Ranching for Sylvia

and downcast. Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself

had brought their lifeless master home; and Edgar had seen enough to realize that the man must have grown slack and nerveless before he had succumbed. The farm had broken down Marston's st

Marston's farming books, came out, looking grav

unts have given me something to think about. I believ

the new program cut and d

seldom pr

d. "I've a few i

le about finances, if the

y private account, unle

ything of the kind,"

nswer, called Grier

. "Tell the man I'll keep the team, if he'll knock off twenty dollars, and

oing in again for a whi

id Edgar, knowing his

draw a pound or two?" as

migration people would see that you h

w; I want to send so

I see. How much did

r; I had to bring enoug

you have a check for twice as much on an En

e as he turned away with a word of

ellow-for an advance of

d a little e

g of the woman

inted to t

coming. It look

had met on the train, drew up his

look in," he said. "Found out yest

d inadequately furnished, and Edgar had decided that Sylvia had spent little of her time there. After they had talked for a while, a man, dressed in blue duck trousers, a sa

re running this

's co

allow; Mrs. Marston told me to. Thought I

y offhand, and George did

rk," George said. "You might have us

Anyway, I'll troubl

xed with amusement. This overbearing

t before we go any farther-it's customar

, and afterward stated his charge, which was unusually high. E

note from Mrs. Marst

hat the matter had be

sent when you came to

up!" exclaimed the stranger.

re asking nearly double t

n advanced with a truculent air to t

ork; that's good

a quick calculation on a strip of paper and handed it to the man. "This is merely because you seem in a hurry. If you

ted, with ange

ke the check," h

orge took a pen and so

when he came back, "a

s bidden, and George p

tled; I won

n went quietly out; and Grant leane

emarked. "He has the

hman newly out is co

it," Grant returned d

u think of

scouraged him. Marston had farmed in a singularly wasteful manner; fences and outbuildings were in very b

fact, I'm a little worried about it; ther

are you goi

e first has been growing wheat for some time; I'll sew part of that with timothy. There

a silo?" co

, then? It means laying ou

soil. It's a wasteful practise that will have to be abandoned, as people h

wheat, but that's because I'm too old to change my sy

aking the nat

ody else can experiment with mixed crops and stock-raising. That's going to become the genera

ll behind with Edgar. He had l

ing," she remarked. "He didn't tell u

d you now," Ed

things about himself u

of the fellow who

r la

ies are not, as a rule, obvious at first sight. People find

mirer of his. Do you me

as it's carried on in this country seems to be a rather arduous occupation. In the meanwhile, I'm undergoing what English people

Lansing's

less interested in him than in Ge

sapprehension, I'd better point out that my chief failings are a fondness for looking at the amusing side of things and a sl

ed him with

ou were saying somet

e," Edgar admitted. "

r w

f our acquaintance,

want it

aint amusement she displayed; this was a girl with some depth of character, though he realized that she was pretty. She carried herself well; she was finely and strongly made;

untry, and I've an idea that both George and I may need friends in

he's a little prejudiced on certain points, but he

"that also applies to you;

anged th

e not favorably impr

nd I don't think George is happy. It's hard to un

the work, and he was

Edgar

he house is remarkably well furnished. The money Marston

not agree with George

ton managed things. It's rather curious. I alwa

le," said Flora wit

r suggested. "Marston was a generous fellow; he m

. "Do you think a woman should let a man spoil his one

swer's

y dark; a curious leaden haze obscured the prairie; and when the man was getting into his light, spring-seated wagon, a jagged streak of lightning suddenly reft the gloom and there was a deafening roll of thunder. The horses started. Grant fell backward from the step, dropping the

ap in it was narrow. If they struck a post in going through, the vehicle would overturn. Then George, running furiously, sprang at the horses' heads, and went down, still holding on. He was dragged along a few yards, but

up, and then watch out,

rward, they swept madly through the opening in the fence, with the wagon jolting from rut to rut. A minute or two afterward they had vanished into the thick obscu

etty good ner

e of the wickedness out of his team before he gets them home.

regard for her comfort had hampered Marston in his struggle; and though Edgar had never had much faith in Sylvia, this was painful to contemplate. Moreover, George cherished a steadfast re