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

he quick-eyed Elsie noted it and darted a look at Clover, but Clover only

he turn for mechanics which he exhibited in boyhood had continued, and determined his career. Electrical science had attracted his attention in its earlier, half-developed stages; he had made a careful study of it, and qualified himself for the important position which he held under the company, which was fast revolutionizing the lighting and street-car system of Burnet, now growing to be

bureau in the Bachelors' Room; "I wonder what he will think of it all. I'm afraid he will be scandalized

mong business men to be easily shocked. And our little Sunday service is very nice, I th

l that Dorry will miss the pulpit and sitting in a regula

t deserve it of you. He's a thoroughly good, sensible fellow, and has excellent abiliti

ook of grandpapa Carr's daguerreotype. I'll be good,-really I will. Don't fire again,-I've 'come down' like the coon in the anecdote. Dorry's a dear, and you are

ly, and ignoring the last question. She marred the effect of her lecture by kissing Elsie as she s

gly; but there was no sign of debility in his jump from the carriage or his run up the st

so tired when we got to Chicago; but after that he improved with every mile, and when we reached Denve

man already," added Dorry. "Clover, you look a little pu

y, you see. How delicious it is to have you both here! Dorry dear, you must have some beef-

eem to smell in the distance, is much more in my line. I want to look about and see your hous

t's like a miracle the way he has come up. He was so dragged and miserable and so very cross only three days ago. Now, you dear things,

h was the reason we sent Isadore in with the carriage; no one else could be spared. The babies ar

began to take down her hair. "M

and staying with us. Yo

a difference between these two "oh

, "and take out the dress on top. This I hav

d her. The woollen gown of cream-yellow which she now put on seemed exactly what was needed to throw up the tints of her hair and complexion; but she would look equally well on the morrow in blue. With quick accustomed fingers she whisked her pretty locks into a series of artlessly artful loops, with little blowing rings about the forehead, and stuck a bow in here an

the jellying principle begins to work on the fruit-juice, and the frost principle to inform the water atoms. These fateful moments are not always perceptible to our dull apprehe

hers. They had seen a good deal of each other two years before, but neither was prepared to be quite so glad to meet again. They did not pause to analyze or classify their fee

so he began to allude to himself as quite recovered, and to show an ominous desire to get back to his work; but this suggestion was promptly scouted by everybody, especially by John, who sa

s, and you may never be in Colorado again. You wouldn't have the heart to disappoint Clover and El

; only, when a fellow feels as perfectly well as I do, it seems ridiculous for him to

; and during the other half Johnnie's face wore always a pre-occupied look, and was dreamily happy and silent. Even Clover began to perceive that something unusual was in the air, something that seemed a great deal too good to be true. She and Elsie held conferences in private, during which they hug

he young birds refuse to hatch out; and of course in the case of turtle-doves it would be all the more so. 'Lay low, Bre'r Fox,' and wait for wh

but all the same she did cross it in her thoughts many times

ich Mrs. Hope had persuaded her to order, and over the making of which she herself had personally presided. It fitted well, and set off to a

ty girl Miss Young was?" demand

d before she was ill, and she's very nice and all tha

that Miss Chase who was here the other day. I should call he

easy to get on with, and Dorry never before seemed to find it particularly easy to get on with any girl. I sup

ds. He was not much of a reader except in a professional way, and still less of a horseman; so the two principal amusements of the Valley counted for little with him, and they feared he would feel dull, or fancy himself neglected. With the return of Imogen these apprehensions were lai

vening; "but it's just as remarkably queer. What c

gine that slow people have nothing to say, or do not know how to say it when they have; while all the time, for slow and quick alike, there is the old, old story for each to tell

n that first evening. He had never got on very well with girls, or known much about them; there was a delightful novelty in his present sensations. There was not a word as to the need of getting back to business after she dawned on his h

a new and agreeable feature of life to have one, "like other girls," as she told herself. Lionel was too much absorbed in his own affair

ew there, that Dorry made his final declaration. There were no penstamens in the valley now, no yuccas or columbines, only a few belated

nk I had no right, perhaps, to speak so soon,-for your sake, mind, not for my own; I could not be surer about my feelings for you if we had been acquainted f

y much," said I

urnet to live in. It's a big place, you know, with all the modern improvements,-not like this, which, pretty as it is, would be rather lonely in the wint

ge that I should consent. It would be for quite different reasons, if I did." T

es, but Dorry unders

You don't refuse me? Imoge

ell. His strong, well-knit figure showed to advantage in the rough climbin

he asked, persuasively. "He represe

ad ever called Dorry 'Theodore' till now!], for I don't want you to fancy me nicer than I really am. I was horribly stiff and prejudiced when I first came out. I thought everything American was inferior and mistaken, and all the English ways were best; and I was nasty,-yes, really very nasty to your sisters, especially dear Clover. I have lear

ve you all the better for being so modest about yourself. For me, I'm just a plain, sober sort of fellow. I never was bright like the others, and there's nothing in the least 'subt

e-she's Geoff's sister, you know, and my most intimate friend at home-predicted that I should marry over here, but I never supp

e world ever did before? I never saw a girl whom I considered could hold a candle to you,-certainl

have me settled, I should think. There a

nother equally satisfactory conversation was going on between another pair of lovers. Johnnie and Lionel had stro

hat I cared more for you than a

ntest suspicion of such a

n I was working over the cattle and everything, and I always t

range, c

upon me what it meant; and I perceived that I had been de

l str

like that better than Johnnie. It makes me thi

n, as I always knew. Only don't connect me with th

t of evil, and you are th

to think of marrying me. Neither of us has any money. You'll have to work hard for

obably be only too glad to get home again whenever-other arran

t mind

g will y

e say te

ighteen months,-we'll fix it at eighteen months, or two

I'll wait two ye

with pleasure! That's car

you, whatever I say," remarke

if you'll wait two years,-not with pleasure, but with patience and resignation,-I'll

our, you know, and I think he would give his blessing to you rather than any one else, because you would bring me out

e quite perfe

father is the sweetest man in the world, and the wisest and most reasonable. You will love him dearly.

her once, y

ible invalid, you know, almost always confined to her bed or sofa, and yet she has been one of the great influences of our lives,-a sort of guardian angel, always helping and brightening and cheering us all, and starti

fellow. He's in New Zealand now. And Beatrice-that's the next girl to Imogen-is awfully nice too, and there are one or two jo

house, or move your cabin farther down the Valley? I want to live nearer Clover and Elsie. You'll have to be away a good deal, of course, as the other boys are, and a

e view was good, and I didn't know how Moggy would hit it off with the rest, you understand. I thought she might do better a lit

" went on Johnnie. "It's easy enough to make a simple house prett

e pause

t?" asked Joh

ha

from down the canyon. Such a ve

a sound? I h

t could be voices,-very low and hushed, as if a ghost were co

protested Lionel. "There isn't a

quite impossible that it could be vo

a couple of hundred feet dis

rdinary echoes. There's the strangest

robably; there are he

nd, came upon the pair below, just rising from their seat to go home. The

e!" crie

y, we never suspected it. What broug

d Imogen. "Theodore-Mr. Carr, I mean-

is features as best he could; "only it's

looked at one another solemnly and questioningly, a

s paroxysms, "I do believe we have

"there were some extremely queer ech

which floated up to us from below," retort

ght it w

affectionate ghosts, you know, on

with you," said Dorry,

nt a word

Johnnie, brightly, putting her arm throug

she said; "I've promised Lion

promised

f admiration in her voice. "Oh, you mean

hildish sort of name for a grown man. Do you mean to

e to Burnet; we shall just change

ational Alliance," declared Lionel. "Now

confession, but had so little thought of Dorry's that for some tim

t with Miss Young? You don't look as surprised as you ought. Did you hear the

s. I am quite as happ

estrained, "this shrinking pair also have a tale to tell. It is a case of 'change p

the Upper East Canyon to present to your favorable consideration the echoes of the Lower East Canyon. We've all been sitting up there, 'unbeknownst,' within a fe

?" demanded Elsie, i

murs of conversation and whisperings. I

eedn't answer if you don't want to; but what was it that first put it into your head to fall in love with Imogen Young? I'm very glad tha

u all. And then she's a quiet sort of girl, you know, not so ready at talk as most, or so quick to pick at a fellow or trip him up. I've always been the slow one in our family, you see, and by way of a change it's rather refreshing to be with a woman who isn't so much brighter than I am. The r

lsie to her husband afterward. "The idea of a man's falling in love with a woman beca