Mrs. Hope
probably had her suspicions, for she was rather urgent with Clover to
leave this thing and that for safe keeping "in case you ever come back;"
but Clover declined these offers, and resolutely packed up everything with
a foolish little superstition that it was "better luck" to do so, and that
papa would like it better.
Quite a little group of friends assembled at the railway station to see
her and Phil set off. They were laden with flowers and fruit and "natural
soda-water" with which to beguile the long journey, and with many good
wishes and affectionate hopes that they might return some day.
"Something tells me that you will," Mrs. Hope declared. "I feel it in my
bones, and they hardly ever deceive me. My mother had the same kind; it's
in the family."
"Something tells me that you must," cried Poppy, embracing Clover; "but
I'm afraid it isn't bones or anything prophetic, but only the fact that I
want you to so very much."
From the midst of these farewells Clover's eyes crossed the valley and
sought out Mount Cheyenne.
"How differently I should be feeling," she thought, "if this were going
away with no real hope of coming back! I could hardly have borne to look
at you had that been the case, you dear beautiful thing; but I _am_ coming
back to live close beside you always, and oh, how glad I am!"
"Is that good-by to Cheyenne?" asked Marian, catching the little wave of a
hand.
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