Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-08-22
of Western Stars

cover 1t. All his hideous person. all
his actions and speech, are masks of
his real nature. Nels is Joy. SIM
pie, sweet, kindly, quiet man whom
some woman should have loved. What
would love have meant to him! He
told me that no woman ever loved him
except his mother, and he lost her
When he was ten. Every man ought to
be loved-especially such man as
Nels. Somehow his gun record does
not impress me. I never could believe
he killed man. Then take your fore
man, Stewart. He is q cowboy his
work and life the same as the others.
But he has education and most of the
graces we are in the habit of saying
make q gentleman. Stewart Is q
strange fellow, just Hike this strange
country. He's man, Majesty, and I
admire him. So, you see, my impress
s1ons are developing with my stay out
here. like the country, like the men.
one reason | want to go home soon
Is because l am disconnected enough
at home now, without falling in love
with the West, for, of course, Majesty,
| would. I could not live out here.
And that brings me to my point. Adj
hitting all the beauty and charm and
wholesomeness and good Of this won
derful country, still 1t Is no place for
you, Madeline Hammond. You have
your position, your wealth, your name,
your family. You must marry. You
must have children. You must not
give up all that for quixotic life In a
wilderness"
Il am convinced, Edith, that / shall
live here all the rest of my life"
"Oh, Majesty! hate to preach this
way. But I promised your mother /
would talk to you. And the truth is /
hate-I hate what I'm saying. I envy
you your courage and wisdom. l know
you have refused to marry Boyd Har-
vey. could see that in his face. I
believe you will refuse Castleton.
Whom will you marry? What chance
is there for woman Of your position
to mary out here? What in the world
will become of your"
"Quien sabe?" replied Madeline,
with a smile that was almost sad.
Not so many hours after this con-
versation with Edith Madeline sat with
Boyd Harvey upon the grassy promon-
tory overlooking the west, and she
listened once again to his suave court
ship.
Suddenly she turned to him and
said, Boyd, If I married you would
you be willing-glad to spend the rest
Of your life here in the West?"
Majesty" he exclaimed There
was amaze in the voice usually so even
and well modulated-amaze in tho
handsome face usually so Indifferent.
Her question had startled him. She
saw him look down the iron-gray cliffs,
over the barren slopes and cedared
ridges, beyond the cactus-covered foot
hills to the grim and CHASTITY desert.
Just then, with its red wells Of sunlit
dust-clouds, its illimitable waste of
ruined and upheaved earth, it was q
sinister spectacle.
NO." he replied, with a Jingle of
shame in his cheek.
Madeline said no more, nor did he
speak. She was spared the pain of re-
fusing him, and she imagined he would
never ask her again. There was both
relief and regret in the conviction.
1t was impossible not to like Boyd
Harvey. He was handsome, young
rich, well born, pleasant, cultivated
he was all that made a gentleman of
his class. He was considered a very
desirable and eligible young man.
Madeline admitted all this.
Then she thought of things that
were perhaps exclusively her own
strange ideas. Boyd Harvey's white
skin did not tan even in this south
western sun and wind His hands
were whittier than her own, and as soft.
They were proof that he never
worked. His frame was tall, graceful,
elegant. 1t did not bear evidence of
ruggedness. He had never INDUCED in
q sport more strenuous than Yachting
He hated effort and activity. He rode
horseback very little, disliked any but
moderate motoring, spent much time
when he could help it, and had no am
bition unless it were to pass the days
pleasantly. If he ever had any sons
they would be like him. only genera
ton more toward the inevitable extinc-
ton of his race.
Madeline returned to camp in just
the mood to make sharp, deciding
contrast. 1t happened-fatefully, per-
haps-that the first man she saw was
Stewart. Stewart was a combination
Of fire, strength, and action. These at
tributes seemed to cling about him.
There was something vital and COM
polling in his presence. In him Made
line saw the strength of his forefa-
theirs unimpaired. The life In him was
marvelously significant.
Madeline Hammond compared the
man Of the East with the man of the
West; and that comparison was the
last parting regret for her old stand