The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-08-01

| ton for Madeline from a large cattle
company, and, particularly, that he
wanted to marry Florence soon after
his arrival home and would bring a
minister from Douglas for that pur-
pose.
Madeline went so far, however, as
to promise Helen and her friends that
she would go East soon, at the very
latest by Thanksgiving. With that
promise they were reluctantly content
to say goodby to the ranch and to her.
Helen's eyes had a sweet, grave,
yet hooking light as she said: Maj
e.ty, bring Stewart with you when you
come. He'll be the rage.
Madeline treated the remark with
the same merry lightness with which
it was received by the others; but
after the train had pulled out and she
was on her way home she remembered
Helen's words and looks with some
thing almost amounting to a shock.
Any mention of Stewart, any thought
of him, d~ispleased her.
"What did Helen mean?" unused
Madeline. And she pondered. That
mocking light in Helen's eyes had
been simply an ironical CLINT, a Gym
zeal CLEAN from that worldly expert
ence so suspicious and tolerant in its
wisdom. The sweet gravity of Helen's
look had been a deeper and more SUBJ
tie thing. Madeline wanted to under
stand it, TO divine in it a new rela-
ton between Helen and herself, some
thing fine and sisterly that might lead
to love. The thought, however, re-
volving around a strange suggestion
of Stewart. was poisoned at its incep-
ton, and she dismissed it.
Upon the drive in to the ranch, as
she was passing the lower lake, she
saw Stewart walking listlessly along
the shore. When he became aware
ly awakened from his aimless %saunter-
ing and disappeared quickly in the
shade of the shrubbery. This al not
by any means the first time Madeline
had seen him avoid a possible meeting
with her. Somehow the act had
panied her. though affording her a
relief. She did not want to meet him
face to face.
It was annoying for her to guess
that Stillwell had something to say in
Stewards defense. The old cattleman
was evidently distressed. Several
times he had tried to open a converse
ton with Madeline relating to Stew
art she had evaded him until the last
time, when his persistence had brought
a cold and final refusal to hear IN
other word about the foreman. Still
well had been crushed.
As days passed Stewart remained at
the ranch without his old f~aithfulness
to his work. Madeline was not moved
to a kinder frame of mind to see him
wandering dejectedly around. 1t hurt
her. and because it hurt her she grew
all the harder.
A telegram from Douglas, heralding
the coming of Alfred and a minister,
put an end to Machines broodi-g, and
she shared something of Florence
Kingsley's excitement. The cowboys
we're as eager and gossipy as girls.
1t was arranged to have the wedding
ceremony performed in Madeline's
great hall-chamber, and the dinner in
the cool, fower-scented patio.
Alfred and his minister arrived at
the ranch in the big white car. They
appeared considerably wind-blown. In
fact. the minister was breathless, al
most sightless, and certainly hatless.
Alfred, used as he was to wind and
speed, remarked that he did not won
der at Nels' aversion to riding q fleet
Link took off his cap and goggles and,
consulting his watch, made his usual
apologize report to Madeline, deplor-
ing the fact that a teamster and a few
stray cattle on the road had held him
down to the manana time of only a
mile a minute.
Arrangements for the wedding
brought Alfred's delighted approval.
When he had learned all Florence and
Madeline would tell him he expressed
a desire TO have the cowboys attend :;
and then he went on to talk about
California, where he was going to take
Florence on a short trip.
On the following day Alfred and
Florence were married. Florence's
sister and several friends from Ell
Cajon were present, besides Madeline,
Stillwell, and his men. 1t was Alfred's
express wish that Stewart attend the
ceremony. Madeline was amused
| when she noticed the painfully sup
For them a wedding must have been
an unusual and impressive event. She
began to have a better understanding
of the nature of it when they cast off
restraint and pressed forward to kiss
| the bride. In all her life Madeline
had never seen a bride kissed so much
and so heartily, nor M so flushed
and disheveled and happy. This in
deed was a joyful occasion.
The dinner began quietly enough
with the cowboys divided between en-
barrassment and voracious appetites
that they evidently feared to indulge.
Wine, however, loosened their tongues,
and when Stillwell got up to make the
speech everybody seemed to expect of
him they greeted him with a o
Stillwell was now one huge, noun
famous smile. He was so happy that
he appeared on the verge of tears. He
rambled on ecstatically till he came
70 raise his glass.