Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-02-02
CHAPTER V.

Y EE VIRGINIA'S efforts to refine
the little hotel produced an
amazing change in Eliza Weth-
- erford's affairs. The dining
room swarmed with those seeking
food, and as the news Of the girls
beauty went out upon the range the
cowboys sought excuse to ride in and
get square meal and glimpse of the
queen" whose hand had witched "the
old shack" into q marvel of cleanliness.
Generally they failed of SO much as
glance at her, for she kept away from
the dining room at mealtime.
Lee Virginia was fully aware of this
male curiosity and vaguely conscious
of the light which shone in the eyes
of some of them men like Gregg.
She had begun to understand, too. that
her mothers reputation was barrier
between the better class of folk and
herself But as they came now and
again to take meal they permitted
themselves word in her praise,
which she resented. 81 don't want
their friendship now" she declared
bitterly.
AS she gained courage to look about
her she began to be interested in some
of her boarders.
SO far as the younger men were con-
cerned, she saw little to admire and
much to hate They were crude and
uninteresting rowdies for the most
part. She was put upon her defense by
their glances, and she came to dread
walking along the street. so open and
coarse were their words of praise.
Few of these loafers had the courage
to stand on their feet and court her
favor, but there was one who speedily
became her chief prosecutor. This was
Neill Ballard. celebrated land made
impudent by two years travel with a
wild west show. He was tall, lean.
angular and freckled, but his horse
with the rope magical.
He had lost his engag cement by rea-
son of a drunken brawl, and he was
now living with his sister, the wife of
a small rancher near by. Virginia de-
spised the other men, but she feared
this one, and quite justly.
The GreggS, father and son, were
in open rivalry for Lee also, but in diff
ferent ways. The older man, who had
already been married several times,
was disposed to buy her hand in what
he called honorable wedlock." but the
son, at heart a libertine. approached
her as one who despised the west and
who, being kept in the beastly coun-
try by duty to a parent, was ready to
amuse himself at any ones expense.
He had no purpose in life but to feed
his body and escape toll.
The chivalry of the plains, of which
Lee had read so much and which she
supposed she remembered, was gone.
She doubted if it had ever existed
among these centaurs. Why should it
inhere in ignorant brutal plainsmen
any more than in ignorant, brutal fac
tory hands?
There came to her now and again
gentle old ranchers-"grangers they
would be called-and shy boys from
the farms, but for the most part the
men she saw imbittered her, and she
kept out of their sight as much as pos
sible. Her keenest pleasures, almost
her only pleasures, lay in the occasion
al brief visits of Cavanagh as he rode
in for bis mail.
Lie perceived all these attacks on
her daughter and was Infatuated by
them. Her brows were knotted with
care as we'll as with pain. and she in
cessantly urged Virginia to go back to
Sulphur. ''rll send you money to pay
your board till you strike job But
to this the girl would not agree, and
the business by reason of her presence
went on increasing from day to day.
To Redfeld Lie one day confessed
her pain. II ought to send for that
doctor up there. but the plain truth is
I'm afraid of him. l don't want to