Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-07-06
CHAPTER VII
Her Malesty's Rancho.

Five months brought all that Still
well had dreamed Of, and so many
more changes and improvements and
innovations that 1t was as if magic
touch had transformed the old ranch.
Madeline and Alfred and Florence
had talked over a fitting name, and
had decided on one chosen by Made
line But this instance was the only
one in the course of developments in
complied with. The cowboys named
the new ranch "Her Majesty's Ran
cho." Stillwell said the names cow
boys bestowed were felicitous, and as
Interchangeable as the everlasting hills;
Florence went over to the enemy; and
Alfred, laughing at Madeline's protest,
declared the cowboys had elected her
queen Of the ranges, and that there
was no help for 1t. SO the name stood
"Her Majesty'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 water
and acetylene light, had been in
stalled; and the whole interior painted
and carpentered and furnished. The
ideal sought had not been luxury, but
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 q 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
her, Madeline thought, was beyond
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, f1ashing-eyed creature reflected
there. 1t was not so 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. If they could only
see her now! From the tip Of her
golden head to her feet she was alive,
pulsating, 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
She wrote that she would return to
her old home some time, of course, for
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 1t for the time re-
quired for 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 river; her un-American idea
of the wilderness westward was that
Indians still chased buffalo on the out
skirts Of Chicago. Madellne's sister
Helen had long been eager to come, as
much from curiosity, Madeline
thought, as 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.