"
"One would almost expect," said Marian, "that a writer would say
something more original. This valley is filled with people who
came here saying precisely what you have said; and the lure of
the land won them and here they are, shameless boosters of
California."
"Why shameless?" inquired Henry Anderson.
"Because California so verifies the wildest statement that can be
made concerning her that one may go the limit of imagination
without shame," laughed Marian. "I try in all my dealings to
stick to the straight and narrow path."
"Oh, kid, don't stick to the straight and narrow," broke in
Linda, "there's no scenery."
Eileen laid down her fork and stared in white-lipped amazement at
the two girls, but she was utterly incapable of forgetting
herself and her neatly arranged plans to have the three
cultivated and attractive young men all to herself for the
evening. She realized too, from the satisfaction betrayed in the
glances these men were exchanging among each other, the ease with
which they sat, and the gusto with which they ate the food Katy
was deftly serving them, that something was happening which never
had happened at the Strong table since she had presided as its
head, her sole endeavor having been to flatter her guests or to
extract flattery for herself from them.
"That is what makes this valley so adorable," said Marian when at
last she could make herself heard. "It is neither straight nor
narrow.
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