The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-07-15
A FORCED
MARRIAGE
Bred Complications That Were
!. Long In Being Worked Out
BY THERESA c. HOLT
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
BY THERESA c. HOLT
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Associa ton.

Nothing was known about RaIph
Hayden. a young man who bought a
small ranch in New Mexico. except
that he was an Englishman. He was
tall and we'll formed. with light hair
and complexion and blue eyes. This.
with a winning smile that uncovered
white. regular teeth. made him In ap-
pearance very attractive. He had
brought $4,000 with him from England.
with which he purchased and stocked
his ranch.
He had no sooner got settled than
the neighboring ranchers called on
him and invited him to their homes.
but he accepted zone of their invita-
lions. This excited a good deal of talk
among the women at the different
ranch houses. all of whom were Gu
rious to know why the handsome Brit.
Usher would have nothing to do with
them. The general verdict was that
he considered himself too good for
them. Nevertheless Hayden was hail
fellow we'll met with all the men and
soon became popular alike with ranch
ers and cowboys.
One day Hayden set out to go to Il
neighborillg ranch. He was walking
across a field Wien a bull espied him
and bore down on him from the rear.
Hayden. unconscious of his danger.
continued on l%eisurely. Suddenly he
saw a horsewoman leap u fence and
rush upon him. swinging a lasso as she
rode. Not understanding the move
ment. he stood still, regarding her with
wondering eyes. Coming near him.
she threw her lasso. but not at him.
Turning. he saw that she had thrown
the loop around the horns of a bull.
Drawing his revolver. he quickly kill
ed the beast.
The next thing he did was to raise
his hat in a courtly I'M to the wo-
nan who, had saved his life and offer
his thanks. She was "A girl about
twenty years old. A coil of hair was
falling under her sombrero. having
been loosened by the jump she had
made over the fence. Her costume
was a jacket cut Mexican fashion and
divided skirts of the same material.
Had it not been for you" said Hay
den. Il would probably now be either
dead or dying. The bull would have
taken me in the back and broken it.
l shall esteem it IA favor if you will!
name the way in which ! may hest
show my gratitude"
"You are Mr.. Hayden. I heIieve?"
II am"
do you know what "a woman loves
best?"
II do not" ..
ITO get ahead of other women"
"Well?"
Come and see me-"
"You have a charming %frankness. ]
shall certainly call upon You. Yon
must be that Miss Macdonald 1T whom
l have heard so much"
81 am Kate MacDorMDl. hid you
good morning"
Kate Macdonald was a feminine free
lance. She could ride. shoot. hurl a
lasso as we'll as any man in the neigh
borhood and had a way Of looking out
of a pair of honest eyes that invited
confidence. She was tender hearted in
the extreme. She called Il spade Il
spade and had 81 sovereign contempt
for people who said one thing and
meant another.
Ralph Hayden called upon her at her
fathers ranch the same evening.
When he arose to go she said to him:
Tomorrow afternoon l shall expect
you to ride with me. We will go past
the principal ranches hereabout in or
der that the women may see us to-
gether. After that ! shall resign all
claims upon your attention"
"And l shall not he allowed to visit
you againY"
"As often as you like. but not from
any obligation to do So"
A month later one evening Ralph.
Hayden. after pacing the floor for an
hour. swayed by conflicting emotions.
went to Kate M~acI)onald's home. told
her that he loved her so deeply that
he could ruin himself for her and beg.
ged her to marry him.
what do you NEAR by running your
self for me?" she asked.
II am pledged to marry a girl in
England"
Kate started. This was indeed a
blow. Her sense of honor revolted at
his deserving another for her.
"Does she love YOU very mnch?' she
asked.
Il don't know. I suppose she loves
me. though the marriage is to be under
certain contingencies"
"What are they? No. don't tell me.
Go away. l need time to think this
over"
He obeyed the order. For several
days there was no communication be-
tween them. Then he wrote her. re.
calling all he had said. closing with
the words: II was demented. There
is but one patti for me to follow, and
only a fool and a knave would follow
any other"
No answer came to this. One even.
ing about a week later Kate MacDon-