Nogales international., 1935-01-12

2 ranch locate? tS:.ty tilHeS dWay.
Sxsry Duane. lie: aSAEest neighbor
ard his man, Bcous Petry procure q
lP~lIablc won,an n tor hsr end In Barry 8
ea., loaded aown s~tta supplies. they
etsrt across tae oss'e:t. In Marston
kAS seticence H:>s so~aA"d suspicion.
x---> ->.------>c--=-z---=----=-
The glimpse Vas Only glimpse,
pass!ng ss a:SSkiy as it had come.
',rhS ear se.-f . ;cit of protest and
slantsd Of oaEqueiy from the road
they had been following. She had
wanted privacy and here it was.
Now" said her host cheerfully,"
we are aiming straight--nnore or
less straisht--for your ranch. The
-.al road is back Of as. This IS
l.st your short cut TO it. See that
H.tle jag in the hills? Your ranch
Is right below that, in a valley"
She looked at it with sharpened
interest. A valley sounded nice;
soYt of surg and tucked away. The
agent had told her that a stream
ran through the ranch. She hoped
that was true, but she did not ask
Barry Duane.
The hills were coming closer and
q slow rise of land began to be
epotted thinly with dwarf ever
greens. Higher slopes lowered
ahead, great, wrinkled, rocky folds,
sIlnost black in shadow. Further
xc:..h, where the car was heading
were long. thinly wooded ridges.
Lying lonely but protected, there
sras a little valley.
Anne had a glimpse of willows
and cottonwoods. hugging what
:-.r.t DC little creek. There 1cds
~@se<!
7 hey swept in with triumphant
burst of speed, past strip of fence
with tired looking posts and dis
couraged wire, past ragged field
cr two, catching sight OF lovely
meadow.
Here we are" said Barry Duane,
"at Cushing's Ranch. You mustn't
judge it by first appearances, be-
cause handy man with hammer
ard few nails can work miracles" :"
His voice sounded nervous. They
were all looking at her, a little
arXiousiy. ~
She began to laugh. Softly at
first, but with swelling note. This
was her ranch, hers. bought insanely
ever the counter iii dusty little
Office in small town.
The dear little funny old thing!
I don't mind if it's run down. It's
mineh And I'm going to have
orange curtains at the windows.
Flaming orange! Let's cxplore!'
She was out before anyone could
help her, running up careless path
to a frankly sagging porch, and
turned at the door.
q forgot the most important
part Welcome to Trails End!
Mrs. Larrabee, if l help, 90 you
think I'd dare invite the gentlemen
TO our first mcal:"
They stayed. 1t would have
taken force to have dragged at
least one of them away from that
glowing picture on the low, lazy
old porch. with the weathered logs
making a silvered background tor
her vivid youth and the lovely
fame in her cheeks.
Don't see why they shouldn't"
she agreed calmly. There's plenty
to eat, and we can easy keep two
men busy until supper time. Boone,
you take these things out, and I'll
show you where they go. And then
you might clean out the stove-it'll
need it-and lay a fire for me-
Barry, suppose you show Miss
Cushing around and tell her about
things. And you might take look
at the we'll and see if it needs
cleanin' out"
Anne listened to them, eyes alight
with laughter. Tell me when l
can help. I'm not going to be a
drone, you know. But / want to
see what the house is like, first
Conling2"
This was not addressed to Mar
tha. A slightly dizzy young man
picked up a suitcase in each hand,
and followed her.
The door yielded under her hand
with a gentle squeak, and slant
ing ray of sunlight followed her in.
She was in fair-sized room, with
doors on both sides leading to other
rooms. The first impression was
one of dust and baroness, the hasty
litter of odds and ends dropped in
moving.
The room wasn't bad at all. The
bare floors needed scrubbing, but
there was a generous stone fireplace
with some glinting quartz surfaces.
and long mantcl above it formed
of a single cedar slab. The time
darkened beams were hand hewn,
and if the few pieces of furniture
were heavy and primitive. that, had
she known it, was something to
give thanks for.
MN, I'm glad Mrs. Larrabee is
cyclone. But love the old beams
and that fireplace although it's