The Marshall republican., 1911-03-31
tcoNTINuID.l
CHATTER v.

EE NTRtiINIAS efforts to refiiP
the little hotel produced an
amazing change In Eliza Weti.
- EFFORTS affairs. The dining
room swirnpd with those seeking
food. aad us the news Of the girls
beauty went out upon the range the
cowboys sought cxcus to ride In AMI
get y s,niarc meal aud u glimpse Of the
Ncu.-cn' whose hand Ind witchcd "tbr
Old shack" Into n marvel Of cleanliness
It,sncrnlly they failed VI 50 much ns y
Ir,nncc ut her. for abe kept away from
the di;ing room ut mcaltline.
Leo Virginia was fully aware Of this
4 naic earnestly aud vaguely conscious
81 che ..glii which shonc in the eyes
Of .omn OF thcm tmcn like Gregg
Eh- nal BEGUN 10 understand. too. that
he mothers reputation wnS u barrier
bssw cen the better class OF folk and
! herself. But MS they came now and
sg1ir 10 take II meal they permitted
th--rsrlycs a word In her praise
Sr"h she resented. II don't want
it.i- friendship now" she declared
bfueily.
AS shr. gained courage TO look about
hrr she began TO be Interested In some
y! her boardcrs.
SO Ear 40 the younger men were con
icrned. she saw little TO admire and
much TO hute. They were crude and
embarrassing rowdlcs for the most
Part. She was put upon her defense by
their glapcrs. and she came to dread
)~plklng along the street. so open II
coarse were their words OF praise.
Few OF these lonfers had the courage
to stand on their feet and court her
favor. hut there was one who spcedil,
Became her chief prosecutor. This was
Nein Ballard. celebrated land mndr
impudcnt, hy two years travel with n
wild west show. lie was tall. lear
angular ami freckied. but his horse
manship was marvellous and his skill
with the rope magical.
He had lost his engagement by rea
son VI n drunken brawl. and he was
cow living with his sister. the wife ~
. small nncler near by. Virginia de-.
spised the other men. but she feared
this one. aud quite justly.
The Greggs. father and son. were
" open rivalry FOR lee also. but I'm dlf.
ferent ways. The older man. who had
slready Teen married several times,
was disposed To buy her hand In what
be called honorable wedlock." but the
con. nj heart u libet,ine. approached
hsr as one who desp.sed the west and
who. being kept In the beastiy o
] try by duty 10 n parent. was ready IA
amuse himself at IN. ones expense.
Tie had no purpose In life but to feed
his body and escape toll.
The chivulry Of the plains, Of which
Lee had read M much aud which she
supposed she remembered. was gone
She doubted II Il had ever existed
among these %centaurs. Why should II
inhere In Ignorant. brutal plainsmer
sny more than In ignorant. brutal fac
kory hands?
There came to her now and agar
leentle old ranchers-"grangers." they
l)wouid be ~called-and shy boys from
the farms. but for the most part thu
men she saw lmblttered her. and SD,
kept out OF their sight as much as pos
sible. Her keenest pleasures. almos
her only pleasures. lay In the occasion
nj brief visits OF Cavanagh as he rod
IN for his mail,
Lie perceived all these attacks oil
her daughter and was Infatuated b!
them. Her brows were knotted witt
care as vol MS with pain. and she In
c~essantly urged Virginia 10 60 back 4
Sulphur, "rll send you money to pc,
your board TIL you strike q job" Blu
! 10 this the girl would not agree. an'
the business by reason Of her prescnc
wont on Increasing from day to day.
To nedGold Lie one day confesse'
hsr pnin. II ought to send for tba
doctor up thcre. but the plain truth l
Inn afraid Of him. don't want
know what's the matter Of me-. II
mis- fob 10 tell me I'm sick. and III
scared Of his verdict"
"Nonsense.' he replied. You can
iafrord to put or getting him mur
f~ionger. I'm going back tonight. br
III be over again tomorrow. WI
don't you let me bring him DOWN.
Will save you Sl2. And. by the wa.
suppose you let me take Lee Wright
home with me. She looks a bit d.
pressed. An outing win do her goo,
ghe's taken hold here wonderfully"
Hasn't sheg But | should have sci
her sway the very nrst night. Pm Sc
ting to depend on her. TN plum
fbolish about her now-can't let hs