The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1906-10-08
SUNSET RANCH.

him as her fathers successor in Con-
gress, and also as the richest man from
tho West that season. He was large.
ana hearty and masterful. She was not
the least in love with him. but he was
so wholesome. SO strong. and reliable.
| so willing to give her his whole heart
| and wealth. that she found herself TAX
, Ing a certain comfort out of the situa-
ton. Somehow. he typified her home
! country to her. She had never known
the West very well, but she had heard
| OF it. and dreamed Of it, and MCGOWAN
seemed to embody all her conception
| OF its vastness. and freedom, and
| wealth.
tween them, she was seeing Wyoming
| for the first time in fifteen years. as
| the guest o: MCGOWAN and his sister.
As she leaned forward, watching Sun
! set draw nearer, she wondered how
| Prince Boris, and the Marquis Louis
Serapion Auguste would like their
orother-in law. and Fne laughed softly.
You are happy. aren't you, dear?"
asked Mrs. DanfGrth Wickes, with
| quick solicitude. Just wait till you
get on the ranch. and youll forget all
| about Europe and everything horrid."
sunset station is merely pine pack
\ ing box turned sideways, with a tel
egraph desk inside and tank Of drink
ing water on the shady corner. On the
north side Of the tracks were drawn
| up couple of what Sunset called con-
veyances. One was a blackboard, the
other was an automobile. large. deep.
bright red, and mighty comfy" as Nell
Wickes said when she caught sight Of
1'1 like local color" she said, but
not applied In chunks. I'll take mine
as an impressionistic. background to the
| picture. and ride in the bubble"
MCGOWAN was talking to the tele-
graph operator. debating a list Of mes
sages and talking home chat His
sister tucked herself comfortably, into
one OF the back seats Of the automobile
and proceeded to wrap her head up in a
sfx-yard ven of palegreen chiffon.
Over near the blackboard stood q con-
pie Of figures quet ,immovable, speech
less. One was short and slope-shoul-
dered. with a round, brick-colored face
and inquiring eyes of childlike blue.
The other was tall. Lady Scarsdale,
| standing beside the red automobile.
tried to get a more definite impression
| Of him.
As she had stepped from the train
ignoring the outstretched arms of Nc
Gowan. and the hand OF the porter. she
had seen only one object in Sunset,
this tall figure in khaki-colored garb
his cream colored sombrero pulled low
over his eyes. and those eyes looking
steadily at her.
That was absolutely all she conld
tell Of him. and yet. in that second Of
time. that instant when she had stood
poised on the car steps and met his gaze
full. glance for glance. the inner soul,
spirit, consciousness, or whatever one
might care to call 1t. was Weakened for
the first time in her life In Lady
Scarsdale.
When MCGOWAN had finished with
the telegraph operator. and had swung
over to the two figures and gripped
them by the hands. Isabel took her
place beside Mrs. Danforth wickes.
Hello, Cherry" called that lady
ga,ly. Didn't know me In this out
At, did you? Come over here
The short figure obeyed with alacri-
ty. Vaguely Lady Scarsdale was glad
| the tall one had not responded She
t leaned back In the red leather seat
, and smiled at Mr.. Cherry Barnes.
THE Colonel looks something great.
!, don't hep he said. Got fatter since
he was up last year. too. Couple OF
weeks on the range will put a lather
| Of tan on him thatIl make him show
d up like sure enough Rapahoe buck"
| "Oh, Toms looking fine retorted
Mrs. Wickes fervently, with a little
!, side glance at the silent graceful form
, beside her Hes pretty happy these
t days"
Il And Cherry "tumbled.' and wonder
, ed what under the light of heaven
that slim. sweet girl saw in big. rough
!; Tom MCGOWAN.
Lady Scarsdale Is her NAME" he
, said after the red automobile had roll
ed down the smooth, dusty stretch of
road that led over the country toward
the Sunset ranch. "One of your folks,
guess. Harry"
Harry Kincaid did not answer
Standing with his feet apart. his
hands deep in his pockets, he wonder
Il ed what freak of fate mad brought the
widowed lady Scarsdale across the sea,
and half a world around to cross this
destiny Lady Scarsdaie, the name
: rang in his ears with mockery. That
4 slender. dreamy-eyed girl. Lady Scars
| dale. He shut his teeth grimly. his
eyelids narrowing as he thought OF an
old spare figure whom the world had
called Lord Scarsdale. And that girl
| had been his wife.
:, IAN those high society English ladies
have got that yellow hair. and the
4 reach blow, amt they? Climate, l
she is not English" said Kincaid
/ she's an American. from Wyoming.
= Cherry chuckled.
Il Did YOU get that beam of sunlight
> from Toms radiating smile?" he asked.
Reckon he believes in hanging on to
. home products.
For the next month matters looked
e as If Cherry were right. Sunset ranch
S lay at the feet of Lady Bell to do with
n as she liked, and its owners NECK was
e beneath her dainty feet. But there
were days at a time when the Hon.