Ranching for Sylvia

know when it would start. George was nevertheless interested in his surroundings, and with some reason. The great room was built in palatial style, with domed roof

passing through the room. They all looked happy and prosperous: he thought the girls' light dresses were gayer a

faces, were huddled beside them; men bearing the stamp of ill-paid toil sat in dejected apathy; and all about each group the floor, which was wet with drippings from the roof, was strewn with banana skins, crumbs, and scraps of food. There had been heavy rains, and the

a smile that he might join her. They found an unoccupied seat, and a sm

coolly, "I guess

hough there was no doubt of her prettiness, he had already noticed that she did not impress one most forcibly wi

she explained. "There was nobody I could tal

e is a

the girl, "h

out in the W

l, and England." Then she turned and glanced at the jaded immi

ed to change the subject,

l go to and how you employ them. Your pe

hey must dispense with help and can't carry out useful projects would like to see them lower-but there's the long

s and mechanics think? It wouldn't

up a few mom

trings, and they're adopting a forward policy-rush them all in; it's their lookout when they ge

e's right," George

ooked

she answere

turned

pressed with the c

his place, for instance; one could imagine they had meant to build a Greek temple, and now it looks more lik

tionally heavy rain,"

somebody get a broom

nglish folk could r

redly, and her father

the train y

liable information from a Canadian railroad-hand is a waste of t

gaunt and dressed in baggy clothes, but there was a hint of power in h

? But I want to thank you and your partner for taking care of my girl when she

ut the man drew an old s

tic leaf; t

ve no doubt it's excellent, but I rea

ther. "I don't carry cigars; the

ff at Sag

te. I'm located

w an Englishman named Mar

winter. Oughtn't to have come o

, who had excelled in whatever he took in hand. It w

what you mean by

t after that-the man who gets ahead here must have the grit to stand up against a few bad seasons. Marston acted foolishly; wasted his money buying machines and teams he could have done

put a little pressure upon Marston now and then; but that she should ha

e mistaken about hi

he Canadian, "I'm

n stir and murmur of voices in the great waiting-room. Men seized their bags and bundles,

in. She's going to be

adi

ody heeded them; the immigrants' patience was exhausted, and they had suddenly changed from a dully apathetic multitude waiting in various stages of dejection to a savage mob fired by one determined purpose. Near by stood a long row of lighted cars, a

of the mob poured out upon the platform, while the pressure about the gap grew insupportable. Women screamed, children were reft away from their mothers, panting men trampled over bags and bundles torn fro

truck by somebody, and he saw nothing of his companions when, after being violently driven to and fro, he reached the gate. A woman with two screaming children clinging to her appeared beside him, and he held a man so that she might pass. He was breathless, and almost exhausted, but he secured her a little room; and then the

badly torn," said the lad, "I wondered why the railroad peop

e lau

he accident, they've no doubt had two trainloads to handle instea

in dire confusion, choking up the passage with their baggage. Order was, however, restored at last; and, wi

indow. "I can't imagine where they put them all; though I've never

did not know, a

d savage, but I'm inclined to think he's prosperous; when a fellow says he can't afford cigars I g

dered how one locomotive could haul the long row of heavy cars. Then he looked out across the wide expanse of grass that stretched away in the moonlight to the dim blur of woods on the horizon. Here and there clumps of willows dotte

he had made his plodding comrade his executor; for George, having seldom had occasion to exert his abilities, had no great belief in them. He had suffered keenly when Sylvia married Dick, but the homage he had offered her had always been characterized by diffidence, springing from a doubt that she could be content with

ds were discussing him in a ca

rked. "He's cool and kept his head, did what was needed and nothi

solute." Then reserving the rest of her th

about him-he's just one of the boys. The other's differe

much to form

an tell if a man's to be

," the girl admitted. "

ssed by him when h

ther s

w all his good points in the first few minutes. It was rough on

mands a great deal," th

ak and shiftless pretty quick; we only have room for

t description fits th

guess he wouldn't back down

ed, George's English relatives included one or two clever people, but none of them held his talents in much esteem. They thought him honest, rather painstaking, and good-natured, but that was all. It