Polly of Pebbly Pit

Station came and passed with no sign of the Chicago travelers. Then Mrs. Stewart was see

he soon saw her mother. The Oak Creek local, that left Denver daily at noon, was getting up

train. Don't wait for us. Go on and send machine to meet us t

her and laughed. "If t

hair wasn'

mousine, or do they mean a sewing-mac

t Mrs. Stewart added: "I told you no good would come of tr

wear French heeled shoes!" said Anne, and she laughed so merrily that waiting passengers i

training with such a hard lesson, will you?" cried Mrs. Stewa

he wagon for them, but I wondered what

d's shoes when those girls find out what

began Anne, when the conductor

this train

the reception," laughed Anne, hurriedly

the tardy passenger mounted the steep s

as she passed it by. Jeb stood waiting at the little station of Oak Creek, his mouth and

beside a telegraph pole to which the skittish young horses had bee

e Brewsters? I am Anne Stewart, the teac

Hain't you-all go

nd expect to be here on to-morrow's no

looking about as if he still missed

hat small trunk over by the box-car," ex

lightly as if it were

ke you take this tr

miners, en Oak Crick is a lively town, them times," explained J

or you, Jeb, that my frien

athered up the reins and snacked

ling of the heavy wagon as it went over rocks and ruts in the

m. She jumped from her perch and greeted Polly, then smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Brewster as the girl intro

e all alone!"

prise changed to relief as the family heard the cause of the other two girls' non-appearance. They all ent

n with it. Even the intense coloring of the sofa or the pea-g

e descent of the crater. Here the group watched the sunset, and became better acquainted. By bedtime, Mrs. Brewster was of the o

look after some business in Oak Creek, to-day, Jeb, so you need not dr

hist the trunks, es Ah am young a

turn you over with my s

s tall muscular frame

b'

as his own, and as he worked he grumbled and thought of the fun an

in the latest modes, walked along the p

rs. Can these be right

eanor, replied: "I suppo

g we have on will be covered wit

leanor. Had she known that the place could not boast of any kind of a clean

ter for all the smaller villages that are wit

or, as she watched a man oil

re black from grease and oil and soot, but he smiled a friendly smil

leddies, ef you-al

d when he announces the fact?" complained Barbara, dain

," laughed Eleanor, followin

dusty plush seats?" cried Barbara, whipping the upholste

s not as merry as when she jumpe

Stewart, as they passed over the same route and saw the same country. Perhap

as those we have passed by?" asked Bar

Chicago, aren't they?" rejoined Eleanor, gazing in open curiosit

e simply poverty-stric

a in d

ek, the smaller and rougher the hous

Here's you

ation, for the place was little more than

ked them down regardless of contents, and ran off to the station. It was an old di

platform and Barbara asked: "Noll

stepping down side-ways from the high

Do catch me

er soul and was expressed in her eyes. "Was this the lovely

eir safety, so she rushed over to save them from disaster-for who co

lish had vanished with age. Just as the bags were recovered, the whistle tooted, the wheels grated in turning, and the train th

essories, and deposited them before her sister. "Bet you ever

. A group of dreadful looking miners and a crowd of wild-looking cow-

esque enough in their wide sombreros, woolly chaps, gay shirts, and a swagger that matched their trick of shooting. The miners

unding the trunks, and demand an explanation she

to make a convenient card-table. The others accommodated the players and loun

on our trunks when we get them back home," remarke

g my evening-dresses-right by that horse-trough. Do make thos

eir belts-not me! But I'll go to the of

losely at her sister's heels; both of them hurried to the old car that displayed a sign saying it was the bagga

uld come!" sighed Barbara, but now Ele

y were not aware that the trunks belonged to the new-comers. When

all oughter welcome 'em in t

the others, and th

she assumed an air of courage and started for the group, while Barbara held f

miner, at the same time he slapped his

art in the general melee. The girls, trembling with fear as shots and curses rang out prof

l mean?" shouted a fine-looking man

rangers. As their welcome was considered a huge joke the men laughed loudly. Mr. Brewster (for it was the ranc

nver on time-or too soon, for a change?"

anssen, th' ingineer, 's got a christenin'

t his words. The cow-punchers whipped off their hats to salute and the miners sh

d been staged to entertain them. He explained the cause of his not bein

Shake those trunk

sk expected of them, the three principals in this group ma

ch ridiculous styles

g the girls over

rewster! Why, he's a

, disda

her's a heap of fu

s belonging to two girls, he groaned within himself, wo

hats to say "Thank you-all" they backed away to per

h stained hands and said i

laughed Eleanor, uncomfortably, seeing

ut the small steel foot-rest was too high to be reached without a boost from below, so they had to

gloves-soft chamois-skins-could now be thrown away. Even their faces had been smeared with mud when they slipped and had to clut

ara had to sit there. "I simply cannot hold on

ob, so you will have

rangers. He churked to the horses and drove away in a manner that threa

Barbara, at an unusually hard bu

the wagon where the trunks are?" vent

tter company than a rough old farmer," replied Mr. Brew

k, the sight of imposing mountains towering in the distance thrilled them in spite of their determination to dislike everything they saw. And the gorgeous hues a

gazed down into fearful depths as the wagon skirted the dangerous brink, or craned their necks to look at the wonderful vines and foliage hanging from the tops of massive rocks. By the time they reached th

of Rainbow Cliffs could be seen. As the wagon drew nigh the gorge running th

to notice it as she was so obsessed with the desire to complain about the railroad, the

its had any expensive trimmings on them, to suggest wealth, but the way they looked in their clothes! What made the diffe

mmer. Why, it is simply unbearable-nothing but mountains and trails in sight! And no one but just farmers to associate with! Oh, oh!" The accent on "farmers" made Polly

hat, each one trying to keep up a conversation they wished

he great crater bowl that formed the pasture and farm-lands of Pebbly Pit. Anne was anxious to have her

pron. She fully expected to shake hands with the fine ladies, when her turn came to be introduced. She stood directly back of her mi

nt a scornful glance over the group and then at the ranch-house, and said:

ul cabins we read about in the Adirondacks, or

And we haven't the same set either, as we would

everything. Hurry up, Anne, and introduce me so I can get acquaint

ns took place. Mrs. Brewster summoned a pleasant smile for Barbara, and a motherly pat on the shoulder for Eleano

wing stiffly and offering her reddened ha

one eyebrow at Sary. Eleanor felt so humiliated at her sister's actio

humped her shoulders and stamped back to the kitchen-range where she had been bo

themselves in the bedroom?" asked Mrs. B

replied Anne, anxiou

saw such a darling bungalow! I just love everything spread ou

ur brown-stone mansions

ling at the c

't suppose you have baths, or electric l

re Daddy to make you go home! I just won't have my whole summer spoiled by your c

ct me to stay here, did

o say! Come on, Anne, and show me the p

nne understood how she must have felt, so she diverted the attention of the newcom

r has to cart them himself. Naturally, one hasn't time to carve fancy ideals in the wood one uses for the house. And having it sent from Denver, or other large cities where labor is to be had, is also out of the question. The freight costs, and the long haul from

st have taken to construct such a house as the Brewster ranch boasted; and Barbara

aption: Barbara comp