Polly of Pebbly Pit | Page 7

Mrs. Brewster.
"Then Polly can answer the letter as she likes, and I will hunt up a gal.
You said it: you'd agree to hire help if one can be found!" quickly came
from the rancher.
"Sam, you took this occasion to have your own about hired help,"
laughed his wife, shaking her head deprecatingly.
"You never would listen before, but now you've got to!" said Mr.
Brewster, triumphantly.
"Polly, you can run in and answer that letter as soon as you like,"
hinted Mrs. Brewster, and the girl eagerly obeyed.
While she wrote the answer over and over till it met with her approval,
her parents exchanged confidences regarding John and this young
teacher, but Polly never dreamed of such fears.
The letter that left Pebbly Pit the following day was the first thread
woven in the warp and woof of two young lives--Eleanor Maynard in
Chicago and Polly Brewster in the Rockies. Had the reply been other
than it was, would these two girls have met and experienced the

interesting schooldays, college years, and business careers that they
enjoyed through becoming acquainted that summer at Pebbly Pit?

CHAPTER III
PREPARING FOR THE UNKNOWN
The letter sent from Pebbly Pit to Anne Stewart was forwarded by the
latter to the Maynard girls in Chicago. It was eagerly read aloud to Mrs.
Maynard by Barbara. Reaching the paragraph in the letter where Mrs.
Brewster asked Anne Stewart if she thought five dollars a week for the
board of each would be asking too much, Barbara dropped the sheet of
paper and gasped. An expression of incredulity appeared on the faces
of the mother and daughter, while Eleanor laughed outright.
"Just fancy! Five dollars a week!" she cried, throwing herself back on
the cushions of the divan.
"It must be a mistake! I trust it isn't meant for fifty a week! That is
about the price a good hotel would charge, but I had hoped this place
would be more reasonable. However, I am quite sure that figure five is
a mistake; no one can possibly give meals at that rate, no matter how
meager the fare may be!" declared Mrs. Maynard.
"The writing is plain enough and so is the figure '5,' mother," returned
Barbara, referring again to the letter, then handing it to her mother.
Mrs. Maynard adjusted her lorgnette and studied the figure given. "It
does seem to be five, without a doubt!" admitted she.
"Oh, well! it really doesn't matter much what the price is just as long as
we have a good time this summer!" exclaimed Eleanor.
"But, Nolla, dear, it does matter! Your father is dreadfully upset about
our plans. He says my Newport season will cost far more than I fancied
it would, and you two girls going to a mountain resort like this is an
extra cost. He will have to be away all summer on important business

connected with the bank, and that will cost extra money. Altogether, he
feels anything but indifferent," sighed Mrs. Maynard, handing the letter
back to Barbara.
"Well, we are not responsible for father's worries over the bank's loans,
but we are concerned about the style and quality of meals to be served
at this Brewster place for five dollars a week," scorned Barbara.
"I don't believe Anne Stewart would take us to a place where anything
was horrid and cheap! She knows what's good as well as we do!"
defended Eleanor, who was eager to go to this mountain ranch.
"Nolla is quite right, Bob. Anne is too particular to engage board in an
undesirable house or hotel!" added Mrs. Maynard.
"Besides, these Brewsters have a farm, you know, and I suppose they
raise lots of things that we have to pay such awful prices for--eggs,
chickens, butter and vegetables," added Eleanor.
Mrs. Maynard and Barbara looked with admiration at the young girl,
for that was an idea they had not thought of!
"Of course, that's why they can board us so reasonably! Then, too, I
suppose they do their own marketing for other items of food, such as
delicacies and supplies from the baker's! It does make a difference in
the accounts, you see, when one markets!" ventured Barbara, glancing
at her mother who never bothered about anything connected with the
housekeeping--leaving it all for the servants to do.
"Now, Bob, don't criticize your mother's methods. I can't drudge about
the house and take charge of the Social Clubs and Welfare Work as
well," complained Mrs. Maynard.
"Of course not, Bob! Besides, mother never did know a good cut of
beef from a poor one--they never taught domestic science in her day,
you see," hurriedly interpolated Eleanor, hoping to waive a scene such
as was a common occurrence between Barbara and her mother.

"Nolla, are you sarcastic