The Lamar register., 1923-05-02

bows bestowed were felicitous. and as
unchangeahle as the everlasting hills !:
Florence went over to the enemy; and
Alfred, laughing al Mudeline's protest
declared the cowboys had elected her
queen of the ranges, and that there
was no help for it, So the name STOOD
"Her Majcsty's Rancho"
All that had been left of the old
Spanish house which had been still
wells home for so long was the bare.
massive structure, and some of this
had been cut away for new doors and
windows. Every modern convenience,
even to hot and cold running wafer
and acetylene light. had been IN
stalled; and the whole Interior painted
and carDentered and furnished. The
ideal sought had NOT been luxury, hut
comfort. Every door into the patio
looked out upon dark. rich grass and
sweet-faced flowers, and every win
dow looked down the green slopes.
Madeline Hammond cherished
fancy that the Transformation she had
wrought In the old Spanish house and
In the people with whom she had sur
rounded herself, great as that trans
formation had been, was as nothing
compared to the one wrought In her
self. She had found an object in life.
She had seen her brother through his
difficulties, on the road to all the sue
cess and prosperity that he cared for.
Madeline had been conscientious
student Of ranching and an apt pupil
of Stillwell. The old cattleman. In his
simplicity. gave her the place In his
heart that was meant for the daugh-
ter he had never had. His pride in
reason or belief or words to tell.
Under his guidance sometimes accom-
panied by Alfred and Florence. Made
line had ridden the ranges and had
studied the life and work Of the cow
boys. Sometimes she looked in her
mirror and laughed with sheer Joy at
sight Of the 1.-THE, audacious, brown
faced, fiashing-eyed creature reflected
there. II was not 50 much JOY in her
critics had been wont to call her
beautiful in those days when she had
been pale and slender and proud and
cold She laughed II they could only
see her nowl From the tip of her
golden head to her feet she was alive,
puisating. on fire.
Sometimes she thought Of her par
ents, sister friends, of how they had
persistently refused TO believe she
could or would stay in the West They
were always asking her TO come home.
81. -. a
her old home some time. OF course, for
a visit: and letters such as this
brought returns that amused Made
line, sometimes saddened her. Her
fathers business had been such that
he could not leave II for the time re-
quired for q western trip, or else,
according TO his letter. he would have
come for her. Mrs. Hammond could
not have been driven to cross the
Hudson 1ver: her un-American idea
of the wilderness westward was that
Indians still chased buffalo on the out
skirts Of Chicago. Madeline's sister
Helen had long been eager to come, as
much from curiosity. Madeline
thought. "a from sisterly regard. And
at length Madeline concluded that the
proof OF her breaking permanent ties
might better be seen by visiting rela-
tives and friends before she went back
East With that In mind she invited
Helen to visit her during the summer,
and bring as many friends as she
liked.
No slight task indeed was 1t to over.
see the many business details of Her
Majes,y's Rancho and to keep a rec
ord OF them. Madeline found the
course Of business training upon which
her father had insisted to be invalu-
able to her now. Ii helped her to as
simulate and arrange the practical
details Of cattleraising as put forth
by the blunt Stillweil. She established
an extensive vegetable farm, and she
planted orchards. The climate was
superior to that OF California, and.
with abundant water. trees and plants
and gardens iourished and bloomed
in way wonderful TO behold. Here
in the farming section of the ranch