CHAPTER III.
ON THE VERANDA.
It was a beautiful sunny morning some three weeks later.
Inza and Elsie sat on the broad veranda of Merry Home, while Lizette,the nurse, trundled the baby up and down beneath the shady trees on thebroad lawn.
Over at the east of Farnham Hall a group of laborers, among whom werefully twenty of the Farnham boys, were completing the foundations forMerriwell's new manual-training school building.
A glimpse of the distant athletic ground showed a number of boys hard atwork on the track and the baseball field.
There was a look of serene happiness on Inza's face, while Elsie waspositively rosy. After chatting a while, they sat some moments insilence, busy with their own thoughts. Finally their eyes met, and Inzalaughed.
"No one would ever dream now that you were at one time determined to bean invalid, Elsie," she said.
"Determined to be?" exclaimed Elsie. "Why do you use that word, Inza?"
"Why, you remember that I laughed at you--you remember I told you ahundred times that you would be well and strong again."
"Yes, you were most encouraging, Inza, and I'll never forget howfaithfully you stuck by me. Still, there were reasons why I feared formy future health."
"Silly reasons."
"Oh, no, Inza; not silly. You can't call them that. You know my motherwas never strong, and she finally became a chronic invalid."
"But your father----"
"Oh, he was a rugged man."
"You know it's said that girls generally take after their fathers andboys after their mothers."
"But in my case it was different. A thousand times my father told me howmuch I looked like my mother. I had a picture of her, and I could see Iwas becoming more and more like her every day."
"You're a person who worries, Elsie. When things are not going justright you give yourself over to fears for the future. I have absolutecourage and faith."
"Oh, I know my failing," admitted the golden-haired bride. "You andFrank were made for each other. You're both courageous and trustful.Frank has done marvels for Bart in the way of giving him unwaveringconfidence and courage. You know Bart used to be quick-tempered,resentful, and inclined to brood. He has learned, through Frank'sexample, to overcome such failings, and he's now almost as confidentand optimistic as Frank himself. I think Bart will help me in thatrespect."
"We're both extremely fortunate," said Inza gravely. "If other girlscould have such good fortune, this world would be a happy place. You aregoing to stay with us this summer?"
"Oh, I don't know. Bart thinks it his duty to return to the mines. If hegoes, I shall go with him."
"But Frank says Bart will not be needed there for three months, atleast. You're not going to settle down to live in Arizona or Mexico,Elsie?"
"Oh, I don't expect we'll live there all our lives," was the smilinganswer. "But while duty keeps my husband out there, I shall remain withhim."
"That's fine--that's splendid! But Frank says there is no reason whyBart should spend more than five or six months of the year at the mines.Frank wants you to have a home in the East--here in Bloomfield."
"Oh, I hope we may!" cried Elsie. "I'm sure Bart would like that."
"Then you'd better make your plans for it. There's a fine building lotdown the road, and Frank owns it. You know you were married so suddenlywe had no opportunity to make you a wedding present. If you can induceBart to build, Frank and I have decided to give you that lot as awedding present."
Elsie sprang up, her eyes dancing, flung her arms round Inza's neck, andkissed her repeatedly.
"It's too much--too much!" she cried.
For a few moments their words and laughter were mingled in suchconfusion that the record would produce a senseless jumble. FinallyElsie sat down, appearing utterly overcome.
"Oh, what a glorious world!" she murmured. "What a grand, inexpressiblething real true friendship is! Still, such a gift is----"
"Now don't feel that this is a case of charity," laughed Inza. "I wantyou here--we want you here. Bart doesn't need charity. His interest inthe San Pablo makes him independent. He could buy a building lotanywhere he chose in Bloomfield; but it happens Frank owns the best lotnear us, and our selfish desire to have you close by is one motive forthe present."
"Selfish, Inza? There never was a selfish bone in you or in yourhusband. I understand and appreciate the spirit of the gift, and I'msure Bart will. Oh, won't it be the finest thing to plan our new house,to watch while it is being built, to furnish it, and finally to moveinto it and start with a real home of our own!"
Again they were silent.
Amid the trees birds were calling, mate to mate. A proud redbreastdanced across the lawn, pausing to capture a fated insect, then flew upinto one of the trees to feed its mate upon a nest.
Elsie was watching the maid, now bending over the carriage and crooningsoftly to the baby.
"Did you ever notice how queerly Lizette does her hair, Inza?"
"Yes, I've noticed," was the answer. "There are several queer thingsabout her. Her skin is strangely dark, almost as if stained, and I knowshe makes up her eyebrows. Sometimes I've noted that her French, whenshe speaks in her own language, is anything but correct, yet she seems agirl of some education. Her intonation is occasionally a trifledifferent from that of most French people I've met."
"But she's very faithful."
"Yes, she is very faithful and very kind with the baby. But I believeLizette has a secret."
"A secret?"
"Yes."
"Why do you think that?"
"Occasionally she looks at me in the most peculiar manner. I've caughther looking that way several times. Once I discovered her glaring atFrank's back in a way that was almost savage."
"How singular! What do you suppose it means?"
"Oh, I don't know, unless it may be that she envies Frank and me. It maybe that some time she was disappointed by an unfaithful lover."
"Poor girl!" breathed Elsie. "If such is the case, I think I realize howshe feels. But look, Inza, here come the boys now. They're coming overfrom the Hall."
The "boys" were Frank and Bart, who were approaching side by side, twosplendid specimens of American manhood.