The Girls of Hillcrest Farm Part 23

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

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

"You said I could till a piece for myself this year, Dad. Lemme do it up here. There's a better chance to sell trucks in Bridleburg than there has been. 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 take so very much phosphate; will it?"

Cyrus was slower mentally than these eager young folk. He had to think it over and discuss it from different angles. But finally he gave his consent 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 in Bridleburg. That gives you a chance to raise your crop and market it before paying for the fertilizer," he said. "You'll have to get corn fertilizer, too, in the same way. But 'most ev'rybody else on the ridge does 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 with Lucas. They planned what early seeds should be planted, and Lucas began plowing that particular piece behind the barn right after dinner.

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

And when Lucas came back with the potatoes he brought a surprise for the Bray girls. He drove into the yard with a flourish. 'Phemie looked out of the window, uttered a scream of joy and surprise, and rushed out to receive 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 "braced up" and declared he looked a whole lot better already and that Hillcrest would cure him in just no time.

"And that foolish 'Phemie is only crying for joy at seeing you so unexpectedly, Father," said Lyddy, scowling frightfully at her sister over 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 was truly sympathetic.

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

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

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

"The doctors said you could do more for me up here than they could do for me there," panted Mr. Bray, smiling faintly at his daughters, who hovered about 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 to do. That young fellow who brought me up here seems to be your chief cook and bottle-washer, and he wants to speak to you, I reckon," for Lucas was 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 told them, that evening, "or I shall go crazy. I couldn't endure the rest cure." But it was complete rest that he had to endure for several days after 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 somebody else in the house. Especially a man!

"But I never have thought to ask Mr. Pritchett about his being up here with that Spink man last Sat.u.r.day night," Lyddy said, sleepily.

"You'd better let it drop," advised 'Phemie. "We don't want to get the whole Pritchett family down on us."

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

But as it happened something occurred the following day to quite put this small matter out of Lyddy's mind. The postman brought the first letter in answer to their advertis.e.m.e.nt. Lyddy was about to tear open the envelope when she halted in amazement. The card printed in the corner included the number of Trimble Avenue right next to the big tenement house in which the Brays 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 beat all!--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 advertis.e.m.e.nt 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 Sat.u.r.day 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" young fellow who had always been at work in the chemical laboratory right across the air-shaft from her kitchen window!

Of course, it was quite by chance--in all probability--that he had answered her advertis.e.m.e.nt. Yet Lyddy Bray had an intuition that if she answered the letter, and the Colesworths came here to Hillcrest, trouble would ensue.

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

CHAPTER XIV

THE COLESWORTHS

Mr. Bray fell in with the boarder project, as we have seen, with enthusiasm. Although he could do nothing as yet, his mind was active enough and he gaily planned with 'Phemie what they should do and how they should arrange the rooms for the horde of visitors who were, they were sure, already on their way to Hillcrest.

"Though Lyd won't show the very first letter she's received in answer to our ad.," complained the younger sister. "What's the matter with those folks, Lyddy? Do they actually live right there near where we did on Trimble Avenue?"

"That was a loft building next to us," said their father, curiously. "Who are the people, daughter?"

"Somebody by the name of Colesworth. The Commonwealth Chemical Company office. It's about an old man to stay here."

"One man only!" exclaimed 'Phemie.

"With a young man--the one who writes--to come up over Sundays, I suppose," acknowledged Lyddy, doubtfully.

"Goody!" cried her sister. "_That_ sounds better."