Summary

Chapter 1: Susan takes her children to Victoria to stay while Oliver travels for his survey job. Susan calls Ollie her manly boy, Betsy is seven and a little mother and housekeeper, and Agnes charms them, makes them laugh and awes them. She has invisible playmates, sings songs she makes up herself, and draws pictures with confidence and imagination beyond her three years of age. Susan supports her children with her writing and drawing.

Susan receives a telegram from Oliver. The canal project has found a new backer and is back up and running. Wiley is back and in charge of the project, while Oliver finishes with the survey. Susan and the children return to Idaho. Oliver has built them a ranch away from the construction site. Susan is upset when she learns Oliver sold some of his canal stock to her sister Bessie and...