The Poetry Of Robert Browning

ire C

en Mr. Rouse moved aside from the black box it was discovered to be an old-fashioned square piano, now set proudl

been ill, homesick, and afraid to come back until she got the telegram the girls sent. Putting her at the piano was an afterthought, and one which some of them regretted, since she sang all afternoon, and had to be dr

eart and my home are open to you," Cousin Hannah

that would offer it. Of course it was a dry year--Jonah Bean declared that it was, taking it by and la

e. The Babe had greatly enjoyed this, her first railroad trip, and she was kept busy for weeks relating her experiences. Mary was well aga

f a battle fought in Cuba, and though all the papers were filled with the details, no letter had been received from him. Day after day some one rode to the

erior, where there was no means of mailing a letter--it would be sure to come after awhile. But in her own heart she entertained a g

ng over from his distant ranch, let his sister kn

p an eager note out of his voice. "We're mighty afraid that poor John won't come ba

n the lounge and covered

ou are all welcome to come and live with me. Your girls are growing up wild, anyway, without a man to overlook 'em. Of course you know, good and well, that I hold a mortgage on this ranch of yo

lounge, but she dropped her hands from befo

ving till--till I feel sure John's not coming back! I'm hoping every day to have news from him; I'm certain that the c

oud that Elizabeth and Ruth sittin

n and a young horse-thief like Roy Lambert hanging round, and expect a man who knows his business to spend one cent for you. Such fellows as that are go

Harvey," returned Mrs. Spooner with spi

stand it any longer!" she whispered indignantly, "let's g

ther to listen to reason," grunted their uncl

, Uncle Harvey. And you've no right to suppose that

we're quite able to take care of mother. We thank you for offering us a home, but

ers a long look. Elizabeth sai

he grunted. "Well--I wash m

ack, when Mrs. Spooner hurried after him, her hands held out. The girls were

"But we won't part in anger. The girls didn't mean

one so, mighty easy! If they get along half as well making a living as

ised her small, tired face for his good-bye kiss. "My girls are just hi

ever because he had done this apparently gracious act. The girls, nodde

d brute and they're persecuted angels. Let 'em have their way. We'll see

Mrs. Spooner always looked to hear him make some allusion to her alien birth, but he never did. He had longed to have these bright, brave young creatures and his only sister in his home, to fe

met the Babe, riding on h

joyously. "Ain't you going to spend the day? It's been the long

amed for him, and, unlike the other girls, she was not the least bit afraid of him. How he w

le girl, and I'd like to have you where I could keep an eye on you." He sighed regretfully. "No, I ain't going to spend t

deringly. "But there don't anybody at our house hate you.

pitable invitation, knowing better than th

d at his namesake a long time. "Harvie," he wheedled, and nobody would have guessed that his v

vie looked

nt to go? What'll father th

hat they must give up hope of John Spooner's return. Instead he offered a ba

you ever looked at, a pinto with blue eyes. That

blue eyes fil

ry beautiful," she admitte

his type of man shows for the tender sen

smilingly. "If I had you over at the Circle G to be my little girl, w

en and there he settled the question as to his namesake's ever agreeing, so

a message to mother?" she asked qui

d that the big spring's liable to give out--and th

message, her clear eyes

s words, giving quite unconsciously his intonation, and the threat that was

it cross--j

ve out we always water at the big water-hole.

nis, "that's why I bou

ter at the big tank," concl

ou, honey," he told her,

once, in fact, been part of his holding, and when John Spooner bought from his brother-in-law, Grannis retained the pasture containing the tank, saying that he wanted to use it for convenience in watering herds when he drove them down to the ra

uth indignantly. "Do you suppose he thinks the

eassured Elizabeth. "He's just trying to worry us because o

a wagon and men from his ranch, and was busy running a wire-fence around the water-hole. Th

id Roy, gloomily. "I think Harvey G

soothed the girls; "Harvey maybe has some good reason. Remember it's a dry year, and other people may have been annoying him. Anyway, I'm

ooner arrived; Grannis himself was busily directin

You see there's no more water-hole for you to depend on. Cattle'll die, of course. Only thing you can do is to drive 'em

--discipline with Harvey

oring his attack on her girls, "aren't

y ranch. I'm doing this for your good. I think you know it, and those stiff-necked young'uns

idly away, leaving Mrs. Spooner t

y homeward. "Uncle Harvey's not a bad man--he didn't mean s

r and her children. Since he had come to believe John Spooner dead, the thought that now he would have them all to himself, in his big, comfo

ooner sighed, as she related the ill success of her errand t

h sat beside her as she lay upon the lounge, and b

whispered, "I promise to

a picture of the past--a vision of the young mother, delicate and burdened with many cares, unselfishly adopting into her home and heart the abandoned offspring of strangers--the

the Spooner cattle had, as usual, satisfied their thirst at the water-hole! Grannis's cowboys had rounded them up an

Jonah oracularly. "Stands to reason the cattle got to dr

eclared Roy, "it's the meanest thing I ever knew of. I'm certainly not

annis, when his "spite-fence" had been cut, was of course in a towering rage, threatening to prosecute t

way by his loud threats, and had not set a guard over the fence. Now indeed did he swear vengeance against the offender--"male or female," he declared fiercely and to furt

me, and the boss too pizen mean to live! At the same time they could not help admitting that it would be much wiser for the Spooner family to move over into his comfortable house and be taken care of by the wealthy ranchman, than to try and struggle a

ng and household purposes. Jonah and Roy reluctantly watered their ponies from it, but the big spring their cattle had depended on was now only a dry mud-hole. Roy went privately to Grannis and asked the privilege of

gloomy philosophy. "If they's a turnin' p'int I hain't seed it. Might

eagerly. "We'll find a way. Can't yo

question, and neither one could see any other way t

l," he said, shakin

they shan't starve, either. You and Jonah round up the bunch and Ruth and I will h

ing! Mother, please let us,"

ough it meant hard work, was at least feasible--for a time,

hey drove five miles to get water, which the

nts to starve you out, I hear, so's he c'n make you all live with him. Well, I don't th

e third day Ruth came upon Elizabeth with the wire clippers in her hand and a very queer look upon her face--a look that caused an awful thought to flash into the younger sister's mind. C

er their early supper when she could not find Elizabeth anywhere, terror seized her, and witho

central cook-fire that could be seen far in that flat, plains-country. Flickering lanterns moved about it. Ru

t survey of Grannis's camp. With panting breath she

k I know where she is. You go back

walked slowly to the house, meeting her mother and Jo

ously. "Where are you going in t

n your rooms--I didn't want Elizabeth to know, and I just can't stand this any longer. I think, if he's made to see things right, that h

y. "Maybe Roy won't be in time, and while Mother's right there, begging Uncle Harvey to go home they'll catc

in the dark, Ruth darted away o

y Grannis sat on a camp stool before his tent and smoked a pipe which was anything but a pipe of peace. He was angry with his cowboys who took no pains to conceal their disapproval of his high-

n shut. Jonah drove through it and was in the mid

rvey?" asked his sister, as he ar

ness. "Say your say--Everybody's welcome to

quietly from her phaeton. Jonah held the lines over Shasta, looking straight ahead of him. The circle of cowboys drew closer,

ing the use of this tank or water-hole which had never in the memory of man gone dry. Her voice faltered when she spoke of her husband's absence and danger, the

by being reproved when he full

ary offense. Jake over there, saw a girl snooping along the fence and bending over working at it, and when he

uld do such a thing. They fully understand that it's a crime before the law--though sure

oughly angry. "You hold on and I'll catch the minx in the act--w

lently that neither of her girls had been driven into reckless reprisals. She had talked to them about it, again and again as she di

oses!" groan

Roy Lambert were being hustled into th

ed jeeringly. "Caught 'er in the act! We'll all s

d! How could you?"

oke in Grannis, speaking

I didn't--neither did Ruth or Roy. But we got there just as they caught the wire-cli

aside to reve