Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-09-24

W MIN " 50 ph' DOu you tllnk IL
possible that your fancy for Wayland
is also temporary"
mo, sir.' she bravely declared. 81
never felt toward any one the way 1
do toward Wayland. He's different. l
shall never change toward him."
Her tone, her expression of eyes STOP
ped this line of inquiry. He took up
another. "Now, my dear young lady.
| am business man as we'll as a ia
Their, and the marriage of my son is a
weighty matter He is my main de-
pendence. | am hoping to have him
take up and carry on my business. To
be quite candid, l didn't expect him
to select his wife from a Colorado
ranch. l considered him out of the
danger zone. l have always under.
stood that women were scarce in the
mountains. Now don't misunderstood
me- I'm not one of those fools who
are always trying to marry their sons
and daughters into the ranks of the
idle rich. ! don't care a hang about
social position, and I've got money
enough for my son and my sons wife
But he's all the boy have, and l don't
want him to make mistake"
Neither do l." she answered simply,
her eyes suffused with tears. IF
thought he would be sorry
He interrupted again. "Oh, you can't
tell that now. Any marriage is a risk.
I don't say he's making a mistake in
selecting you. You may be just the
woman he needs. Only l want to be
consulted I want to know more about
you. He tells me you have taken an
active part in the management Of the
ranch and the forest. Is that true?"
1--WE always worked with my ia
ther-yes, sir"
you like that kind Of life?"
81 don't know much about any other
kind Yes, l like it. But I've had
enough of it. I'm willing to change"
"Well, how about city life-house-
keeping and all that?"
$50 long as l am with Wayland l
shan't mind what 1 do or where l
live"
"At the same time you figure he's
going to have large income, | sup
pose? He's told you of his rich father,
hasn't hep"
Berries tone was shade resentful
of his insinuation. "He has never said
much about his family one way or an
other. He only said you wanted him
to go into business in Chicago and
that he wanted to do something else.
OF course l could see by his ways and
the clothes he wore that he'd been
brought up in what we'd call luxury
but we never inquired into his affairs"
And you didn't careY
"Well, not that exactly. But money
don't count for as much with us In
the valley as it does In the east Way
land seemed so kind Of sick and lone
some, and l felt sorry for him the first
time l saw him. l felt like mothering
him. And then his way Of talking, Of
looking at things, was so new and
beautiful to me l couldn't help caring
for him. had never met any one like
him. l thought he was Hunger -
"a what?"
"a consumptive. That is, l did at
first. And 1t bothered me. 1t seemed
terrible thHt any one so Inc should
be condemned like that and so l did
all l could to hep him, to make him
happy. l thou.tt he hadn't long to
live. Everything he said and did was
wonderful to me, like poetry and mu-
sic. And then when he began to grow
stronger and l saw that he was going
to get well, and Cliff went on the
rampage and showed the yellow streak
and | gave him back his ring-I didn't
know even then how much Wayland
meant to me. But ON our trip over the
range | understood. He meant every
thing to me. He made Cliff seem like
savage, and | wanted him to know
it. I'm not ashamed of loving him. I
want to make him happy, and if he
wishes me to be his wife I'll go any
where he says--only l think he should
stay out here till he gets entirely Well"
The old mans eyes softened during
her plea, and at Its close a slight smile
moved the corners of his mouth
you've thought it all out, l see. You
mind is clear and your conscience easy
Well l like your spirit. | guess he's
right. The decision is up to you. But
if he takes you and stays i'll Colorado
he can't expect me to share the profits
of my business with him, can he
He'll have to make his own wa" He
rose and held out his hand. However
I'm persuaded he's in good hands"
She took his hand, not knowing JUS
what to reply. He examined her fin
gers with intent gaze.
- Il didn't know any woman coul(
have such a grip" He thoughtful!
took her biceps in his left hand "Yol
are magnificent Then in ironical pro
test he added: Good God, no! | can
have you come into my family. You'C
make caricatures of my wife anC
daughters. Are all the girls out in thu
valley like youY
She laughed. mo. Most of then
pride themselves on not being horse
women. Mighty few of 'em ever rid,
a horse I'm kind of tomboy t
them"
''Tm sorry to hear that. It's the same
old story. | suppose they'd all like t
live in the city and wear low necke(
gowns and high heeled shoes No.
CANT consent to your marriage will
my son. | must save you from corrup
ton. Go back to the ranch. | can SCI
already signs of your deterioration
Except for your color and that girl
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