“Well, it ain’t right for ’em to have no older woman with ’em. My sister Hannah Maria was sayin’ that they ought to come over to us, but they do hate to give up their home here, and I don’t blame ’em,” said Bud. “Can’t you git a-holt of some decent old Mexican woman, Pedro?” Pedro thought he could: one old, but of respectability, and, though not capable of much work, quite able to act the part of duenna for the senoritas. “Produce her,” said Bud. “We’ve got to have this thing done up right. I’m responsible to John Ross for his sisters and I ain’t goin’ to have it said that all ain’t as it should be. As I said, there’s folks enough would be glad to open their doors to two sech likely gals but they want to stay here, and here they shall stay if I kin fix it.” Therefore, before long, a toothless old Mexican rejoicing in the name of Sofia appeared at the rancho under the escort of Bud. “Fetched ye an old lady,” said he in an off-hand manner. “Guess it’s all right, ain’t it? Thought now that Lou is gone you’d like to have somebody else around.” “Gracious!” exclaimed Alison, looking at the old woman whom Pedro was helping into the house. “I’m afraid if she gets any more dried up and a norther should come along she’ll blow away. What on earth are we to do with her, Bud? What is she for?” “Oh, just to set around and look pretty,” replied Bud, grinning. “We can do that for ourselves,” said Alison, saucily. “Do please tell me, Bud, why in the world you brought her here. She’s too old to work. She certainly is not ornamental and it has not been my experience that old crones of her class are specially entertaining. What’s she for, anyhow?” “I told ye.” “Nonsense.” “Well, ye see, to tell ye the truth, us boys likes to feel that things is high-toned and stylish on this here ranch, and we thought if folks could see an old lady like that settin’ ’round nobody would talk. You an’ Miss Christine is rayther young to run things all by yerselves, ye see.” “Oh-h.” Alison understood. “I think, myself, it is entirely unnecessary, but if our neighbors think we don’t know how to behave I’m perfectly willing to wait on the old creature.” “Dog it all, Miss Alison, you know that’s not the way to look at it,” said Bud. “Your brother’s away and you gals ain’t no mother nor nobody, and sence that there caper of yours the other night Pedro’s oneasy like and thinks you’d ought not to be here by your loneys. Don’t you see?” “Pedro is an old goose. He hasn’t American ideas. However, I’ll speak to Christine and see what she says.”