But there was a fireplace; wood was abundant, so that a cheerful blaze could be had for cool evenings; and the little piazza faced the south, and made a sheltered sitting place on windy days.
One pleasant feature of the spot was its nearness to the High Valley.
Clarence and Geoff Templestowe thought nothing of riding four miles; and scarcely a day passed when one or both did not come over.

They brought wild-flowers, or cream, or freshly-churned butter, as offerings from the ranch; and, what Clover valued as a greater kindness yet, they brought Phil's beloved broncho, Sorrel, and arranged with the owner of the Ute ranch that it should remain as long as Phil was there.

This gave Phil hours of delightful exercise every day; and though sometimes he set out early in the morning for the High Valley, and stayed later in the afternoon than his sister thought prudent, she had not the heart to chide, so long as he was visibly getting better hour by hour.
Sundays the friends spent together, as a matter of course.

Geoff waited till his little home service for the ranchmen was over, and then would gallop across with Clarence to pass the rest of the day.

There was no lack of kind people at the main house and in the cottages to take an interest in the delicate boy and his sweet, motherly sister; so Clover had an abundance of volunteer matrons, and plenty of pleasant ways in which to spend those occasional days on which the High Valley attaches failed to appear.
It was a simple, healthful life, the happiest on the whole which they had led since leaving home.