The Raymer enterprise., 1923-07-19

her room. she began to talk.
Majesty. old girl, I'm here; but You
can bet I would never have gotten here
II l had known about that ride from
the railroad. You never wrote that
you had q car. thought this was out
West-stage-coach. and all that sort Of
thing. Such tremendous carl And
the road! What kind Of q chauffeur
Is he"
Hes a cowboy. He was crippled
by falling under his horse, 80 I had
him instructed to run the car. He can
drive, don't you thinki"
'Drive7 Good gracious! he scared
US to death. except Castleton. Nothing
could scare that cold.blooded little
Englishman. / am dizzy yet Do you
know. Majesty, was delighted when
l saw the car. Then your cowboy
driver met US at the platform. What
a queer-looking Individual! He had .
big pistol strapped to those leather
trousers. That made me nervous.
When he piled us all In with our grips,
he put me In the seat beside him.
whether I liked II or not. I was fool
enough to tell him I loved to travel
fast. What do you think he saidi
Well, he eyed me In Q rather cool and
speculative way and said, with . smile
Miss, reckon anything you love an
want bad will be coming to you ont
here! ! didn't know whether II was
delightful candor or impudence. Then
he said to all Of Us: Shore you had
better wrap up In the wells an busters.
It's long, slow, hot. dusty ride to the
ranch, an Miss Hammond's order was
to drive safe He got our baggage
checks and gave them to a man with
huge wagon and a four-horse team.
Then he eranked the car. jumped In,
wrapped his arms round the wheel,
and sank down low In his seat. There
was q crack. q Jerk, a kind Of fash
around Us, and that dirty little town
was somewhere on the map behind.
For about five minutes had lovely
time. Then the wind began to tear
me to pieces. I couldn't hear any.
thing but the rush sf wind and roar Of
the car. could see only straight
ohead. What a road! I never saw
road In my life till today. Miles and
miles and miles ahead, with not even
post or tree. That big car seemed
to leap at the miles. 1t hummed and
sang. was fascinated, then terrified.
We went so fast / couldn't catch my
breath. The wind went through me.
and I expected to be disrobed by 1t
any minute. I was afraid I couldn't
hold any clothes on. Presently all I
could see was a flashing gray wall
with a white line In the middle. Then
my eyes blurred. My face burned. Ny
ears grew full Of hundred thousand
bowling devils. l was about ready to
die when the car stopped. I looked
and looked, and when I could see,
there you stood I"
"Helen. I thought you were fond Of
speeding" said Madeline. with a laugh.
II was. But assure you I never
before was In 4 fast car; I never met
. driver"
perhaps I may have . few sur.
prises for you ont here in the wild and
woolly West"
Helen's dark eyes showed q sisters
Of possibilities.
"You've started WELL" she said. Il
am simply stunned. expected to nnd
you old and dowdy. Majesty, you're
the handsomest thing / ever laid eyes
on. You're 20 splendid and strong.
and your skin Is like white gold.
What's happened to you? What's
changed you7 This beautiful room.
those glorious roses out there. the cool,
dark sweetness Of this wonderful
house! I know you, Majesty, and,
though you never wrote It, bellevs
you have made q home out here.
That's the most stunning surprise Of
all. Come, confess. / know I've al.
ways Leen selfish and not much Of a
sister; but II you are happy out here
| am glad. You we're not happy at
home. Tell me about yourself and
about Alfred. Then / shall give you
nil the messages and news from the
East"
It afforded Madeline exceeding pleas
ure to have from one and all Of her
guests varied encomiums Of her beau.
tiful home, and a real and warm inter.
est In what promised to be a delight.
ful and memorable visit.
OF them all Castleton was the only
one who failed to show surprise. He
greeted her precisely as he had when
he had last seen her In London. Made
line, rather to her astonishment, found
him again pleasurable. She
discovered she liked this imperturbable
Manifestly her capacity
for liking any one had immeasurably
enlarged. Quite Unexpectedly her old
girlish love for her younger sister
sprang into life, and with II interest
In these half-forgotten friends, and a
warm regard for Edith Wayne, a .hum
Of college days.
"Thsrs's 4 gang Of bandits
riding on The ranehl"