Show V 1 V P er 4 ca AM 1 L W SYNOPSIS the loss of their family fortune Is accepted stoically by the bristol family including professor bristol invalid ar che his daughter rosemary and simmons a family fixture the only property salvaged Is peppertree Pep inn a southern california hotel kent standish scion of a wealthy family and rose marys sweetheart since childhood days wants to settle their dilemma by marrying rosemary but his mother objects until he proves he can earn his own living as well as his fifels blean meanwhile while in california judge elliot induces his son bob owner of an avocado grove to assume temporary management of the inn CHAPTER IV were going to california to manage our inn ourselves rosemary said going to darling are you crazy kent asked do you mean to tell me I 1 told you but I 1 did I 1 remember it distinctly it was the very day the doctors told us dad walk any more I 1 told you we were just about out ol of money but that we owned an inn in southern california 2 he said significantly you got that far when I 1 interrupted you remember with a proposal it was the afternoon we got engaged in case its slipped your mind now start at the beginning and tell me what worried you when you called me this evening simmons and I 1 had a talk he never used to discuss things with m me e b before but now hc be actually treats me as if I 1 were grown up he said our bank account is getting pretty low the ne reason is 2 the reason your bank account is low or the reason simmons confides in you now simmons you see I 1 wrote to the man who sold dad the inn no he actually seu sell it because he own it but that sounds reasonable go on its a judge a judge he is judge elliot I 1 suppose hes a real estate man too as well its is a lawyer anyhow it was through him that we got peppertree Pep inn and dad had a bad time right after well after we got engaged I 1 suppose call it ol 01 1 I do I 1 certainly do 6 kent ill never be able to tell you if you keep interrupting like that the thing is I 1 wrote to this judge elliot once or twice myself first to remind him we had any check that month from the inn 21 sorry but ill have to cut in just this once darling so I 1 can keep up with that leaping mind of yours when the sale was made it was agreed the judge should send a monthly check to the professor I 1 tant cant seem to get the connection I 1 thought that kind of business was conducted on a percentage of the profits or something like that yes what the judge wrote me and there been any profits lately because the manager ran away with all the money what manager what money rosemary are you sure you know what youre talking about of course she said indignantly its perfectly simple listen there was a man named richards thomas benton richards he owned the inn are you with me so fart far with you richards T B owned the inn carry onto on he had a daughter her name richards because she married somebody in new york state who owned a farm I 1 think it was a stock farm or maybe it was apples yes im sure now it was apples and it a farm but an orchard and how dad came to buy the anni or he shook his head you lost me back there on the farm I 1 think it was oh I 1 forgot to tell you he died no not mr richards but his sonin son in law the farmer or whatever you call people who grow apples so he wanted to be with her to help her you know he to mr richards wanted to be with his daughter and help her yes with the apples but where did the professor get into this complicated affair 1 I dont exactly understand that myself simmons says it all comes from what he calls a sucker list seems dads on it P you amaze me he commented well anyhow we own the inn she hurried on and we dont own much else the inn needs a manager and we need a place to live and what could be better than southern california palm trees and roses and all simmons thinks wed better start right away and I 1 think so too for a moment he made no answer you kenw I 1 cant let you go that far away from me he told her presently in a voice which was low and husky 1 I thought by this time id have a job that would take care of all of us I 1 thought madre would relent about my allowance when she realized I 1 was in earnest its been nearly a month now and were just about where we were when we first talked of being married makes a guy feel like a heel not being able to support his own wife kent cent proposes idea she said sensibly you dont have a wife yet kent by the time youre married have a grand job and make lots of money I 1 wish you could get the right sort of position in california but I 1 suppose not not in bellavista Belle vista anyway its just a village the judge dys says they grow avocados then how can your father make money out of his inn even if you do go out there tourists she told him promptly not the hard up kind but wealthy people who go to california for a long stay they want something between a boarding house and an apartment and peppertree Pep inn inns the answer this Judge Bristol say sa so yes and there are a lot of bf photographs its a darling place it really does have a pepper tre c and flowers and all and its own beach kent I 1 can hardly wait to see it youre really going then to california to this bellavista Belle vista place to weve got to go kent going to begin remodeling the house next week wed have hav e to move somewhere and ablong as we own a hotel it seems foolish not to use it he admitted the wisdom of this but im going with you and look tor for i a job he said with decision not in your village but in los angeles or even san francisco then when were married we can leave the professor and simmons at the inn and well live wherever my work is say a great ideal lets do it Y yes but if you caret cant get anything here where everybody knew your father do you think you can out there I 1 man mean a really important job kent because you know have to begin being permanent right away if were to be married at the end of six months that devilish six months but it be so awfully important it if it just pays enough you know rosemary maryl 1 you say your short a manager why dont I 1 be he him it oh kent what a marv but we pay you a very big salary im afraid you see simmons was going to manage it and we already are paying him so simmons Simmon sl A fine hotel manager hed maket make never mind about the salary darling we can settle that when we get out there why dont we drive out you and I 1 in the front the professor and simmons in back zip across the country staying at night wherever we want to eating the same way gosh wed have fun yes she said longingly but we cant it would be too hard on dad then let simmons take him by train better yet fly and you and ill picturesque inn intrigues rosemary not that either id love it though no well meet you there kent or you could start first and an be there when 1 I hate to drive all that way alone its darned lonesome without somebody to talk to wonder if madre would like to go along just for the ride you mean well and to observe me being a manager too for a while any 3 xv r 41 Z you know I 1 cant let you yon go that far away from me tl way money in our pockets darling madre always takes the most expensive suite you know it it be better to wait and have her come after had a little more experience there might be things you had to learn about an inn and want your mother to see you at your best it seems to me it like I 1 mean what things to learn all a manager does is manage whether its a city hotel or a village inn keep the bellhops hopping and the housekeeper keeping house that about the size of it 1 I dont doret know kent how should I 1 I 1 should think have to be bookkeeping 1 and buying supplies I can keep books he assured her proudly and madre will tell you that there are few who can surpass me when it comes to buying anything you know sweetheart I 1 begin to think weve got something in this peppertree Pep inn theres a feeling coming over me and I 1 think its a surge of enthusiasm for inn keeping well swim and well ride and well play tennis when do we start for bellavista Belle vista and do you spell it as in a bell that rings or a belle belie that rings the bell B e 1 l e v i s t a are you being foolish because you cant help it or on purpose because you think I 1 need cheering up because I 1 cant help it of coursel course think of it darling in a week or two you and ill be living in the same house the same inn at any rate which is practically the same thing as a house you arent really serious about managing the inn absolutely serious its a job it and if I 1 hold it for six months we can be married after that but we think about what well do then As a matter of fact I 1 expect madrell give in long before that the only thing im afraid of is that when she hears of this plan shell telephone herriot to scare up a job for me here you take it de certainly not you in california and me here besides im getting keener on this inn business by the minute mine host me to begin with there was no one to meet them at the station in belle vista rosemary herself had wired judge elliot the time of their arrival asking to have a wheel chair meet the train for her father and now here they were tired travel stained and thoroughly depressed and no sign of wheel chair or its attendant simmons and the porter helped the professor into the waiting room its too bad ducky rosemary told him but well have you tucked in bed within the next half hour simmons im going to telephone the inn you stay here with dad she dialed the number heard the repeated ringing of the bell at the end of the line but there was no answer she consulted the directory once more dialed again no results she looked about the small station it was empty save for a gray haired man at the ticket window how far is the inn from here peppertree Pep inn and where can I 1 get a taxi 1 I reckon find one in front of the inn theys generally one hanging around that neighborhood dont they meet the trains I 1 thought sure they do that is most times theres only a few cabs an and d sometimes busy taking tourists around to see the sights the orange groves and such like you can walk to the inn though its only a few blocks my father cant walk she indicated the professor with a movement of her head and we have a lot of luggage there some place I 1 can telephone he reflected then offered a suggestion you walk to the inn and send a taxi back here you need a chair too dont you they got one right up the street for two blocks turn left and come to a big peppertree pep know the place by the sign peppertree Pep inn she explained the situation to her father and set forth briskly accord according to directions after the long days in the train she enjoyed the short walk bellavista Belle vista she thought certainly lived up to its name small picturesque tur esque houses clung p precariously to the hills which rose almost from the beach itself the first thing she saw was the irin inn itself she stopped to survey it happily it was a hundred times better than the photographs A kt jupt white plaster building it r a rr iret ZIA contentedly beneath great trees ny ways keeping its eye on the ocean but not unaware of the mountains behind which gave it dignity shining cars were parked before it the three wide white steps which led in were framed in some sort jofs of vine starred with blue flowers inside was a combination lobby and living room with deep comfortable chairs couches a concert piano ft f T perfect thought the girl but where is everybody there was no one at the desk no one in the lobby the telephone was ringing madly no wonder I 1 get an answer she mused and resisted an impulse to answer it that is she resisted it for a minute or so then she reached for the instrument and said hella 11 hello said a man mans s vo va 14 4 peppertree Pep inn chos speaking speak inc C the manager she replied firmly the manager but impossible hetty is this you call hal will you im in a hurry phone conversation proves confusing rosemary said truthfully hals not here just now in fact no one seems to be here Is there something I 1 can do for you I 1 am the manager at least the temporary manager that surprises me a little be cause I 1 thought I 1 was never mind we can discuss that when I 1 get back ill be held up out here for an hour or so and I 1 want hal to take the desk till I 1 get there would you mind looking for him miss temporary manager where would I 1 be likely to find him what does he look like and would you mind telling me who you are another time the voice promised 1 I really am in a hurry now hal should be in the lobby if h hes s not then I 1 suppose hes in the kitchen swiping something to eat the cookle point him out to you i hold the line no better haye have 1 call me he knows where I 1 am goodbye good bye I 1 well to exclaimed rosemary aloud as she replaced the telephone in its cradle a cool person if I 1 ever talked to onet one i so im to go to the kitchen to find hal yes and what am I 1 to say to hal if I 1 find him somebody called you up and said know where he is and to call him and how do I 1 jy know where the kitchen is I 1 never saw a hotel kitchen I 1 cant go blundering about opening doors at this point a door opened without any effort of her own and a girl came into the lobby she was a pretty girl rosemary thought tan tall and slim with black hair and very dark eyes hello she said wh whee e S e bob y TO BE CONTINUED y 1 |