The Cattle-Baron's Daughter

mewhat miscellaneous, consisting as it did of the trophies of Miss Schuyler's European tour. A Parisian clock, rich in gilded scroll work to the verge of barbarity, c

hich, however, was somewhat characteristic of the country. Still, Miss S

ughtful as they wandered round the room, for that evening the suggestion of wealth in all she saw jarred upon her mood. The great city lay not very far away, sweltering with its crowded tenement houses under stifling heat; and she could pictu

listened to would once more break in upon her sheltered life. Larry had foreseen changes, and he was usually right. Then she brushed these fancies into the background, for she had still a decision to make. Captain Cheyne would shortly arrive, and she knew what he came to ask. He was also a personable man, and, so far as the Schuylers knew, without reproach, while Hetty had seen a good deal of him during the past twelve months. S

I want to look a

slender in her long dress, though there was an inde

pass?" s

ease anybody, and there's a style about you that makes it quite plain you were of some importance out

hat you th

w York. Quite a good-looking man, with a good deal in him, but I'd like to

ore about horses than any cavalry

s were, except that your father's one, an

ged to the Indians and the Blackfeet, Crows, and Crees made them lots of trouble. Still, they held the land they settled on, and c

it to

an a railroad king. You see, he makes the law-all there is-as well as supports the industry, for there's not a sheriff in the country dares question him. The cattle-boys are his retai

overnment ever encouraged homesteading

ily, "I guess they would, but no

haven't told us yet who Larry is

and has done 'most whatever I wanted him ever since. Fremont isn't very far from the Ran

of confidence between the two, and the reserve that char

ent of that kind is a little rough on the man, and

smiled. "It is all right with L

yler. "He never tried

"Only once, and I scarcely think he meant it. It was quite

atest songs and books-good editions in English art bindings. It wa

ed away her head. "Don't y

I'm careless now and then, but one has to do the square thing, and I wouldn't let any man do all that for me unless I was so fond of him that I meant to marry hi

flash in Hetty's dark eyes. "Larry's kind to ev

want to quarrel, but you'll be careful-to please me. Jake Cheyne is co

ew dimmer, until the sound of voices rose from without, and she felt her h

was not the result of a military training. Then as he shook hands with Flora Schuyler the fading light from the window fell upon his face, showing it clean cut from the broad forehead to the solid chin, and reposeful instead of nervously mobile. His even, low-pitched voice was also in keeping

nder if it would be too great a liberty if I asked Miss Torrance to give us some music," he said. "I am going away to-mo

e as she took her place; but the man made a little gesture

be nicer as i

midst the press was responsible for much, Hetty Torrance's voice had failed to win her fame; but she sang and played better than most well-trained amateurs. Thus there was no rustl

hat that is

laughed. "Jake k

nocturne. You were thinking of

uyler, "when the moon is

ng out over Cedar Range. Then it seems bigger and more solemn than the sea. I can see it now, wide and grey and shadowy, and so still that you feel afraid to hear yourself brea

sture she touched the keys again.

ed the tramp of marching feet, but there was a curious unevenness in its rhythm, and the crescendo one of the listeners looked for never came. The room was almost dark now,

"can you tell me

h, but the composer never wrote what you have played to-night," he said. "It was-may mine be de

hat. It was footsteps going west, and I could not ha

lence, until Cheyne s

tty, "you will

es that clashed and jarred upon the theme. Their burden was strife and struggle and the an

nly one man could have written it; but his own countrymen could not play it better

girl's face was a trifle paler than usual, as closing the p

he depot-no, I didn't. It was there I felt the marching, and Larry brought the prairie back

come?" sa

"wherever those wea

ess they afterwards remembered. "That is, the stress and str

and it was a relief when the

wang of the country, "you young folks have been solemn qu

anyone enjoyed the privilege of pacing that sod when Mr. Schuyler was at home. Every foot had cost him many dollars, and it remained but an imperfect imitation of an English lawn. There was on the one side a fringe of maples, and it was perhaps by Mrs. Schuyler's contrivance tha

y, "I think you know wh

terwards wondered whether she made the decision then, or what she h

id slowly. "I

ld not ask you for very much just now, but I had ventured to fancy you could in time grow fond of me. I know I s

but I can't," she said. "I ought to have made you realize that long ago, but I liked you, and, you s

hoarsely, "give me what you c

day passed as other days had done, she might have yielded to him, but she had been stirred to the depths of her nature during the last few hours, and Flora Schuyler's warning had been opportune. Sh

er voice, "it wouldn't be honest or fair t

always speak the truth, Hetty. My dear, knowing what the best of us are

isn't me. I am selfish, discontented, and shallow, and if you hadn't heard me sing or play you would never have th

f, and if you have any faults, my dear, I'll take them with the rest. In fact,

lease take your answer and go away. If I could only be fond of you in the r

n her tone, but, feeling that it

said. "You might think differ

know you will try to make it easier for me, even if I'm hurting you. It's no use. I shall t

"I am afraid it will tak

etty turned, a trifle flushed in fac

shall never find anyone ha

serenity, when one of Mrs. Schuyler's neighbours arrived. She brought one or t

e Miss Torrance's father lives, and is staying a day or two wit

, well-favoured man, slender, and lithe in movement, with dark eyes and hair, and a slightly sallow face that suggested that he was from the South. It also seemed fitting

I insisted upon coming across at once," he said. "Yo

see, we don't spend half our time on horseback here. Yo

but the approval of what he saw was a

as only one of your subjects' homage you never took kindly to. That

y, "was because he tried to patronize me. Even

least half sincere. "You command it, and I must try to make amen

"I had a talk wi

New

is going back to-morrow

ghtful. "Well, it's Chi

arcely remember him leaving

man must have a little diversion when he lives as we do, and no doub

the prairie amused themselves in the cities. Nor had she and most of her neighbours wholly approved of the libera

m," she said. "Larry wasn't Miss Durand's kind, an

se! Still, Larry hasn't qu

eyes, "when you've told me that you have go

did what I could to restrain him, bu

rive the wheat furrow in a cattle country, and the man who did it was apt to be r

gh is supreme in the Dakotas and Minnesota now. Soone

oing to happen while

o talk wheat and cattle, and I see Flo Schuyler looking at us," she said. "Go

ehind him, as he had perhaps intended, while soon after he

t Jake away

what made me, but I felt I had

vely. "But it wasn't beca

laugh. "Don't you like him? He is rather

eminded me of that Florentine filigree thing. It's v

he's that k

value. The silver's all on top. I don't know what is u