Ruth and her whole family were spending the long summer in the Sierras, at Lake Tahoe.
He arrived at Shelly Hot Springs, tired and dusty, on Sunday night.

Joe greeted him exuberantly.

With a wet towel bound about his aching brow, he had been at work all day.
"Part of last week's washin' mounted up, me bein' away to get you," he explained.

"Your box arrived all right.

It's in your room.