Polly winked roguishly and laughed. "You can't pull the wool over my eyes, Daddy. I've spent a whole year in New York to some advantage, you see. I have seen lots of such feigned innocence as yours."
"But honest, Poll, Ah don't even know what you-all are talking about; Ah got your sweet valentine, and so did maw."
Polly frowned at her father. "Didn't you wire to a florist in New York and order a dozen great roses for my valentine? And tie the two hearts pierced by a golden arrow, about the center of the flower-stems?"
"Positively, this is the first word Ah've heard of it!" declared Sam Brewster so emphatically, that the girls believed him.
"Now, Polly, the hunt is narrowing down," laughed Eleanor. "We know it was no one in New York, and it wasn't Jim or Ken. Your father says he didn't do it, so it leaves only a few more to ask."
Suddenly Polly clasped her hands. Her face was radiant. "Why, of course! How could I forget? It was dear old John! He, too, always remembered me on Valentine Day." Then turning to her father, and shaking a finger at him, she added: "But you didn't remember me, this year, bad man."
"Tell truth, Polly, there was so much to think about and so much to do, over the buildings and mines, that Ah clean forgot there ever was such a day, until I got your card. Then I felt sorry."
"Well, thank goodness, John remembered!" sighed Polly. And Eleanor noticed that she smiled again in forgiveness of her brother's shortcomings.
When the wagon stopped at the porch of the ranch-house, Eleanor laughed: "Just as we drove up last year--but oh, how different this year!"
Mrs. Brewster hurried out to welcome her dear girls, and laughed at Eleanor's remark. "Still making Irish bulls, Nolla!"
They all laughed merrily, and then Sary rushed from her kitchen, and clasped Polly to her ample bosom. Eleanor came in for her share of the maid's embrace before she had to hurry back to the dinner.
"Ah'se cookin' cabbige soup, Miss Nolla," she explained.
"Why, Sary, that first night we were here last summer, you had 'cabbidge' soup, too!"
"We-all has to hev it once a week reg'ler now, 'cause Jeb loves it, an' he is a foreman, you know." Sary's pride in her spouse's promotion was most evident.