The Girls of Hillcrest Farm; Or, The Secret of the Rocks

by Amy Bell Marlowe

  CHAPTER XIII

  LYDDY DOESN'T WANT IT

  "Who is this Mr. Spink?" asked Lydia Bray the following morning, as theyprepared for church.

  It was a beautiful spring morning. There had been a pattering showerat sunrise and the eaves were still dripping, while every blade of thefreshly springing grass in the side yard--which was directly beneaththe girls' window--sparkled as though diamond-decked over night.

  The old trees in the orchard were pushing both leaf andblossom--especially the plum and peach trees. In the distance otherorchards were blowing, too, and that spattered the mountainside withpatches of what looked to be pale pink mist.

  The faint tinkling of the sheep-bells came across the hills to the earsof Lyddy and 'Phemie. The girls were continually going to the window ordoor to watch the vast panorama of the mountainside and valley, spreadbelow them.

  "Who _is_ this Mr. Spink?" repeated Lyddy.

  Her sister explained what she knew of the man who--once a poorhouseboy--was now counted a rich man and the proprietor of Diamond Grits,the popular breakfast food.

  "He lived here at Hillcrest as a boy, with grandfather," 'Phemie said.

  "But what's _that_ got to do with his coming up here now--and at night?"

  "And with Mr. Pritchett?" finished 'Phemie.

  "Yes. I am going to ask Mr. Pritchett about it. They surely weren't aftervinegar so late at night," Lyddy observed.

  But 'Phemie did not prolong the discussion. In her secret thoughts theyounger Bray girl believed that it was Cyrus Pritchett and Mr. Spink whomshe had heard about the old house the night she and Lyddy had first sleptat Hillcrest.

  There was no use worrying Lyddy about it, she told herself.

  A little later the roan ponies appeared with the Pritchett buckboard.Instead of Mrs. Pritchett and her daughter, however, the good lady'scompanion on the front seat was Lucas, who drove.

  "Oh, dear me!" cried Lyddy. "I hope we haven't turned Miss Pritchett outof her seat. Surely we three girls could have squeezed in here on the backseat."

  "Nope," said Mrs. Pritchett. "That ain't it, at all. Sairy ain't goin' tochurch this mornin'."

  "She's not ill?" asked Lyddy.

  "I dunno. She ain't got no misery as I can find out; but she sartainlyhas a grouch! A bear with a sore head in fly time would be a smilin'work of Grace 'side of Sairy Pritchett ever since she come home fromthe Temperance Club las' night."

  "Oh!" came from 'Phemie.

  "Why----She surely isn't angry because we went home early?" cried Lyddy."My sister, you see, got nervous----"

  "I reckon 'taint that," Lucas hastened to say. "More likely she's soreon me."

  "'Tain't nawthin' of the kind, an' you know it, Lucas," declared hismother. "Though ye might have driven 'round by the schoolhouse ag'in andbrought her home."

  "Wal, I thought she'd ride back with school teacher. She went with him,"returned Lucas, on the defensive.

  "She walked home," said Mrs. Pritchett, shortly. "I dunno why. She won'ttell _me_."

  "I hope she isn't ill," remarked the unconscious Lyddy.

  But Lucas cast a knowing look over his shoulder at 'Phemie and the latterhad hard work to keep her own countenance straight.

  "Well," said Mrs. Pritchett, more briskly, "ye can't always sometimes tellwhat the matter is with these young gals. They gits crotchets in theirheads."

  She kept up the fiction that Sairy was a young and flighty miss; but even'Phemie could no longer laugh at her for it. It was the mother's pitifulattempt to aid her daughter's chances for that greatly-to-be-desiredcondition--matrimony.

  The roads were still muddy; nevertheless the drive over the ridge toCornell Chapel was lovely. For some time the girls had been noting theprocession of carriages and wagons winding over the mountain roads, allverging upon this main trail over the ridge which passed so close toHillcrest.

  Lucas, driving the ponies at a good clip, joined the procession. Lyddyand 'Phemie recognized several of the young people they had met the nightbefore at the Temperance Club--notably the young men.

  Joe Badger flashed by in a red-wheeled buggy and beside him sat the buxom,red-faced girl who had voiced her distaste for the city-bred newcomersright at the start. Badger bowed with a flourish; but his companion's nosewas in the air.

  "I never did think that Nettie Meyers had very good manners," announcedMrs. Pritchett.

  They overtook the schoolmaster jogging along behind his old gray mare.He, likewise, bowed profoundly to the Bray girls.

  "I am afraid you did not enjoy yourself last night at the club, MissBray," he said to Lyddy, who was on his side of the buckboard, as Lucaspulled out to pass him. "You went home so early. I was looking for youafter it was all over."

  "Oh, but you are mistaken," declared Lyddy, pleasantly. "I had a very nicetime."

  As they drove on Mrs. Pritchett's fat face became a study.

  "And he never even asked arter Sairy!" she gasped. "And he let her comehome alone last night. Humph! he must ha' been busy huntin' for _you_,Miss Bray."

  Lucas cast oil on the troubled waters by saying:

  "An' I carried Miss Lyddy and Miss 'Phemie away from all of 'em. I guess_all_ the Pritchetts ain't so slow, Maw."

  "Humph! Wa-al," admitted the good lady, somewhat mollified, "you _hev_seemed to 'woke up lately, Lucas."

  The chapel was built of graystone and its north wall was entirely coveredwith ivy. It nestled in a grove of evergreens, with the tidy fencedgraveyard behind it. The visitors thought it a very beautiful place.

  Everybody was rustling into church when they arrived, so there were nointroductions then. The pastor was a stooped, gray old man, who had beenthe incumbent for many years, and to the Bray girls his discourse seemedas helpful as any they had ever heard.

  After service the girls of Hillcrest Farm were introduced to many of thecongregation by Mrs. Pritchett. Naturally these were the middle-aged, orolder, members of the flock--mostly ladies who knew, or remembered, thegirls' mother and Aunt Jane. Indeed, it was rather noticeable that theyoung women and girls did not come forward to meet Lyddy and 'Phemie.

  Not that either of the sisters cared. They liked the matrons who attendedCornell Chapel much better than they had most of the youthful members ofthe Temperance Club.

  Some of the young men waited their chance in the vestibule to get a bowand a smile of recognition from the newcomers; but only the schoolmasterdared attach himself for any length of time to the Pritchett party.

  And Mrs. Pritchett could not fail to take note of this at length. Theteacher was deep in some unimportant discussion with Lyddy, who wassweetly unconscious that she was fanning the fire of suspicion in Mrs.Pritchett's breast.

  That lady finally broke in with a loud "Ahem!" following it with: "Ire'lly don't know what's happened to my Sairy. She's right poorly to-day,Mr. Somers."

  "Why--I--I'm sorry to hear it," said the startled, yet quite unsuspiciousteacher. "She seemed to be in good health and spirits when we were on ourway to the club meeting last evening."

  "Ya-as," agreed Mrs. Pritchett, simpering and looking at him sideways."She seems to have changed since then. She ain't been herself since shewalked home from the meeting."

  "Perhaps she has a cold?" suggested the teacher, blandly.

  "Oh, Sairy is not subject to colds," declared Mrs. Pritchett. "But sheis easily chilled in other ways--yes, indeed! I don't suppose there isa more sensitive young girl on the ridge than my Sairy."

  Mr. Somers began to wake up to the fact that the farmer's wife was notshooting idly at him; there was "something behind it!"

  "I am sorry if Miss Sairy is offended, or has been hurt in any way," hesaid, gravely. "It was a pity she had to walk home from the club. If Ihad known----"

  "Wa-al," drawled Mrs. Pritchett, "_you_ took her there yourself in yourbuggy."

  "Indeed!" he exclaimed, flushing a little. "I had no idea that bound meto the necessity of taking her home again. Her brother was there with yourcarriage. I am sure I do not und
erstand your meaning, Mrs. Pritchett."

  "Oh, I don't mean anything!" exclaimed the lady, but very red in the facenow, and her bonnet shaking. "Come, gals! we must be going."

  Both Lyddy and 'Phemie had begun to feel rather unhappy by this time. Mrs.Pritchett swept them up the aisle ahead of her as though she were shooinga flock of chickens with her ample skirts.

  They went through the vestibule with a rush. Lucas was ready with theponies. Mrs. Pritchett was evidently very angry over her encounter withthe teacher; and she could not fail to hold the Bray girls somewhataccountable for her daughter's failure to keep the interest of Mr. Somers.

  She said but little on the drive homeward. There had been something saidearlier about the girls going down to the Pritchett farm for dinner; butthe angry lady said nothing more about it, and Lyddy and 'Phemie wererather glad when Hillcrest came into view.

  "Ye better stop in an' go along down to the house with us," said thegood-natured Lucas, hesitating about turning the ponies' heads in at thelane.

  "Oh, we could not possibly," Lyddy replied, gracefully. "We are a thousandtimes obliged for your making it possible for us to attend church. Youare all so kind, Mrs. Pritchett. But this afternoon I must plead thewicked intention of writing letters. I haven't written a line to one ofmy college friends since I came to Hillcrest."

  Mrs. Pritchett merely grunted. Lucas covered his mother's grumpiness byinconsequential chatter with 'Phemie while he drove in and turned theponies so that the girls could get out.

  "A thousand thanks!" cried 'Phemie.

  "Good-day!" exclaimed Lyddy, brightly.

  Mrs. Pritchett's bonnet only shook the harder, and she did not turn tolook at the girls. Lucas cast a very rueful glance in their direction ashe drove hastily away.

  "Now we've done it!" gasped 'Phemie, half laughing, half in disgust.

  "Why! whatever is the matter, do you suppose?" demanded her sister.

  "Well, if you can't see _that_----"

  "I see she's angry over Sairy and the school teacher--poor man! But whathave we to do with that?"

  "It's your fatal attractiveness," sighed 'Phemie. Then she began tolaugh. "You're a very innocent baby, Lyd. Don't you see that Maw Pritchettthought--or hoped--that she had Mr. Somers nicely entangled with Sairy?And he neglected her for you. Bing! it's all off, and we're at outs withthe Pritchett family."

  "What awful language!" sighed Lyddy, unlocking the door. "I am sorryyou ever went to work in that millinery shop, 'Phemie. It has made yourmind--er--almost common!"

  But 'Phemie only laughed.

  If the Pritchett females were "at outs" with them, the men of the familydid not appear to be. At least, Cyrus and his son were at Hillcrest brightand early on Monday morning, with two teams ready for plowing. Lyddy hada serious talk with Mr. Pritchett first.

  "Ya-as. That's good 'tater and truckin' land behind the barn. It's laidout a good many years now, for it's only an acre, or so, and we nevertilled it for corn. It's out o' the way, kinder," said the elder Pritchett.

  "Then I want that for a garden," Lyddy declared.

  "It don't pay me to work none of this 'off' land for garden trucks," saidCyrus, shortly. "Not 'nless ye want a few rows o' stuff in the cornfieldjest where I can cultivate with the hosses."

  "But if you plant corn here, you must plant my garden, too," insistedLyddy, who was quite as obstinate as the old farmer. "And I'd like to havea big garden, and plenty of potatoes, too. I am going to keep boardersthis summer, and I want to raise enough to feed them--or partly feed them,at least."

  "Huh! Boarders, eh? A gal like you!"

  "We're not rich enough to sit with idle hands, and I mean to try and earnsomething," Lyddy declared. "And we'll want vegetables to carry us overwinter, too."

  Lucas had been listening with flushed and anxious face. Now he broke ineagerly:

  "You said I could till a piece for myself this year, Dad. Lemme do it uphere. There's a better chance to sell trucks in Bridleburg than there hasbeen. I'll plow and take care of two acres up here, if Miss Lyddy says so,for half the crops, she to supply seed and fertilizer."

  "Will--will it cost much, Lucas?" asked Lyddy, doubtfully.

  "That land's rich, but it may be sour. Ain't that so, Dad? It won't takeso very much phosphate; will it?"

  Cyrus was slower mentally than these eager young folk. He had to thinkit over and discuss it from different angles. But finally he gave hisconsent to the plan and advised his son and Lyddy how to manage the matter.

  "You kin git your fertilizer on time--six or nine months--right here inBridleburg. That gives you a chance to raise your crop and market itbefore paying for the fertilizer," he said. "You'll have to get cornfertilizer, too, in the same way. But 'most ev'rybody else on the ridgedoes the same. We ain't a very fore-handed community, and that's a fac'."

  At noon Lyddy and 'Phemie talked over the garden project more fully withLucas. They planned what early seeds should be planted, and Lucas beganplowing that particular piece behind the barn right after dinner.

  Lyddy had very little money to work with, but she believed in "nothingventured, nothing gained." She told Lucas to purchase a bag of potatoesfor planting the next day when he went to town, and he was to buy a fewpapers of early garden seeds, too.

  And when Lucas came back with the potatoes he brought a surprise for theBray girls. He drove into the yard with a flourish. 'Phemie looked outof the window, uttered a scream of joy and surprise, and rushed out toreceive her father in her strong young arms as he got down from the seat.

  How feeble and tired he looked! 'Phemie began to cry; but Lyddy "bracedup" and declared he looked a whole lot better already and that Hillcrestwould cure him in just no time.

  "And that foolish 'Phemie is only crying for joy at seeing you sounexpectedly, Father," said Lyddy, scowling frightfully at her sisterover their father's bowed head as they helped him into the house.

  Lucas hovered in the background; but he could not help them. 'Phemie saw,however, that the young farmer fully appreciated the situation and wastruly sympathetic.

  The change in Mr. Bray's appearance was a great shock to both girls. Ofcourse, the doctor at the hospital had promised Lyddy no great improvementin the patient until he could be got up here on the hills, where the airwas pure and healing.

  Aunt Jane had come as far as the junction with him; but he had comeon alone to Bridleburg from there, and the agent at the station hadtelephoned uptown to tell Lucas that the invalid wished to get toHillcrest.

  "I'm all right; I'm all right!" he kept repeating. But the girls almostcarried him between them into the house.

  "The doctors said you could do more for me up here than they could do forme there," panted Mr. Bray, smiling faintly at his daughters, who hoveredabout him as he sat before the crackling wood fire in the kitchen.

  "And Aunt Jane never told us you were coming!" gasped Lyddy.

  "What's the odds, as long as he's here?" demanded 'Phemie.

  "Why, I shall soon be my old self again up here," Mr. Bray declared,hopefully. "Now, don't fuss over me, girls. You've got other things todo. That young fellow who brought me up here seems to be your chief cookand bottle-washer, and he wants to speak to you, I reckon," for Lucaswas waiting to learn where he should put the potatoes and other things.

  Mr. Bray knew all about the boarding house project and approved of it."Why, I can soon help around myself. And I must do something," he toldthem, that evening, "or I shall go crazy. I couldn't endure the restcure." But it was complete rest that he had to endure for several daysafter his unexpected arrival.

  The girls gave up their room to their father, and went upstairs to sleep.'Phemie had to admit that even _she_ was glad there was at last somebodyelse in the house. Especially a man!

  "But I never have thought to ask Mr. Pritchett about his being up herewith that Spink man last Saturday night," Lyddy said, sleepily.

  "You'd better let it drop," advised 'Phemie. "We don't want to get thewhole Pritchett family down o
n us."

  "What nonsense! Of course I shall ask him," declared her sister.

  But as it happened something occurred the following day to quite put thissmall matter out of Lyddy's mind. The postman brought the first letter inanswer to their advertisement. Lyddy was about to tear open the envelopewhen she halted in amazement. The card printed in the corner included thenumber of Trimble Avenue right next to the big tenement house in which theBrays had lived before coming here to Hillcrest.

  "Isn't that strange?" she murmured, and read the card again:

  _Commonwealth Chemical Company_ _407 Trimble Avenue_ _Easthampton_

  "Right from the very next door!" sparkled 'Phemie. "Don't that beatall!--as Lucas says."

  But Lyddy had now opened the letter and read as follows:

  "L. Bray, Hillcrest Farm, Bridleburg P. O. "Dear Madam:

  I have read your advertisement and believe that you offer exactly what my father and I have been looking for--a quiet, homelike boarding house in the hills, and not too far away for me to get easily back and forth. If agreeable, we shall come to Bridleburg Saturday and would be glad to have you meet the 10:14 train on its arrival. If both parties are suited we can then discuss terms.

  "Respectfully, "Harris Colesworth."

  "Why, what's the matter, Lyd?" demanded her sister, in amazement.

  But Lyddy Bray did not explain. In her own mind she was much disturbed.She was confident that the writer of this note was the "fresh" youngfellow who had always been at work in the chemical laboratory right acrossthe air-shaft from her kitchen window!

  Of course, it was quite by chance--in all probability--that he hadanswered her advertisement. Yet Lyddy Bray had an intuition that if sheanswered the letter, and the Colesworths came here to Hillcrest, troublewould ensue.

  She had hoped very much to obtain boarders, and to get even one thus earlyin the season seemed too good to be true. Yet, now that she had got whatshe wanted, Lyddy was doubtful if she wanted it after all.