow

was out of sight, and then at a s

have some lunch; but as it happens it is the worst day of the whole year for them to choose, for I have sent Choo Loo into St. Helen's to look up a Chinese cook for Imogen Young, and I meant to starve you all on poached eggs and raspberries for lunch. I can't leave them of course, but will you j

rms and the other holding her hand,-a

e explained. "This is her little gi

ld, is he, or six?-only three! Oh, yes, what am I thinking about; of course he-

acking away from the questioner, as

xplained; "so he cannot make comparisons. Ig

with a knot of rose-colored ribbon in her wavy hair, her cheeks deepened to just the becoming tint, the very picture of a dainty, well-cared-for little lady. No one would have suspected that during the last half-hour she had stirred and baked a pan of brown "gems," mixed a cream mayonnaise for the lettuce, set a glass

Phillips, more and more impressed. "I have

ed that she had skimmed tw

ranges of the Rockies, but ours always seems to me quite by itself. You see we lie so as to catch the sun, and it makes

able indeed,

asy enough to see,-people in boarding-houses will notice such things of course, and we all used to think- But there-of course she knew all the time, and it is easy t

, who always resented remarks about her youth. "There are thr

ll got on a little, she seems younger than- Well, well! we never thought while I was with your sister at St. Helen's, helping to take care of your poor brother, you know, how it would all turn out. There was a young man who used to bring roses,-I forget his name,-and one day Mrs. Gibson said

?" asked Elsie,

ieve it was, and I heard that her children didn't like it; but he was rich, I believe and of course- Riches have wings

uch amused. "But you asked me i

r of course. He d

at St. Helen's now, and p

d when people do that it seems to me that their lungs- But of course it was only natural at her age. I used to cheer her up all I could and say- The air is splendid there, of course, and the sun somehow never seems to heat you up as it do

fix. She was destined never to know, for just then came

o meet them and break the n

h, thunder! I thought we were safe from that sort of bore up her

or so, to be that lonesome thing a cowboy's bride, that you might slip away and take bites in barns? No sir-not at all. Y

cy gaze. Clarence yielded at once. His small despot knew very well how to rule him and

if I must. They're not to

eed, they are going ba

intedly as "the other young man," by Mrs. Watson, with an accompaniment of nods and blinks and wreathed smiles which was, to

kindest- Yes, I know it isn't Miss Carr, and I ought to remember, but somehow- Good-by, Mrs. Page. Somehow-it's very pretty up here certainly, and you have every comfort I'm sure, and you seem- But it will be getting dark before long, and I don't like the idea

e all like best to do." She watched the carriage for a moment or two as it bumped down the road, its brak

d I used to feel when Mrs. Watson went on like that, an

e," remarked Els

t go to work below and shave off the hill and make it twice as steep! It will nev

ngs, but I don't think there is any risk. There is only one of her, and I am quite certain, from t