Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-08-16
A Romance
By Zane Grey
Copyright by Harper and Brothers


this strange regard for him, especial,
that of her brother, made her exceed
ingly regret the cowboys present be
havlor.
Meanwhile Stillwell was SO earnes
| and jealous that one not familiar witt
the situation would have believed h,
was trying to find and reclaim his owl
son. He made several trips to little
| stations in the valley, and from these
he returned with gloomy face. Made
line got the details from Alfred. Stew
art was going from bad to worse
drunk, disorderly, savage, sure tt
land In the penitentiary. Then came
| a report that hurried Stillwell Off tt
Rodeo He returned on the third day
crushed man. He had been so bit
terly hurt that no one, not even Made
line, could get out of him what ha6
happened. He admitted finding Stew
art, failing to influence him; and wher
| the old cattleman got so far he turned
purple In the face and talked to him
self, as If dazed But Gene was
drunk. He was drunk, or he couldn't
hev treated old Bill like thetr
Madeline was stirred with an anger
toward the brutal cowboy that was as
strong as her sorrow for the loyal old
| cattleman. And 1T was when Stillwell
| gave up that she resolved to take q
hand. She yearned to have the faith
In human nature that Stillwell had in
| Stewart.
She sent Nels, mounted upon his
own horse, and leading Majesty, to
Rodeo in search of Stewart Nels had
instructions to bring Stewart back to
the ranch. In due time NeIs re-
turned, leading the roam without a
rider.
yep, I shore found him." replied
Nels, when questioned. Found him
half sobered up. He'd been in scrap,
an somebody he'd put him to sleep,
guess. WAL when he seen tibet roam
boss he let out yell an grabbed him
round the neck. The boss knowed
him, all right Then Gene Rugged the
boss an cried-cried 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 red-eyed, mad as fire. 'Nels,'
he said, I care a hi of a lot fer
tibet boss, an I liked ybu pretty well,
but If you don't take him away quick
I'll shoot you BOTH Wal, / lit out.
/ didn't even git to say howdy to him."
"Nels, you think it useless-any at
tempt to see him-persuade him r.
asked Madeline.
II shore do, Miss Hammond" re-
piled Nels, gravely. I've seen 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"
Madeline dismissed Nels, but before
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 woman 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 move was to
persuade Alfred to see if he could not
do better with this doggedly bent cow
boy. Alfred needed only a word of
persuasion, for be said he had con-
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. It.
1t actually hurt me to look at him. /
couldn't have fetched him back here
not as he is now. Bill did all any man
could do for another. We've all done
oll best for Stewart. If you'd been
given chance perhaps you could have
saved him. But it's too late. Put it
out Of mind now, DEAR"
Madeline. however, did not forget
nor 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 C0chfse county, Arizona.
where sheriffs kept stricter observ-
ance of law. Finally a letter came
from friend of Nels' In Chiricahua
saying that Stewart had been hurt in
brawl there. This epistle inclosed Il
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 it's 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