The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-07-18
CHAPTER XVI


' 1aiahStth tii lhC
of the mountain, such that had interest
for them, Madeli' .e's guests settled
quietly down for a rest, which Made
line knew would soon end in a desire
for civilized comforts. They were al
most tired of %roughing it. Helen's dis
content manifested itself In her re-
mark, II guess nothing is going to hap
pen, after ALL"
Madeline. awaited their pleasure In
regard to the breaking of camp; and
meanwhile, as me of them cared for
more exertion, she took her walks
without them, some ines accompanied
by one of the cowboys, always by the
stag-hounds. One day, while walking
alone, before she realized It she had
gone a long way down a dim trail
winding among the rocks. 1t was the
middle of a summer afternoon, and all
about her were sh. dows of the crags
crossing the sunlit catches. The quiet
was undisturbed. Che went on and on,
not blind to the fact that she was per-
haps going too fer from camp. but
risking it because she was sure of her
way back, and enjoying the wild,
craggy recesses that were new to her.
Finally she came out upon a bank that
broke abruptly into a beautiful little
glade. Here she sat down to rest be-
fore undertaking the return trip.
Suddenly Russ, the keener of the
stag-hounds, raised his head and
growled. Madeline feared he might
have scented a mountain-lion or wild
cat. She quoted i'm and carefully
looked around. The little glade was
open and grassy, with here a pine tree,
there a boulder. The outlet seemed to
go down into a wilderness of canyons
and ridges. Looking in this direction.
Madeline saw the slight, dark figure of
a woman coming ftealthily along an
der the pines. Madeline was amazed,
then a little frightened, for that
Stealthy walk from tree to tree was
suggestive of secrecy, # nothing worse.
Presently the was joined by
a tall man who carried a package,
which he gave to her. They came on
up the glade and appeared to be talk
ing earnestly. In another moment
Madeline recognized Stewart. She had
no greater feeling of surprise than had
at first been hers. But for the next
moment she scarcely thought at all
merely watched the couple approach
ing. In a flash came back her former
curiosity as to Stewards strange alb
ences from camp, and then with the
return of her doubt of him the recog-
milton of the woman. The small, dark
head, the brown face, the big eyes
Madeline now saw distinctly-be-
1onged to the Mexican girl Bonita.
Stewart had met her there. This was
the secret of his lonely trips. taken
eve since he had come to work for
Madeline. This secluded glade was a
rendezvous. He had her hidden there.
Quietly Madeline arose, with a ges-
ture to the dogs, and went back along
the trail toward camp. Succeeding her
surprise was a feeling of sorrow that
Stewards regeneration had not been
complete. Sorrow gave place to in
Sufferable distrust that while she had
been romancing about this cowboy,
dreaming of her good influence over
him. he had been merely base. Some
how it stung her. Stewart had been
nothing to her, she thought, vet she
had been proud of him. She tried to
reyolye the thing, to be fair to him,
when every instructive tendency was
to expel him, and all pertaining to him,
from her thoughts. And her effort at
sympathy. at e~xtenuation. failed utter
ly before her pride. Exerting her will
power, she dismissed Stewart from her
mind.
Madeline did not think of him again
till late that afternoon, when, as she
was leaving her tent to join several of
her guests, Stewart appeared suddenly
in her path.
Miss Hammond, l saw your tracks
down the TRAIL" he began. eagerly, but
his tone was easy and natural. I'm
thinking-well, maybe you sure got
the idea"
~ do not wish for an explanation"
interrupted Madeline.
Stewart gave a slight start. His
manner had a semblance of the Did.
cool audacity. AS he looked down at
her it subtly changed.
What effrontery, Madeline thought.
, to face her before her guests with an
explanation of his conduct! Suddenly
she felt an inward flash Of fire that
was pain, so strange, so Incompetent
sible, that her mind whirled. Then an
ger possessed her, not at Stewart. bur
at herself. that anything could rouse
in her a raw emotion. He stood there.
outwardly cool, serene, with level,
naughty eyes Upon Stewart; but in
wardly she was burning with rage and
shame.
I'm sure not going to have you
think" He began ~passiOnately, but
he broke off. and a slow. dull crimson
blotted over the healthy red-brown of
his neck and cheeks.
what you do or think, Stewart, is
no concern of mine"
"Miss-AIiss Hammond You don't
believe" faltered Stewart.
The crimson receded from his face.
leaving it pale. His eyes were appeal
ing. They had a kind of timid look
that struck Madeline even in her an
ger. There was something boyish
about him then. He took a step for
ward and reached out with his hand
Open-palmed in a. gesture that was
humble, yet held a certain dignity.
But listen. Never mind now what