Evening star., 1932-06-12
CHAPTER LX.
THE LAST CHUCKLE.

lTHE porch of the ranch house was
high and unrailed. A rustic
board affair that looked across
miles of hard, brown plain to
the sharp, blue-canyoned noun
tains on the horizon. A ragged wall OF
mountains-Joyce never grew tired OF
looking at them. In early dawn they
swan in opal and pearl mists. At noon
! they were hard and blue. At night
| they took on every tint of azure and
rose madder.
| Just now they were almost artificially
| clear in the sharp afternoon light.
Joyce had dropped in the high-backed,
unpainted rocker to rest for a moment
ard, as always, her gaze had gone out
| to the horizon.
She could see solitary rider come
, along the road that led to town, first a
small figure moving against the brown
plain and the hard lapis of the sky.
Long before he came in hailing distance
she knew, by the way he rode, that it
was Jim.
He waved at her as he rode through
the gate and she saw that he had
brought the mail out from the town.
He flung it in her lap as he bent and
kissed her. Two letters and three
papers Well" knowing look at her
soiled and faded house dress, land how
! ouisite and stylish Mrs. Cameron of
Faris and Shanghai"
Don't be catty." She wrinkled her
nose at him happily. This is poor
Mrs Keith, the overworked drudge of
a Western ranch. I've been helping
Lee clean out the preserve closet.
Kitty started to help me and your ex-
cellent friend. Mr.. Bemis. called her
awav-to show her a new set of har-
ress! Kitty! Who doesn't know a
horse saddle from a whole in the
ground! And who wouldn't get on a
horses back for God nor man! Now, l
ask you-what could be more touching
/ than young love?"
Jim'S teeth showed white in his dark
| face. 1T looks like a hard case, those
two. doesn't it? You know Kitty
knocked old Con for a row the first
time he saw her. Seems she was lay
ing Mrs Cameron out cold and it
made a hit with Con Told me he
liked a woman with spirit. When these
old patches get it. they take it bad,
don't they?"
You should know" his wife said
meaningfully.
Yep. I guess Con and I are marked
men! You got yodr man and it looks
like Kittys on her way to landing hers
nouncements; they'll knock Mrs. Cam
marry Conningsby Arthur-Lord Be-
mis-"
Jim! Not really"
He nodded carelessly Sure. didn't
you know that? He dropped the title,
CT course. when he came here to live
and became naturalized. But the fatal
effects on Mrs. Cameron would be the
same. I trust"
'Kitty-Lady Bemis - Joyce
tried it dreamily and giggled. Amusing
somehow, to think of Kitty outranking
her socially. Dear old Kitty, whose
life was blooming into a belated but
robust rose of romance
Joyce sat for a moment rocking idly
and smiling family. Good . to be
sitting here laxily admiring Jims tall
slim figure sitting on the top step at
her feet
She put out hand . let it lay for
a moment on his dark hair and re-
ceived-aS she knew she would-a
warm. unsmiling look.
Then she picked up the letters in her
lap
One from Maddy-she recognized the
round. childlike handwriting.
At the sight of the other little ex-
clamation burst from her A Riverton
postmark and it bore the return ad-
oress of Lloyd Weavers Office The
old attorney himself had written
short note
The incloSed letter was left by Roger
Cameron to be gi en- you in the event
CT your marriage. Personal illness has
delayed its being sent before
Wonderingly, Joyce looked at the in
closed sealed envelope. addressed in the
writing she remembered to we'll.
From Roger =" There was a
breathless catch in her voice. Upsetting
to get letter from the dead. In
st;nctively she slipped from the rocker
and sat down on the top step with Jim,
pressing close against him, as though
! she drew comfort from the contact
Dear Joyce" A strange and con-
ventional way to hail one from beyond
the StyX!
AS I sit and write this 1t strikes me
that your eyes may never see it. More
strange than that is the thought that
viii have ceased to be if you do see it.
Hard to think that--on day like
this . with the blue water and the
hot sunshine and the white sand of
the Lido. You and Kitty have
Just come from a swim. can see you
STEAMSHIPS