Winning the Wilderness Part 32

"James Shirley, Esquire," Jim announced and added quickly:

"The biggest sucker in the booming gang. Lost his farm to the Champers Company. Holds a garden patch and homestead only, where once the Cloverdale Ranch smiled. All under mortgage also to other capitalists.

Boys, I'd be ready to give up if it wasn't for my little girl. What's the use in a man as big as I am, with no lung power, keeping at it?" There was a sad hopelessness in Shirley's tone.

"No, no!" the men chorused in one voice. "Go on, Jim, go on!"

"Asher Aydelot." Jim pretended it was the rollcall they demanded.

"Gentlemen," John Jacobs began seriously. But at that moment Leigh Shirley, followed by Rosie Gimpke, came from the side door with a tray of gla.s.ses and a pitcher of lemonade.

"Gentlemen, a toast to the man who stuck to the soil and couldn't be blasted to financial ruin by a boom, the wheat king of these prairies. Our host, Asher Aydelot."

"The clod-hopper, Buckeye farmer," Jim added affectionately, and they drank to Asher's health.

"Lord bless you, Aydelot. You said the money was in the soil, not on top of it. I remember you looked like a prophet when you said it," Cyrus Bennington declared. "But I was wild to get rich quick and let my soil go.

I never look at Aydelot's spreading acres of wheat increasing in area every year without wondering why the Lord let me be such a fool."

"Well, you've spent a lot of days in an easy chair in the shade of a county office since then while I was driving a reaper in the hot sunshine," Asher insisted.

"You are the strongest man here now, for all your farm work, Aydelot,"

John Jacobs a.s.serted. "It is the store that really breaks a man down."

"Not in his nerve, nor in pocketbook," Todd Stewart added. "Here's a toast, now, to the second generation, and especially to Thaine Aydelot, son of the Sunflower Ranch. Nineteen years old tonight."

"What is Thaine going to follow, Asher?" someone inquired. "I suppose you'll be making a gentleman out of him, since he's your only child."

"My father tried to make a gentleman out of me and failed, as you see,"

Asher replied.

"Tragic failure," Jim groaned.

"Seriously, Aydelot, what's Thaine to do?" The query came from Dr. Carey; the company awaited the answer.

"He isn't wanting to follow anything right now. He has a notion that the earth is following him," Asher said with a smile. "And having handled Aydelots all my life, I'm letting him alone a little with the hope that at last he'll come back to the soil as I did. He goes to the Kansas University this fall and he has all sorts of notions, even a craving for military glory. I can't blame him. I had the same disease once. I don't believe in any wild oats business. I hope Thaine will be a gentleman, but I don't wonder that a green country boy who has looked out all his life on open prairies and lonely distances should have a longing for city pavements and the busy haunts of men. How well he will make his way and what he will let these things fit him to do depends somewhat on how well grounded the farm life and home life have made him. The old French Aydelot blood had something of the wanderl.u.s.t in it. I hope that trait may not reappear in Thaine. But where's Pryor Gaines in this rollcall? We are getting away from the subject before the house."

Jim Shirley's handsome face grew sorrowful.

"He was not affected by the boom. He has been the same man in spirit and fortune for twenty-five years. But we are going to lose him. That's why he's not here tonight," Jim hurried on as the others were about to interrupt him. "He won't say good-by to anybody. You can understand why.

He's going to start for China tomorrow morning--missionary! It's the last of Pryor Gaines for us. I promised not to tell till he was gone. I've lied to him. That's all. But you'll not tell on me nor let him know. He says he's 'called.' And when a preacher gets that in his blood there's no stopping him."

At that moment Virginia Aydelot and a group of matrons came thronging out.

"Come in for the Virginia Reel," they demanded. "The young folks are having refreshments on the side porch and Bo Peep wants us to dance for him."

"May I have the honor?" Horace Carey said, bowing to Virginia Aydelot.

"With pleasure, Horace," Virginia replied with a smile.

As they led the way to the dining room, Dr. Carey said:

"I congratulate you tonight, Virginia, on your son, your kingly husband, and your busy, useful life. You've won the West, you two."

"Not yet," Virginia replied. "Not until our son proves himself. He's a farmer's boy now. Wait five years till he is the age his father was when he came out here. The test of victory is the second generation."

Bo Peep's fiddle began its song and the still young middle-aged guests with their host and hostess kept time to its rhythm.

CHAPTER XIV

THE SECOND GENERATION

The younger generation does not want instruction.

It is perfectly willing to instruct if anyone will listen to it.

--_The Education of Otis Yeere._

The second generation gave little thought to what was filling the minds of the first settlers tonight. The company was a large one and a dozen years later more than one young matron remembered Thaine Aydelot's birthday party as the beginning of a romance that ended happily for her.

"Jo, you are the queen of the ball tonight," Todd Stewart, Junior, declared, as he led her to the cool veranda after their fourth dance together.

Jo looked the part in the moonlight, as in the lamplight.

"Oh, no, I'm not. Leigh Shirley is Thaine's favorite, and his choice is queen tonight," Jo said coquettishly.

"Darn him! We all know who his choice is, all right," Todd said. "But, Jo, can't a fellow have half a chance, anyhow? You know, you can't help knowing a lot of us would fight for you."

He caught her hand in his and she did not resist at once.

"Oh, Jo, I know one fellow, anyhow--"

"Look at Thaine now," Jo interrupted him, as Thaine came near the open window. "Todd, do you know why he thinks so much of Leigh Shirley?"

"Of Leigh? Does he? I hope he does. He shows good taste, anyhow.

Everybody from Little Plum Creek clear to Northfork likes Leigh."

Jo's eyes flashed.

"She must be very popular."

"Oh, not as they like you, Jo. You must know the difference between you two, a real beauty and a sweet little girlie."

"She's not so sweet. She tries to attract and doesn't know how," Jo declared, for jealousy belongs to the dominant.

Todd Stewart's sense of justice was strong, even in his infatuation.

"Why, Jo, you mustn't be jealous of Leigh. She's the girl the boys can't make like them. She's the funniest, settest little creature. And yet, she is a cute child. But you are our pride, you know, and to me--well, let me take you home tonight, and I'll tell you about my pride."