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mother； my dear Laura； would never have asked the sacrifice of her
daughter's whole life； and Jessie herself would never have made it
had she been less vain； proud； and luxurious in her tastes； and a
little braver； more self…forgetting and industrious。 These are hard
words； dear； and I am sorry to use them。 She has gained the riches
she wanted；the carriages and servants； and tea…gowns； and hammered
silver from Tiffany's； but she looks tired and disappointed； as Bell
says； and I've no doubt she is； poor girl。'
'I don't think you do her justice； Mrs。 Winship； I don't； indeed；'
said Laura。
'If you are really attached to her； Laura； don't make the mistake of
admiring her faults of character； but try to find her better
qualities； and help her to develop them。 It is a fatal thing when
girls of your age set up these false standards； and order their lives
by them。 There are worse things than school…teaching； yes； or even
floor…scrubbing or window…washing。 Lovely tea…gowns and silver…
backed brushes are all very pretty and nice to have； if they are not
gained at the sacrifice of something better。 I should have said to
my daughter； had I been Mrs。 Denton； 〃We will work for each other； my
darling； and try to do whatever God gives us to do； but； no matter
how hard life is； your heart is the most precious thing in the world；
and you must never sell that； if we part with everything else。〃 Oh；
my girls； my girls； if I could only make you believe that 〃poor and
content is rich； and rich enough。〃 I cannot bear to think of your
growing year by year into the conviction that these pretty glittering
things of wealth are the true gold of life which everybody seeks。
Forgive me； Laura； if I have hurt your feelings。'
'I know you would never hurt anybody's feelings； if you could help
it； Mrs。 Winship；' Laura answered； with a hint of coldness in her
voice； 'though I can't help thinking that you are a little hard on
poor Jessie； but； even then； one can surely like a person without
wishing to do the very same things she does。'
'Yes； that is true；' said Mrs。 Winship； gravely。 'But one cannot
constantly justify a wrong action in another without having one's own
standard unconsciously lowered。 What we continually excuse in other
people we should be inclined by and by to excuse in ourselves。 Let
us choose our friends as wisely as possible； and love them dearly；
helping them to grow worthier of our love at the same time we are
trying to grow worthier of theirs； because 〃we live by admiration；
hope； and love；〃 you know； but not by admiring and loving the wrong
things。
'But there is the horn； and I hear the boys。 Let us come to
luncheon； and tell our good news of Elsie。'
＇Music follows＇
With incredible energy。
The horn！ The horn！ The lus…ty； lus…ty horn！ 'Tis
not a thing to laugh to scorn； A thing to laugh to scorn！
Long before the boys appeared in sight； their voices rang through the
canyon in a chorus that woke the echoes； and presently they came into
view； bearing two quarters and a saddle of freshly killed mutton；
hanging from a leafy branch swung between Jack's sturdy shoulder and
Geoff's。
'A splendid 〃still hunt〃 this morning； Aunt Truth！' exclaimed Jack。
'Game plenty and not too shy； dogs in prime condition； hunters ditto。
Behold the result！'
The girls could scarcely tell whether or no Laura was offended at
Aunt Truth's unexpected little lecture。 She did not appear quite as
unrestrained as usual； but as everybody was engaged in the
preparations for Elsie's welcome there was a general atmosphere of
hilarity and confusion； so that no awkwardness was possible。
The tool…shop resounded with blows of hammer and steel。 Dicky was
under everybody's feet； and his 'seven or ten frogs；' together with
his unrivalled collection of horned toads； were continually escaping
from their tin pails and boxes in the various tents； and everybody
was obliged to join in the search to recover and re…incarcerate them；
in order to keep the peace。
Hop Yet was making a gold and silver cake； with 'Elsie' in pink
letters on chocolate frosting。 Philip had pitched the new tent so
that in one corner there was a slender manzanita…tree which had been
cropped for some purpose or other。 He had nailed a cross…piece on
this； so that it resembled the letter T； and was now laboriously
boring holes and fitting in pegs； that Elsie might have a sort of
closet behind her bed。
As for the rustic furniture； the girls and boys declared it to be too
beautiful for words。 They stood in circles about it and admired it
without reserve； each claiming that his own special piece of work was
the gem of the collection。 The sunlight shining through the grey and
green tints of the tent was voted perfection； Philip's closet a
miracle of ingenuity； the green and white straw matting an
inspiration。
The looking…glass had been mounted on a packing…box； and converted by
Laura into a dressing…table that rivalled Mrs。 Pinkerton's； for green
tarlatan and white mosquito…netting had been so skilfully combined
that the traditional mermaid might have been glad to make her toilet
there 'with a comb and a glass in her hand。' The rest of the green
and white gauzy stuff had been looped from the corners of the tent to
the centre of the roof…piece； and delicate tendrils of wild clematis
climbed here and there as if it were growing； its roots plunged in
cunningly hidden bottles of water。 Bell had gone about with pieces
of awning cloth and green braid； and stitched an elaborate system of
pockets on the inside of the tent wherever they would not be too
prominent。 There were tiny pockets for needle…work； thimbles； and
scissors； medium…sized pockets for soap and combs and brushes； bigger
pockets for shoes and slippers and stockings； and mammoth pockets for
anything else that Elsie might ordain to put in a pocket。
By four o'clock in the afternoon Margery had used her clever fingers
to such purpose that a white silesia flag； worked with the camp name；
floated from the tip top of the front entrance to the tent。 The
ceremony of raising the flag was attended with much enthusiasm； and
its accomplishment greeted by a deafening cheer from the entire
party。
'Unless one wants Paradise；' sighed Margery； 'who wouldn't be
contented with dear Camp Chaparral？'
'Who would live in a house； any way？' exclaimed Philip。 'Sniff this
air； and look up at that sky！'
'And this is what they call 〃roughing it；〃 in Santa Barbara；' quoth
Dr。 Winship。 'Why； you youngsters have made that tent fit for the
occupancy of a society belle。'
'Now； let's organise for reception！' cried Geoffrey。 'Assemble； good
people！ Come over here； Aunt Truth！ I will take the chair myself；
since I don't happen to see anybody who would fill it with more
dignity。'
'I am going to mount my broncho and go out on the road to meet my
beloved family；' said Jack； sauntering up to the impromptu council…
chamber。
'How can you tell when they will arrive？' asked Mrs。 Winship。
'I can make a pretty good guess。 They'll probably start from Tacitas
as early as eight or nine o'clock； if Elsie is well。 Let's see：
it's about twenty…five miles； isn't it； Uncle Doc？ Say twenty…three
to the place where they turn off the main road。 Well； I'll take a
bit of lunch； ride out ten or twelve miles； hitch my horse in the
shade； and wait。'
'Very well；' said Geoffrey。 'It is not usual for committees to
appoint themselves； but as you are a near relative of our
distinguished guests we will grant you special consideration and
order you to the front。 Ladies and gentlemen； passing over the
slight informality of the nomination； all in favour of appointing Mr。
John Howard Envoy Extraordinary please manifest it by the usual
sign。'
Six persons yelled 'Ay；' four raised the right hand； and one stood
up。
'There seems to be a slight difference of opinion as to the usual
sign。 All right。Contrary minded！'
'No！' shouted Polly； at the top of her lungs。
'It is a unanimous vote；' said Geoffrey； crushingly； bringing down
his fist as an imaginary gavel with incredible force and dignity。
'Dr。 and Mrs。 Winship； will you oblige the Chair by acting as a
special Reception Committee？'
'Certainly；' responded the doctor； smilingly。 'Will the Chair kindly
outline the general policy of the committee？'
'Hm…m…m！ Yes； certainlyof course。 The Chair suggests that the
Reception Committeewell； that they stay at home andreceive the
guests；yes； that will do very nicely。 All…in…favour…and…so…forth…
it…is…a…vote…and…so…ordered。 Secretary will please spread a copy on
the minutes。' Gavel。
'I rise to a point of order；' said Jack； sagely。 'There is no
secretary and there are no minutes。'
'Mere form；' said the Chair； 'sit down； there will be minutes in a
minute；got to do some more things first； that will do； SIT DOWN。
Will the Misses Burton and Messrs。 Burton and Noble kindly act as
Committee on Decoration？'
'Where's the Committee on Music； and Refreshments； and Olympian
Games； and all that sort of thing？' interrupted Polly； who had not
the slightest conception of parliamentary etiquette； 'and why don't
you hurry up and put me