Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-10-04

ment only because everybody was toe
busily appeasing appetite.
For few days the prevailing fea.
lures Of camp life for Madeline's
guests were sleep and rest. The men
were more visibly affected by the
mountain air than the women.
This languorous spell disappeared
presently, and then the days were full
of life and action. Necessarily, OF
course, Madeline and her guests were
now thrown much in company with
the cowboys. And the party grew to
be like one big family.
i Madeline found the situation one of
keen and double interest for her. If
before she had cared to study her
cowboys, particularly Stewart, now,
with the contrasts afforded by her
guests, she felt by turns she was
amused and mystined and perplexed
and saddened, and then again subtly
] pleased.
From the thought of Stewart and
the watchfulness growing out of 1t,
she discovered more about him. He
was not happy; he often paced up and
down the grove at night; he absented
himself from camp sometimes during
the afternoon when Nels and Nick
and Monty were there; he was always
watching the trails, as If he expected
to see some one come riding up. He
alone Of the cowboys did not indulge
| in the fun and talk around the camp
| fire. He remained preoccupied and sad,
and was always looking away into dis
lance. Madeline had strange sense
of his guardianship over her; and, re-
Numbering Don Carlos, she imagined
he worried good deal over his
charge, and, indeed, over the safety
of all the party.
A favorite lounging spot of Made
lines was a shaded niche under the
lee Of crags facing the east. Here In
the shade of afternoon, she and Edith
would often lounge under a low
branched tree. Seldom they talked
much, for it was afternoon and dreamy
with the strange spell Of this noun
tain fastness. There was smoky haze
In the valleys, fleecy cloud resting
over the peaks, sailing eagle in the
blue sky, silence that was the I'M
broken silence of the wild heights,
and a soft wind laden with incense of
pine.
One afternoon, however, Edith ap-
peared prone to talk seriously.
"See here, Majesty Hammond. do you
intend to spend the rest Of your life
in this wilderness" she asked, bluntly.
Madeline was silent.
"Oh, 1t is glorious! Don't misunder-
stand me, DEAR" went on Edith, earn
estly, as she laid her hand on Made
lines. "This trip has been a revela-
ton to me. l did not tell you, Majesty,
that 1 was i'll when I arrived Now
I'm well. So well! Look at Helen,
too. Why, she was ghost when we
got here. Now she is brown and strong
and beautiful. If it were for nothing
else than this wonderful gift Of health
would love the West. But 1 have
come to love it for other things--even
spiritual things. Majesty, have been
studying you. / see and feel what this
life has made Of you. When came l
wondered at your strength, your viril-
ity, your serenity, your happiness. And
I was stunned. wondered at the
causes Of your change. Now / know.
You were sick OF idleness, sick Of use
lessness, If not Of society-sick Of the
horrible noises and smells and contacts
one can no longer escape in the cities.
| am sick of all that, too, and / could
tell you many women Of our kind who
suffer in like manner. You have
done what many Of us want to do, but
have not the courage. You have left
1t. am not blind to the splendid diff
ference you have made in your life.
think would have discovered, even If
your brother had not told me, what
good you have done to the Mexicans
and cattlemen Of your range. Then
you have work to do. That Is much the
secret of your happiness, is 1t not?
Tell me. Tell me something Of what It
means to your"
Work. of course, has much to do
with any ones happiness" replied
has no work. AS regards myself-for
the rest l can hardly tell YOU l have
never tried to put it in words. Frank
ly, believe, If / had not had money
that could not have found such con-
tentment here. That is not in any
sense a judgment against the West.
But If had been poor I could not
have bought and maintained my ranch.
Stillwell tells me there are many
larger ranches than mine, but none
just like it. Then am almost pay
ing my expenses out of my business.
Think of that My income, instead of
being wasted is mostly saved. / think
II hope / am useful. OF course my
ranch and range are real, my cowboys
are typical. If were to tell you how
feel about them 1t would simply be q
story Of how Madeline Hammond sees
the West. They are true to the West.
1t is who am strange, and what /
fool for fhor NOV he ctropra TOO