She promptly forgot
her own regret in soothing her friend, for Dorothy's grief was most
sincere. Ever since that day when she had learned that Mrs. Calvert was
her own kin she had loved the lady with all her heart and had, during
the past winter of Aunt Betty's lameness, felt that she must now take
care of her. She did not realize that the one-time invalid was now quite
well and as independent of aid as ever. Indeed, the Gray Lady had
laughingly declared:

"Dear Mrs. Betty is the youngest-hearted of us all!"

After that happy day when Dorothy had helped to bring about the reunion
of the long parted Fords, the "Railroad Boss" had taken his wife and
son away for a little time; but they had soon returned to _El Paraiso_,
that charming home in the southwestern city and had remained as members
of Mrs. Calvert's household till the spring days came. Then Mr. Ford had
announced his summer plans:

"I'm going to give myself a long vacation. I own a ranch in the Colorado
mountains and I'm going to take you all, each and everyone, to enjoy it
with me. My wife, Erminie, claims it her turn to play hostess, so we'll
all become cowboys and cowgirls, and have a wild-west show of our own,
with a continuous performance for three jolly months. All in favor, say
Aye!"

"Aye! Aye! Aye!" the youngsters had it, so heartily that, for a moment,
nobody noticed that Aunt Betty was silent. Then, when Dorothy observed
this, with a down-sinking of her own spirits, the lady made haste to
explain:

"Nothing could please me better for Dorothy, and for myself if I were
able to accept. But I can't. As you know, my business affairs have
become tangled in some way and I must go home to really understand what
is amiss. Indeed, I don't know yet where I may have to be during the
warm weather and I'm delighted for my little girl, and for Alfaretta, to
have such a fine chance. I fancy you'll all come east in the autumn, as
brown as the Indians who'll be your neighbors, and in fine health. How
soon do you leave, Mr. Ford? That I may make some arrangement about this
dear old house, for I shan't want to stay in it after you're gone."

Then it was his turn to explain:

"I have felt all along, ever since I found Erminie here with our boy,
that the place should never become again just 'a house to rent.' So I've
bought it. I've found Padre Nicolas, the old priest whom the Indians
love and trust, and deeded it to him in trust for them as a Home. Here
Lazaro Gom