Aunt Jane's Nieces on the Ranch

all, for convenience, "Mexicans," are not all natives of Mexico, by any means. Most of them are a mixed breed derived from the early Spanish settlers and the nat

e same appellation. The early Spaniards left a strong impress upon this state, and even in the newly settled districts the Spanish

en the business street shows many adobe structures. A quiet, dreamy little town, with a comforta

a weather-beaten, unprepossessing building which bore the word "Restaurant"

long breath. "Is this one o

t we come for

. "But you informed us that there is a

ls. Now, this is-different. If you're hungry; if you wa

to obey their host's injunction. Then the dingy door opened and out stepped a young

in picturesque disarray. A blue flannel shirt, rolled up at the sleeves, a pair of drab corduroy trousers and rough shoes

belied his rude costume, for its tones were well modulated and cultured. "I've been t

essed to Louise, who shook

introduced her friends to Mr. Rudolph Hahn, who,

rs; so we've been getting quite chummy since they moved to El Cajon. Helen-that's my wife,

cried Patsy

lau

t I assure you I could vote, if I wanted to-which I don't. I think,

not the son of Andy

ut Dad is only a monarch in finance, and when h

k, eyeing the rough costume wonderingly but also

habitant. Weldon, here, has on

li

es, back east, but onl

om was clean and neat, despite the fact that the floor was strewn with sawdust and the tables covered with white oilcloth. An a

friends, Castro, are from the far East, and I've tol

o-day; she'd have been delighted with this meeting. But we didn't kno

rthur. "I believe I'll do the errand while Castro is preparing his

blessed baby in the house. It might save you

ine work?" a

ut yours. So I imagine something is wro

e," said Arthur, and departed for the teleph

he boy, but when he found the young bride's family still more furious and preparing to annul the marriage on the grounds of the groom's youth, the great financier's mood changed and he whisked the pair off to California and bought for them a half-million-dollar ranch, where they had lived f

r's place in the financial world. And he runs his ranch so extravagantly that it costs the pater a small fortune every year. Yet they are

ars of age, stern of feature and with shaggy brows that overhung a pair of peaceful blue eyes which ought to have been set in the face of some child. This gave him a whimsical look that almost invariably evoked a smile

north and is considered the most enterprising orange grower in all California

high-pitched tenor voice that the sound was posi

troduce Mr. Bulwer Runyon, formerly of New York but now t

ed the high,

he sourest and-and-

them," added the ma

id the major, noticing that the girls were for once r

handle to his name and call him 'Bul Run' for short. Soun

ning in a way that might well have terrified a pirate. "I'm not a bull and I don't run. It's e

e wish to talk of agreeable things. The marvelous Castro is concocting some o

e. "I had breakfast at seven, you know-like a working man-and the r

ease. Forget it, and try to

e baby, Mr

lied Louise. "Why haven't you

he last time I came I stayed three days and forgot

e not going to

t fervently, for I'd hate to

n, Bu

to the end of its fleet. Therefore, as I love the baby bette

ind your

sig

Weldon, I've made

n't you dread

es

th the mortgage?"

rapidly increasing in value," declared Runyon, earnestly, "so, if I can manage to ho

ice. Even the major clapped Bul Run on the shoulder and said t

ndly party was gathered around the oilcloth board. Even the paper napkins could not

anchers that the poor fellow was in despair. The "lunch" turned out to be a seven course dinner and each course introduced such an enticing and unusual dish that every member of the party became an audacious gormandizer. None of

s and napkins, and decent rugs up

Uncle John. "Don't suggest such a horror to Castro, Lo

Runyon to Beth, who sat beside him. "I d

ur orange crop ye

lly. And the laugh that followed again p

coffee and cigars and have a social chat. But both Runyon and Hahn protested this delay. They suggested, instead, that all ride back to E

hour later the procession started. Beth riding besi

the latter, "for she'd be mad as hops

plied Patsy. "Isn't

. She's the only woman I eve

rows,

n; and her angelic smile is so genuine and constant t

," continued Patsy enthusiastically; "bu

ph in a visit to the baby. She proved to be a retiring and rather shy young woman, but she was very beautiful and her personalit

ajon, traveling slowly that they might enjoy the exquisite tintings of the sky. Runyon, who was a bachelor, lived a few miles the other side of Arthur's ranch. All three ranches had at one time been part of the Spani