The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-05-23
A Romance
By Zane Grey
Copyright by Harper and Brothers

strong as her sorrow for the loyal old
cattleman. And 1t was when Stillwell
gave up that she resolved to take a
hand. She yearned to have the faith
In human nature that Stillwell had in
Stewart.
She sent Nels, mounted upon his
WI horse, and leading Majesty, to
Rodeo in search of Stewart. Nels had
instructions to bring Stewart back to
the ranch. In due time Nels re-
turned, leading the roam without a
rider.
yep, l shore found him." replied
Nels, when questioned. Found him
half sobered up. He'd been in a scrap,
an somebody he'd put him to sleep, l
guess. Wal, when he seen tibet roam
boss he let out n yell an grabbed him
round the neck. The boss knowed
him, all right. Then Gene Rugged the
boss an cried-crled LIKE never
seen no one who cried like he did. |
waited awhile, an was jest goin' TO
say somethin' to him when he turned
on me r%ed-eyed. mad as fire. 'Nels,'
he said, L care a HI of a lot fer
tibet boss, an l liked you pretty well,
but If you don't take him away quick
I'll shoot you both Wal. lit out.
l didn't even git to say howdy to him."
"Nels, you think it u~seless-any at
tempt to see him-persuade him?'
asked Madeline.
81 shore do, Miss Hammond re-
piled Nels, gravely. I've seen a few
sun-blinded an locoed an snake
poisoned and skunk-bitten cow-punch-
ers in my day, but Gene Stewart beats
'em all. He's shore runnin' wild fer
the divide"
he got out of earshot she heard him
speak to Stillwell, who awaited him
on the porch.
"Bill, put this in your pipe an
smoke it-none of them scraps Gene
has he'd was over a womanl 1t used
to be tibet when he was drunk he'd
scrap over every pretty Greaser girl
he'd run across. Wal, Genes scrap
pin now is jest to git shot up his
self, for some reason tibet only God
Almighty knows"
Nels' story of how Stewart wept
over his horse influenced Madeline
powerfully. Her next nov was to
persuade Alfred to see if he could not
do better with this doggedly bent COW
boy. Alfred needed only a word of
.ao.-,,oeIn. O.. he .oII H. Iol 49,,
sidered going to Rodeo of his own
accord. He went, and returned alone.
Majesty, I can't explain Stewards
singular actions" said Alfred. HE
has changed terribly. l fancy his once
magnificent strength is breaking. 1t
it actually hurt me to look at him.
couldn't have fetched him back here
not as he is now. Bill did all any nan
could do for another. We've all done
our best for Stewart. If you'd been
given a chance perhaps you could have
saved him. But it's too late. Put it
out of mind now. dear"
Madeline, however, did not forget
o give it up. Days passed, and
each one brought additional gossip of
Stewards headlong career toward the
Yuma penitentiary. For he had crossed
the line into Cochise county, Arizona,
where sheriffs kept a stricter observ-
ance of law. Finally a letter came
from a friend of Nels' In Chiricahua
saying that Stewart had been hurt in
a brawl there. This epistle inclosed a
letter to Stewart from his sister. Evil
IDENTIFY, it had been found upon him.
1t told a story of illness and made an
appeal for aid. Nels' friend forwarded
this letter without Stewards knowl-
edge, thinking Stillwell might care to
help Stewards family. Stewart had
no money, he said.
The sisters letter found its way to
Madeline. She read it, tears In her
eyes. 1t told Madeline much more
than its brief story of illness and pow
erty and wonder why Gene had not
written home for so long. 1t told of
motherly love, sisterly love, brotherly
love-dear family ties that had not
been broken. 1t spoke of pride in this
Ell Captain brother who had become
famous. 1t was signed your loving
sister Lefty"
Not improbably, Madeline revolved
in her mind, this letter was one reason
for Stewards headstrong, l%ong-contin-
ued abatement. 1t had been received
too late-after he had squandered the
money that would have meant so much
10 mother and sister. Be that as 1t
might, Madeline Immediately sen a
bank-drgft TO Stewards sister with a
letter explaining that the money was
drawn in advance on Stewards salary.
This done. she impulsively determined
to go to Chiricahua herself.
Nels, when Madeline asked him to
accompany her to Chiricahua, replied,
reluctantly, that he would rather fol-
low on his horse. However, she pre-
vailed over his hesitancy, and with
Florence also in the a they set out.
For miles and miles the valley road
was smooth, ~hard-packed, and slightly
downhill. And when speeding was
perfectly safe, Madeline was not
averse to it. And when the car
stopped in the wide, dusty street of
Chiricahua Nels gladly tumbled out.
"Nels, we shall wait here in the car
while you find Stewart said Made
line.
Nels crossed the railroad track ana
disappeared behind the low, flat
houses. After a little time he reap
peared and hurried up 10 the car.
Miss Hammond. I found him. said