Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1905-11-04
4 {yYOMING ESCUTCHEON
BY JAMES FRENCH TORRANCE

4
CATTLE"
"You don't seem to grasp annt's point,
Mr. Wrenn," offered Miss Darlington.
She wants to know about your family
tree"
i Family tree p he repeated, evidently
puzzled. 81 guess there must be some
mistake. There are trees about the Home
Ranch and along some OF the creeks, but
there's nothing peculiar about them"
Mrs. Wrenn for moment was slI>-
picious. Was he playing with them?
She decided that lie would not dare do
such thing with woman hose great
great-great- grandfather was mate OH
the May flower. Besides, his face was
altogether too frank and open for doubt.
81 am trying TO ask about your ances-
tors" she said with dignity. do you
know who your forefathers were, and
how far back can you trace them? We
pay much attention to family in the East"
"In our country it's what man does
that counts"
THAT may be. l never have been
farther west than Buffalo, and I'll not
60 that far again. In the East, however,
one has to be born to get anywhere.
His face lighted up for the first time
since the examination began.
ooh, l was born right enough" he
assured her. Its the usual way in
fact, might say the only way of getting
into the world we know out West"
Winnifred no longer had any doubt
that lie was playing; but she felt that
Mrs. Wrenn deserved it, and did not
interfere.
CAS- to ancestors" the young man con-
tinued, II was William D., Jr., until my
father died. My grandfather's name was
Samuel, and his father left Massachu-
sets because Of the rocks. That ought
to be family enough for anyone"
"What is your coat-of-arms?' she
asked, for the idea had come to her that
she had run across a new branch of her
husbands family. "Your family mark?"
she added in explanation.
81 suppose you mean our brand" he
responded with new interest as one again |
on familiar ground. sit is star within
circle, with w underneath. Anyone
in Wyoming could tell you"
"Then it is not two gemels OF gold be-
tween lions rampant?" she said with
relief.
He actually did not know what gemels |
were but he quickly denied the lions.
"No lions, thank you. Father never
believed in fancy brands. You see one
has to burn it into all the calves. and it
takes big brand too long to heal. Be-
sides, it is too cruel"
II think there is another mistake"
was the belated relief that Winnifred
offered. Mrs. Wrenn wants to know
the arms your servants wear"
II have only one servant, Chinaman,
and l don't allow him to carry arms. We
don't have footmen. Everyone rides in
Wyoming. We call our coachmen drivers,
and good six-shooter is arms enough for
any Of them"
Il am afraid, after all, young man, YOU
know precious little about your honor
able name" she said sadly. "But if you
will come here at three o'clock Miss Dor
rIngton will 60 over the Wrenn tables
with you. / have them back to 1900"
Il shall be delighted to come" he said
the first genuine words of the interview.
"You can't come" whispered Julliard.
"The Board of Directors meet at three"
Hang the Board of Directors 70 he
A liveried servant, powdered and blaz-
ing with the Wrenn lions and the two
gemels of gold, showed him into the
library at once. Both women welcomed
him, the elder with cold forrnality, the
younger with just enough warmth to be
On a heavy mahogany table lay the
ated lists. Banked at the ends we're
works on genealogy, from the "Almanach
lie Gotha" and Burke's "Peerage' to
'lchly bound volume that told of the
Stewart family, which was responsible q
or Mrs. Wrenn.
Mrs. Wrenn took up the scroll which !;
bore the family name and examined it
closely. "Your fathers name was Will
lam D., and his father was Samuel ?'
"Yes, and finer men never lived p" lie ,
fervently
Then you do belong to the family, i,
md the record is complete except for +
,our name" He could not tell from her
ntonation whether or not she was pleased. J.
You are my husbands second cousin"
he continued, "and You have a great II
esponsibility in keeping spotless name y
She secured a pen from =
he wriling-desk. and completed her
ecord. &
"You are not married ?'' she asked Z.
quickly.
"There is 10 one to marry in Wyom- !.
ng, he said simply, taking up the scroll. :
Your husband and | appear to end the 4
ace, sort of the last of the Mohicans,"
lie said lightly.
"You are young yet" she sighed. 'The i
amily should not be permitted to die r
ut." She noticed him glance at Winni- y
red, and smiled. II must leave YOU
low, )" she added "but Winnifred will !,
un through the list with you. You'll \
ind Warwick The Kingmaker' and at q
east one Archbishop Of Canterbury"
How they drifted away from study Of !,
he family-tree neither could have told, +
nut they drifted. They spoke of the diff +.
erences between this great, overgrown
Jew York and their homes--hers on an !,
Id Virginia estate, his on the bonndes-, j
olling lands OF Wyoming.