Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-20

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something erratic in the way OF mar
riage, and in case he did he must turn
over the legacy to q foundhngs' home.
He had just been informed that he
had a foundlings' home on his ranch.
There was something uncanny about
the affair.
Nevertheless he rode on. When he
came near the cabin he heard the child
crying piteously. All was dark He
entered and after search found a can
die and some matches. Striking Q
light, he went to the baby and began
to pat and sing to 1t as he had heard
mothers and nurses do. The baby ceas-
ed to cry. Taking the candle to the
bunk. he let the light fall on the baby.
But the child was hungry, and its
good humor did not last long. Crane.
divining the cause, went to a cupboard
made Of a box, where he found milk,
and since there was plenty OF wood
for a fire he soon had the food warm
ed and in the baby's bottle. Then. put
ting 1t between the pink lips. he had
the satisfaction of seeing his charge
pull Justify.
Ten o'clock came, but no human be-
ing. Eleven passed, and when an old
loud ticking Connecticut clock Wheel
ed IL Crane came to the conclusion
that the baby had been left to die.
Lying down beside It, he determined to
remain with 1t till morning, then take
it to his own house.
He awoke to see the sun shining In
at the open door. And he saw some
thing elsa woman about twenty
years old, standing, looking down on
him and the baby, who was using his
breast for a pillow and had one leg
thrown over him. On the woman's
face was an expression of terror, which
as she looked faded into one of salts
faction, then broke into smile. For
few moments while Crane was awak-
ening he was too confused to speak.
When he did so he said:
For heaven sake. why did you leave
this baby here all night aloneT'
Are you the owner of this land?"
"Yes."
"well. we hadn't anything to eat,
and took one Of your lambs. A herd
er saw me do 1t and took me in. I
told him my baby was here alone, but
he wouldn't believe me. Just before
daylight he fell asleep, and I got
away"
where's the child's fatherr
Dead" -.
"were you his wifel" -
mo"
Crane understood. Matrfmony in
that region was regarded rather as a
luxury than an essential.
The rancher went home and sent
back to the mother a good breakfast,
with fresh milk for the child. He had
not yet sufficiently recovered from his
prejudices to bring them to the ranch
house. Instead he built them a fine
cabin near by.
Crane considered that he had saved
the child's life or might have saved 1t
and regarded the fatherless little thing
! as under his especial protection. The
mother needed protection as well as the
child. Crane took care to build her
cabin just far enough from his house to
prevent her troubling him. She was a
comely young woman and, though I'M
educated, developed under better sur
roundings than those to which she had
been accustomed good deal of sense.
Crane got into the habit of going to
talk with her, then consult with her,
and in time she became necessary to
his comfort His books meanwhile had
lost a good deal Of their freshness for
him. He visited Ibis kid" as he called
the little trespasser. daily, and he
couldn't very well see the kid without
seeing its mother.
Several years went by. and Crane be-
gan to think OF bringing the trespass-
ing family to his home-marrying the
mother-so that he would have them
handy. But his aunt's will stood in the
way He was too honorable to attempt
to get round his aunt's provision or to
compromise those who were In his
power.
Then he went east for awhile to try
a separation, but he had had few
friends there, and they had scattered.
He returned to his ranch and his
squatter family.
1t was hard for him to make up his
mind to take a widow who had never
been married and hard to give up half
his estate. but as time wore on he
couldn't see anything else for himself
to do.
He was drifting toward the inev-
liable. At last he succumbed. His
wife proved a treasure to him, and, liv-
ing in a land where there was no social
station to keep up, the family did not
live under a cloud. The child, boy.
grew to be a fine young fellow. and
children were born to Crane as well.
my aunt" Crane said. had re-
markable faculty for looking ahead"
Doubtless the old lady recognized the
fact that a man Of extremes must pass
from one extreme to another. At any
rate. she got ahead of the man whom
she could not influence and made him
pay well for his obstnacy.