Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-11-20

that In his OutSpOken admlfaJlOn OF
things rough and manly and primal
there were certain lasting qualities.
Whereas formerly his being thrown
from spirited mount was almost a
daily occurrence, now he rode rather
well. With tanned face and hard
hands, he was, as Carson put it, grow
ing up"
He came to Judith one day serious
faced, thoughtful-eyed.
'eLook here, Judith" he began alb
ruptly, "I'm no outsider just looking
on at this game. You're the chief
owner and the boss and I'm not kick
ing at that any longer. Your dad
raised you to this sort Of thing and
you have a way of getting by with it.
But, on the other hand, I'm part own
er and you've got to consider me-
Judith smiled at him.
'.What now, Pollock?'' she asked.
you're the boss,' he repeated
stoutly. but I've got right to be
next in authority. Under you, you
know. Why, by cripes, / go around
feeling as If had to take orders from
Carson or Trip or any other of the
foremen!"
"'By cripes is good!" laughed
judith. eco ahead"
'That's ALL" he insisted. "You can
tell them, when you get chance, that
am your little old right-hand man.
Suppose" he suggested vaguely, that
you left the ranch day or so. Or
even longer, some time. There's got
to be some one here who is the head
when there is need for it,
Judith mirthfully acquiesced. Hamp-
toms interest was sufficiently heavy
for hira to be entitled to ONE con-
sideration. Besides, she had come to
experience a liking for the boy and
had seen in him the change for the
better which his new life was work
ing in him. Further, she meant to
make it her business that she did not
leave the ranch for day or SO, or
an hour or so, when she should be
there. Consequently, within week
Pollock Hampton was known humor-
ously from one end to the other of
the big ranch as the Foreman-at-
Large.
Marcia Langworthy, visiting In
southern California, wrote brief, sun
nv notes to Hampton, intricate let
tiers to Judith. The mystery Of Bud
Lee of which she had had a glimpse
when the artist, Dick Farris and Lee
recognized each other as old friends
had piqued her curiosity in way
which allowed that young daughter Of
Eve no rest until she had made her
own Investigations. She wrote at
length of Lee. How he had been quite
the rage, my dear. Oh, tremendous
ly rich, with a great ranch in the
South wonderful adobe hacienda. of
the old Spanish days, where, like a
young king, he had entertained Law
ishly. How, believing in his friends,
he had lost everything, then had
dropped out of the world, content
equally to allow that world to believe
him soldering In France or dead in
the trenches and to take his wage as I
common laborer. Wasn't it too rO-
mantle for anything?
In due course, following rp her let
tiers. Marcia herself came back to the
Blue Lake ranch, Judith's guest now.
The major and Mrs. Langworthy were
visiting In the East-it seemed that
they always visited somewhere and
Marcia would stay at the ranch in
definitely. Hampton drove into Rocky
Bend for her and held the girls
hreathless admiration all the way
home, handling the reins of his young
team in a thoroughly reckless shivery
manner.
isn't he splendid?" cried Marcia
when she slipped away with Judith to
her room.
Under the bright approval of Mar
cia's eyes Hampton flushed with pleas
ure. Could Mrs. Langworthy have
seen them together she would have
nudged the major and whispered in
his ear.
During the two months after the
dance, Bud Lee and Judith had seen
virtually nothing of each other. When
routine duties or necessary report
brought them for a few minutes into
each others society there was a
marked constraint upon them. Never
had the man lost the stinging sense
of his offense against her; never had
judith condescended to be anything
but cool and brief with him. While
no open reference was made to what
was past, still the memory of it must
lie in each heart, and though Lee held
his eyes level with hers and drank
deep of the warm loneliness of her, he
told himself angrily that he was be-
meath her contempt. The chivalry
within him, so great and essential a
part of the mans nature. was a
wounded thing, hurt by his own act.
The old feeling of camaraderie which
had sprung up between them at times
was gone now they could no logger
be ''pardners'' as they had been that
night in the old cabin.
He told himself CURLY that he did
not regret that; that now it was In
evitabie that they should be less than
strangers since they could not be more
than friends That the girl was ready
to forgive him, that she had never
been as harsh with him as he was
himself, that there was golden, de-
licious possibility that she should feel
as he did-so mad an idea had not
come to Bud Lee, horse foreman.
.,e4or AToroiotc o1