The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-05-26
CHAPTER *
The New Foreman.

The New Foreman, lag.
Toward the end Of the week Still
well Informed Madeline that Stewart
had arrived at the ranch and had
taken up quarters with Nels.
Scenes sick. He looks bad" said
the old cattleman. Hes SO weak an
shaky he can't lift a cup. Nels says
that Gene has he'd some bad spells. A
little liquor would straighten him up
now. But Nels can't force him to drink
a drop, an has he'd to sneak some
liquor In his coffee. Genes losin' his
mind, or he's got somethin' powerful
strange on it." =. ..- .... ..
Stewart was really i'll. It became
necessary to send for a physician.
Then Stewart began slowly to mend
and presently was able to get up and
about. Stillwell said the cowboy
lacked interest and seemed to be a
broken man. This statement, however,
the old cattleman modified as Stewart
continued to improve. Then presently
1t was a good augury of Stewards
progress that the cowboys once more
took up the teasing relation which had
been characteristic Of them before his
illness. A cowboy was indeed out Of
sorts when he could not vent his pecu-
liar humor on somebody or something.
Stewart had evidently become broad
target for their badinage.
oval, the boys are sure after Gene"
said Stillwell, with his huge smile.
"Joshin' him all the time about how
he sits around an hangs around an
loafs around jest to get a glimpse of
you, Miss Majesty. Sure all the boys
hev a pretty bad case over their pretty
boss, but none Of them is a marker to
Gene. He's got it so bad, Miss Maj
esty, tibet he actooly don't know they
are joshin' him. It's the amazin'est
strange thing ever SEEN"
Madeline smiled her amusement. It
had been impossible for her to fail to
observe Stewards singular behavior.
She never went out to take her GUS
tomary walks and rides without seeing
him somewhere in the distance. She
was aware that he watched for her and
avoided meeting her. When she sat on
the porch during the afternoon or at
sunset Stewart could always be des-
cried at some point near. He idled
listlessly in the fsun, lounged on the
porch Of his clubhouse, sat whiting
the top bar ofS,the corral fence, and
always it seemed to Madeline he was
watching her. He was pale, haggard,
drawn. His eyes held a shadow
through which shone soft, subdued
light; and once having observed this,
Madeline fancied it was like the light in
Majesty's eyes, Lii the dumb, worship
ing eyes Of her favorite stag-hound.
She told Stewart that she hoped he
would soon be in the saddle again, and
passed on her way.
That Stewart loved her Madeline
could not help but see. When she dis
covered this she felt little surprise
and annoyance. Then she Intercepted
herself, and concluded that it was not
that Stewart was so different from his
comrades, but that circumstances made
him stand out from them. She re-
called her meeting with him that night
when he had tried to force her to mar
ry him. This was unforgettable in It.
self. She recalled subsequent mention
of him, and found it had been peculiar
ly memorable. The man and his &C.
tons seemed to hinge on events. Last
ly, the fact standing clear Of all others
in it's relation to her interest was that
he had almost been ruined, almost lost,
and she had saved him. That alone
was sufficient to explain why she
thought of him differently. She had
befriended, uplifted the other cowboys;
she had saved Stewards life. To be
sure, he had been a ruffian, but q
woman could not save the life Of even
a ruffian without remembering 1t with
gladness. Madeline at length decided
her interest in Stewart was natural,
and that her deeper feeling was pity.
Perhaps the interest had been forced
from her; however, she gave the pity
as she gave everything. : ~.
Stewart had taken up his duties as
foreman, and hts activities were cease
less. He was absent most Of the time,
ranging down toward the Mexican line.
When he returned Stillwell, sent for
him.
This was late in the afternoon Of a
day in the middle Of April. Alfred
and Florence were with Madeline on
the porch. .:-. .~.s
Madeline saw the man she remem-
bered, but with a singularly different
aspect. His skin was brown; his eyes
were piercing and dark and steady;
he carried himself erect; he seemed
preoccupied, and there was not trace
Of embarrassment in his manner.
"Wal, Gene, I'm sure glad to see
you," Stillwell was saying. where
do you hail from?" =. -.
Guadalupe canyon" replied the
cowboy. lisa ..~ 49, -. .t.>..
Stillwell whistled.
sway down there! You don't mean
you follered them boss tracks tibet,
far?" ..
GAIL the way from Don Carlos,
rancho across the Mexican line. I took