The Arvada enterprise., 1923-06-14
The LIGHT Of Uestern Stars

L0lU DrUtnet WIN o1o SANeA ~ w .S''
"Alfred!"
Dear old giri," he said. you
haven't changed at al. except to grow
loveller. Only you're . woman now.
and you've fulfilled the name gave
you. Cd! how sight Of you brtnss
back homel 1t seems q hundred years
since l left. missed you more than
all the rest"
Madeline seemed to feel with bis ev-
cry word that she was remembering
him. She was 10 amazed at the change
In him that she could not believe her
eyes. She saw . bronzed. strong
jawed, eagleeyed man. stalwart su-
perb Of height, and. like the cowboys.
belted, booted. spurred. She had bid
den good-by to . disgraced. dlsin-
herited. absolute boy. Well she re-
membered the handsome pale face
with III weakness and shadows and
careless smile. with the ever-present
cigarette hanging between the lips.
The years had passed. and now she
saw him q mantle West had made
him . man. And Madeline Hammond
felt q strong. passionate giadness and
gratefulness. and q direct check to her
sudden Inspired hatred Of the West.
Majesty. 1t was good Of you to
come. I'm all broken up. How did
you ever do 1T But never mind that
now. Tell me about that brother Of
mine"
And Nadeline told him. and then
about their sister Helen. Question
after question he fired at her; and she
tod 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 rnpid-nre ques-
tiOning ceased: he choked. was silent
a moment, and then burst into tears.
1t seemed to her that long. stored
up bitterness was flooding away. It
hurt her to see him-hurt her more to
hear him. And In the succeeding few
moments she grew closer to him than
she had ever been In the past. Had
her father and mother done right by
himf Her pulse stirred with unwonted
qulckness. She did not speak. but she
kissed him. which. for her. was an
indication Of unusual feeling. And
when he recovered command over his
emotions he made no reference to his
breakdown, nor did she. But that
scene struck deep into Madeline Ham,
mond's heart. Through It she saw
what he had lost and gained.
ALFRED. why did you not answer
my last lettersr' asked Madeline. y
had not heard from you for two years.' "
$50 long? How time dlssl Well.
things went bad with me about the
last time I heard from you. I always
intended to write some day. but
never did. You remember all about
my little ranch. and that for . while
I did well raising stock1 wrote you
all that. Majesty, . man makes enc
miles anywhere. Perhaps an eastern
man 10 the West can maks. II not q
many. certainly more bitter ones. Al
any rate. I made several. There VA
. cattlsmaA. Ward BY name gona
now-and he and I had trouble ovss
cattle. That gave me . back-sst Pat
HAVE. the sheriff here. has besn In
strumsntai In hurting my business
He's not % much Of . ranchee. but ha
has influence at Santa 70 and Fl Pssn
and DousiaA I made an enemy Of
him. I never did anything to him,
The real reason for bis anlmosity
toward me II that hs loves Florence
and Florence = going to marry me-"
"Alfred!"
"What's the matter. Aajssyi Didnt
Florence impress you fsvorsblyr b.
asked. With keen glance.
"Why-yes, Indeed. like her. But
I did not think Of her In relation to