The Yale expositor., 1913-03-27

pacity for management, that combiTa
| ton OF executive power and gentle
iorce-bequests from both parents
that added admiration to the idoliz!ng
love the Bonanza King had always
given her
The house in which this pampered
| princess ruled was one of those enor-
! nous structures which a wealth that
sought extravagant ways of expendirg
itself reared upon that protuberance
in the city's outline called by San
Francisco Mob Hill. The suddenly.
enriched miners of the Comstock Lode
and the magnates of the railway had
money waiting for investment, and
the building Of huge houses seemed as
good one as any other.
Here, from their front steps, they
could see the city sweeping up from
its low center on to the slopes of grid
ling hills. 1t was gray city, crowd
Ing down to the edge of the bay,
which, viewed from this height, eX-
tended far up into the sky. In sum-
mer, under an arch of remote, cold
blue, 1t looked bleak, unfriendly
place, town in which the stranger
felt a depressing, nostalgia chill. In
winter, when the sun shone warm and
tender as a caTess, and the bay and
nils We're like a mosaic in blue and
purple gems, it was a panorama over
which the passerby was wont to lin
ger. The cOpings Of walls offered a
convenient resting place, and he could
lean on them, still as lizard in the
bath Of sun.
Bill Cannon's house had unbroken
command Of this view. 1t fronted on
1t in OCULAR, massive majesty, with
something in its commanding bullci-
ness that reminded one of it's owner.
IT was Of that epoch when men built
their dwellings of wood; and numer-
GUS bay-Windows and a sweep of mar
bic steps thanked by sleeping stone
lions were considered indispensable
adjuncts to the home Of the rich man
who knew how to do things correctly.
Round 1t spread a green carpet Of
lawns, close-cropped and even as vel
vet, and against It's lower story deep
borders OF geraniums were banked in
slopes Of graduated scarlet and Grim
son. The general impression left by
1t was that OF a splendor that would
have been ostentatious and vulgar had
not the studied elegance Of the
grounds and the outflaring glories of
sea, sky and hills impaired to it some
Of their own distinction and dignity.
On the day following their depart
ure from Antelope, Cannon and his
daughter reached home at nightfall.
The obsequiously-welcom butler
an importation from the East that the
Bonanza King confided to Rose lie
found it difficult to refrain from kick
ing-acquainted them with the fact
that "Mr. Gene had been up from San
Luis Obispo" for two days. waiting for
their arrival. Even as he spoke a
masculine voice uttered a hail from
the floor above and a mans figure
appeared on the stairway and ran
quickly down. Cannon gave a care
less look upward.
'Ah there, Gene" he observed, turn
ing TO the servant who was helping
him off with his coat. Come up to
town for a spell?"
The young man did not seem to no
tice anything especially ungracious
in the greeting or probably was used
to II.
Eyes, just up for a look around and
to see how you and Rosey were. Got
showed in. didn't your" he said. look
ing at his sister.
She kissed him affectionately and
drew him to the light where she sub
jected him to sharp, exploring scru-
tiny. Evidently the survey was sat
isfactory, for she gave him a little
slap on the shoulder and said
Good boy, Gene, San Luis is agree
ing with you. Yes, we were showed
in for nearly three weeks. Papa's been
half crazy. And you've been in town
two days, Prescott says. 1t must have
been dull here all alone"
oh, | haven't been dull. I've been
going round seeing the boys and
his sisters sudden, uneasy look
checked him and he answered it with
quick reinsurance OF glance and tone
Everything strictly temperance. Don't
you get uneasy. I've lived up to my
promises. The ranch is mine all right
father"
lie had n hiSh, rather throaty voice,
which, without seeing his face. would
have suggested weakness and lack OF
purpose. Now as he looked at his
father with slight and somewhat
foolish air of triumph, the old man
responded TO his remark with sound
which resembled a grunt of scornful
incredulity.
Really, Gene" said his sister, her
manner of fond qualification in
marked contrast to her fathers rough
ness, that's the best news I've heard
for year. It's worth being showed
up to hear that when you come out.
or course you'll get the ranch. a.
ways knew you would. always knew
you could pull up and be as, straight
as anybody II you tried"
The old man, who had been kicking
off his rubbers. here raised his head
with a bull-like movement, and sud.
denly rosred at the retreating butler,
who was vanishing toward the dining.
roOm