Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-11-28

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 a
common laborer Wasn't 1t too ro-
mantle for anything?
In due course, following up her let
ters, 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
breathless admiration all the way
home, handling the reins of his young
team In a thoroughly reckless, shivery,
manner.
isn't he splendid2" 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 a 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 1t must
lie In each heart, and though Lee held
his eyes level with hers and drank
deep OF the warm loveliness Of her, he
told himself angrily that he was be-
meath her contempt. The chivalry
within him, 80 great and essential a
part OF the mans nature, was
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 longer
be "pardners" as they had been that
night In the old cabin.
He told himself curtly that he did
not regret that; that now it was in
evitable 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 a golden, de-
licious possibility that she should feel
as he did-so mad an idea had not
come to Bud Lee, horse foreman.
A few days after Marcia's arrival
there came to the ranch letter which
was addressed:
Pollock Hampton. Esq,
"Geneal Manager,
Blue Lake Ranch"
It was from Doan, Rockwell &
Haight, big stock buyers Of Sacramen-
to, submitting an unsolicited order
for a surprisingly large shipment Of
cattle and horses. The price offered
was ridiculously low, even for this
season of low figures due to the fact
that many overstocked ranches were
throwing their beef-cattle and range
horses on the market. SO low, In
fact, that Judith's first surmise when
Hampton brought 1t to her was that
the typist taking the company's die
tation had made an error.
Judith tossed the note into the
waste-basket. Then she retrieved 1t
to frown at 1t wonderingly, and, final
ly, to file 1t. It began by having for
her no significance worthy Of specula-
tion. 1t soon began to puzzle her.
Finally, 1t family disturbed her.
Here were two points Of interest.
First: Doan, Rockwell & Haight was
the company to which Bayne Trevors,
when general manager. had made
many sacrifice sale. Because the
Blue Lake had knocked down to
them before, did they still count con-
ddently upon continued mismanage-
mentf Surely they must know that
the management Of the ranch had
changed And this brought her to the
second point: How did It come about
that they had addressed, not her, but
Pollock Hampton? Was this just D
trifleH