Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-06-07
The LIGHT OF Uestern Stars

this brother who had given II TO her
alfred"
Dear old girl" he said, "yol
haven't changed at all. except to grow
lovelier. Only you're a woman now
and you've fulfilled the name / CAV.
you. G--di how sight of you bring
back homel II seems a hundred year.
since left ! missed you more thar
all the rest"
Madeline seemed to feel with his ev
cry word that she was remembering
him. She was 80 amazed at the change
in him that she could not believe her
eyes. She saw q bronzed. strong,
Jawed, ~eagie-eyed man, stalwart, SUI
perb Of height, and, like the cowboys,
belted. booted. spurred. She had bid
den good-by to a disgraced. disin-
herited, d~issolute boy. Well she re-
membered the handsome pale face
With Its weakness and shadows and
careless smile, with the ever-present
cigarette hanging between the lips.
The years had passed. and now she
saw him a mantle West had made
him a a And Madeline Hammond
felt a strong. passionate giadness and
gratefulness. and a direct check to her
sudden inspired hatred of the West.
Majesty. II was good of you to
come. I'm all broken up. How did
you eve do it7 But never mind that
row.. Tell me about that brother Of
mine"
And Madeline told him. and then
about their sister Helen. Question
after question he fired at her and she
told him of her mother; of Aunt Grace.
who had died a year ago; of his old
friends. married, scattered, vanished.
But she did not tell him of his father,
for he did not ask.
Quite suddenly the rapid-hre ques-
tloning ceased he choked. was silent
a moment, and then burst into tears.
II seemed TO her that a long, stored
up bitterness was flooding away. II
hurt her to see him-hurt her more to
hear him. And In the succeeding few
she grew closer to him than
she had ever been In the past. Had
her father and mother done right by
Hmm Her pulse stirred with unwonted
quickness. She did not speak. but she |
him. which. for her. was an
OF unusual feeling. And
when he recovered command over his
emotions he made no reference to his
breakdown. nor did she. But that
struck deep into Madeline Ham
heart. Through 1t she saw
what he had lost and gained.
alfred. why did you not answer
last letters?" asked Madeline. 81
lad not heard from you for two years"
$50 long? How time filesi Well.
hlngs went bad with me about the
asst time l heard from you / always
Intended to write some day. but /
did. You remember all about
little ranch, and that for a while
did well raising stock? wrote you
IN that. Majesty. a man makes enc
MES anywhere. Perhaps an eastern
nan In the West can make. IL not 80
many, certainly more bitter ones. At
ny rate, l made several. There was
cattleman, Ward by name-he's gone
low-and he and / had trouble owe
attic. That gave me q back-set. Pat
lave. the sheriff here, has been In
trumental in hurting my business.
les not SO much of a rancher, but he
as influence at Santa Fe and Ell Paso
Douglas. / made an enemy of
i'm. / never did anything to him.
he real reason for his animosity
oward me Is that he loves Florence.
nd Florence Is going to marry me-"
alfred !"
whats the matter. Majesty Didn't
florence impress you favorably y he
sked, with a keen glance.
"Why-yes, Indeed. l like her. But
did not think of her In relation to