Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-07-01
DAILY SHORT STORIES

job" He pointed to the parson.
"rm not afraid OF your torture" said
Hayden. ''but I'm ready to so through
the ceremony"
Not word was spoken by the con-
tracing couple except to make the re-
plies required by the marriage service.
When it was over Kate Macdonald
led the way out. and all mounted their
horses and rode away.
The next day Hayden disappeared.
From this time forward Kate Mac
Donald, or Kate Hayden. was chang
cd woman. She no longer galloped
over the country taking fences and
bitches by the way. She never attend
ed any Of the social gatherings held
among the neighboring ranchers. The
only feature eminent before her mar
riage she retained was her tender sollc-
itude for those who were In trouble.
The Hayden ranch remained In care of
keeper. who offered It for sale. Moth
Ing was heard Of its 6wner. year
passed. BY that time Kate Hayden had
come to see her act in its true light and
wrote letter to her husband. telling
him that IL he wished to be free from
her she could easily obtain n divorce
on the ground OF desertion. Not know
ing where to send her letter. she asked
the keeper Of the Hayden ranch for
her husbands address. He told her
that he had been instructed to give il
TO no one. but he offered to forward
the missive. and she accepted the offer.
Sufficient time elapsed for letter to
come from almost any part of the
globe. but none was received. Months
passed, and still no word. The young
wife. wife in name only, became a
broken down woman. 1t was not the
equivocal position In which she stood
before the world, but the fact that she
loved the man she had treated i'm a
manner which every day seemed to
her more unmaidenly and barbarous.
This, added TO that dreadful silence.
was killing her. She was not sure
even that he lived. Her parents, her
neighbors, endeavored In every way
TO draw her from her dependency.
Her friends the cowboys gathered I'm
groups to discuss the man whom they
considered to blame for her condition
and even debated the question OF send
| ing one OF their number TO find him
wherever he might be and give him
the chance Of returning TO his wife or
swallowing dose of lead.
But no such method Of restoring her
happiness, of course, ever reached the
young wifes ears. She gradually sank
till those about her began 10 shake
their heads and predict that she would
at last fall a victim to her unfortunate
affair. The Hayden ranch was finally
sold. The intelligence was kept from
her as long as possible. fearing that
this breaking the last link that bound
her to her husband would have an in
creased effect upon her. But when the
new owner took possession of the prop
erty 1t was impossible that she should
be kept in ignorance any longer. AS
was feared, it destroyed her last hope.
one morning when the daily stage
arrived ut the relay house Ralph Hay
| den hurriedly alighted, ordered a horse
and. mounting. galloped away. Half
an hour later he was seen TO ride into
the Macdonald ranch house. The
news spread over the neigbborhood
| The ranchers and the rancherS' fami-
lies discussed the arrival and wondered
what the next move would be. The
cowboys convened in special meeting,
and it was soieInnly agreed that If the
Britisher went away without his de-
parture being satisfactory TO his wife
they would waylay him and force him
to fight each one of them successfully
till all were killed or he bit the dust.
Some OF them fingered their revolvers
nervously in anticipation.
1t was not long, however, before very
startling news was given out at the
ranch house. Hayden had returned
for the bride he had been forced TO
marry; he was not only Ralph Hayden,
but Sir Ralph Hayden and heir TO one
OF the fairest estates I'm England
Thon all the women exclaimed at once:
Goodness gracious! Kate Mac is
Lady Hayden"
The afternoon this news was cir
culated the cowboys agreed that they
would go In body to the Macdonald
ranch house, learn of it's truth, and IL
IL were SO give three cheers for Sir
Ralph and Lady Hayden Learning
OF their intention. many of the neigh
borS repaired there 10 see the fun.
Lining up before the house. the boys
began TO call for their favorite. Pres
emily she appeared. leaning on the arm
of her husband. pale and thin. but with
that same old smile OH her lips which
had made them her slaves a yell
arose aud cries OF TEL us about it,"
She pointed 10 her husband. who said:
Boys, IL was all mistake. made
several. and our Kate made one. let
complications in England interfere
with me and my wife's happiness: but.
thank God. they are past. and we are
all happy"
This brief speech was received by
three cheers from the cowboys. as
sisted by the neighbors present Then
the assembly were invited into the