Show th BLUE o of BLUE i J J LAKE LAKEI j I j g RANCH GREGORY I COPYRIGHT DY t SONS S s 4 t Cl t jI I I CHAPTER APTER l-JA l X etI X Continued X-Continued ii 11 V r s sI ft startled flim lihu H He I v ra It t gy But b before or l he could frame cEntering b reply ib rot HH Voluntarily gripped 11 rn with if tUp face tee that first sheer astonishment l ment S t and nd 1113 crying oI to lOOk er I Judith had com 4 r ir 1 tt t t LAcros Across the fi fici floor f 11 v no ne nearly deserted desert desert- 5 ed Bud Bm Lee n l. l Ma I s ared r nt at af her nero S She was coming t toward them 1 fier e er dainty slippers s emIn to r rown S own own reflections 1 fn In fn h g I 5 It Sit was as Judith o rJ It w was s some str strange strang ng i wil tb TAi r. S wonderfully wonderfully- I gowned gown ed d den t I iy Judith r 9 A Judith vho f yh 1 hidden n lI helS hel'S helSt t 1 and A 1 n now stepP stepped d d. forth smiling g and 5 y vividly I beautiful e a Judith o bare are white arms lou round d' d a and d rl rich In Ini i I t tender curves urn s.- s. a Jup Judith lh h 1 whose s gop j films gown flo fio floated t d about ut lk f S shot n Shot n mist a Judith wh whose wI s' s skin kIn 5 5 above e the low low- low cut ut c c corsage as Ik n 5 baby's whose tender mouth was is a r red d 5 flower flower Hi whose s ham hair was a as fl Cring mass s 0 of bronze t z own whose ho v e eyes sl were ie odIt own glorious dan da S J gr Cray r y a a Judi Judith h of rare are maidenly charm a glorious rious nt S S pliant Judith It might have haye been Just because It ItS S was ns fitting fitting r that tha they should greet 1 their hostess hostess' s so It might have been b because ca s the men men and Women who wh sav saw sav S thI this n new w Judith were ere caught suddenly In a compelling currel current of admiration that above the hum oi of ot voices rose from everywhere a quick clapping of hands as ILS she came through the thc room oom The TheS he S color of ot her hel cheeks deepened her e eyes es S flashed a Joyous acknowledgment of or orthe the greeting and bright arid and cool and nd self-possessed self she slie came came on to Marcia l f V Marcia dear she said sald taking Marcias Mar Mar- I cias two hands hands n Bud and and d Bud n d L LeV Le e found o nd i Judiths Judith's vIce Ice had that even t km on ona S S B a ne new note deeper rich richer gla gladder der fraught with i U tile the quality Ity of ot low to music S. S f forgive me for tor b being ng late pJ I panted want pant O td t- t led ed d t to b JI re reer every er little second cond t to see seeS S you you enjoy yourself She put h her clIser I ser t to l Marcias Marcia's ear ar whispering g p You are are the prettIest thing t I 1 S ever saw I S Marcia shook her head her f eyes Ces s filled filed with trunk frank wonder 5 Dont fib Judith dear Idear she an- an 1 And f for r Margia la she slie wa waS was wa I tl know you have S er very grave grave- you n gl glass ss c.- c. In Jn your our room toom You YOn wonderful Judith r S Th Their lt voices were indistinct t to nud Bud Lee Iee Now at nt the moment when s1 she was so rich in the splendor of or her own 1 I w sweet et f femininity he filled ei his heart with Ith her Judith l had come In in inthe the only onh way Judith could come com surrendering surrender n herself utter utterly to o. o the h hour She turned to I him lm no surprise at atS S ils own costume e In her happy happ e eyes es S and gave him her cool hand A swift tremor ran through him at the contact S. S a a tremor which was like that of or the c night In Jn the cabin which he could not conceal which Judith must notice She said gald something hut but he let the words go holding only the lie vibrant music of ot the voice She he had bad stirred him and nd nd now he did didn n mit it tt seek geek a n theory theor for tor a buckler buckler the of her the brushing of ot her fin fing- fing cia eis against his made riotous tumult In his blood S The first strains of ot a waltz Joined the lure of ot Judiths Judith's warm loveliness whispering cou counseling commanding Take lake her MarcIa gasped and amI stepped back startled b by the look look- she S f saw In the e eyes es of ot If this man mun who having bay hav ing lag spoken no word since Judith came caine put out his arms and took her Into S them Judith flashed at him u a look 5 of or quick wonder His face was almost almo t S stern no hint of ot a smile had come S Into l his ls eyes eres He merely caught ht her herS herto S S to him as though she were his und and swung wung her out into the Whirl o of 0 dancers S You are rather rather rather- abrupt arent aren't you ou said Judith co coolly Am I 1 he lie asked gravely gravel I don't dont 1 know Inow It seems tg me that I have haveS S been loitering Just loitering while while- He lie didn't attempt to finish lIe He held Judith In his arms while hile for tor him tillro the till theS S ro room m was emptied of ot Its Its' gay throng thron S the music no longer pulsed its beat beatS S was In the rh rhythm of or their bodies S swaying wn as one The dance over she was wa as lost to him himIn lilimuS S S In the crowd of men who came came ea eagerly to h her r. r Ills HIg eyes eps followed he her I wherever ever she went A slow glow on anger er kindled S In lils heart that sile she should let tet other oilier other men talk talk with Ith h her r. r that she should furrer another man man to to take her In his a aroma arms 5 5 A num nUl i of ot country dunces dances fol tol oJ lowed lie lit stood b by the thc door waiting I n a a. little I lie he went vent again td US Ju- Ju Be He lie saw aw Marcia across the room n cl 10 to him bun with h her hiet I fan mati There lucre was vIs 18 nothing to do hut but to go 10 to her hel lit HI frowned rown d but went still watching for Judith wanted him to tom m met lt some on of ot her friends He shook J I f. f s ha hands ds with Hampton was Introduced d dt t to n gers explained hat Mr L Lee LN was the thc gentleman wh who achieved perfect wonders in the education ed of pt his Ills horses She turned t to to Introduce Farris Fan th thud the art artist st st. But But Farris broke olee hi into Marcias Marcia's s words with ti a sl o ex x to v y i i 1 DaveLee Le Lee I I he crr cried sJ as If Ir her he he- J r uld not believe belie lila his IHs e eyes yes s You I I- lJ here reX V. V J S HelJo Dick Dick- e. e red quietly Yes Yest Im I'm here I Idi v kno tha lint I u. u were er the artist artist- tH Hampton r l had bro brought up with him F h hand ni Olt t s 's to to- tobe be gripped d. d In L hs j M Marcia r m mystified d di m ore one one oneo to o t the l other othier C I S two O know kno no e each h other i- i W Why J fit isn't that thiat- thiat S She Shue didn't know Just what It was so St stopped t pled looking frankl frankly as though shed she'd like ilke to have one of ot them finish h her r sentence for herBut her r S But t mu muttered Fa P r r thought that you you you- o l Never Ney r mind DI Dick k said ald I Lee e q quick r l F J ly And nd to tp M cIas cIa's m mystified aba slon you'll pardon ardon us a Miss Langworthy I want to to talk a n little with Mr Ir FarrIs His hand band on the artists artist's elbow Bud BudLee BudLee tee Lee for forced ed him gently away The o two disappeared Into the little room off f the library where Jose was placing a a n great greaf bowl of punch on the ta table le Que ha hay Bud grinned Jos Jose Your ol 01 nose smell the bo booze e il n d d n n no S 'S SHe He set down his bowl and went out FarrIs st stared r d wom wonderingly at re Lee Bud Is It he lie he grunted grunted Breaker of Pt horses es hired m man n- n nt at a dollar I 1 day day day- Ninety d dollars a month Dick S Lee corrected him with ml a short laugh Give Ghe a fellow tellow his true worth old- old 1 J Far alris ris frowned 5 5 What devils devil's ganie this ls-this he demanded demanded de de- de sharply it iten e enough 1 ugh that you yuu should dr drop p out of or the world with never a a word but hut that you 1 0 must shOw y yup up imp now breaking horses horse ai and J letting ng such sucH i as Mrs Simpsons Simpson's s i Spanish h chum with you ou Not a a c cursed In five k years s ars and Ive I've lain awake tak td I wonc When you Ol went to sI smash j t I z When a Lee go goes to to smash J said ld Bud briefly Jie e goes to smash That's all ahl there Is i. i ISto to It Its j But nut there was no sense no use In your dropping out out of or sight that lint way waY-t- There was said Lee Le-e curtly orI or orI I s shouldn't Ji have ye done It It If wasn't Just that I w went nt br broke k U that ut was a result of or orm m my own incompetence nce In In a abit abit bit bit of ot speculation on and nd didn't w rry me mt mea a a g great eat deal But oth other r things did There w were re a couple pf Qt the r fellows that I thought thou ht were vere friends of ot mine r I found out that lint th they r ll had d knifed me had helped pluck me to feather their thell own nests I It hurt Dick hurt like h I. li-I. 1 the big ranch In the thie South was OS a n Jolt Ill I'll admit se seeing Il those fellows take It over oyer and split It two ways was between e them sort ort of knocked the props out from under me I bel believed e ed d In them you ou see After Atler that that I Just wanted to get away and sort of ot think things s over oYer over You went to Europe I did not I dont don't know how that report report got root out but if It people chose t to think I had hind gone to take toke a hound hand In Inthe Inthe inthe the fighting over oyet there I saw no need to contradict a harmless rumor I took rook ook a n a horse and ond beat It up Into the coast mountains I tell you OU Dick I wanted ranted to think And I found out before I was through thinking that I Iwas Iwas Iwas was sick of the time old life that I was sick of people the sort of people you Oll Olland and I knew that there ther was nothing In Inthe intha the world but horses that I cared the snap of ot If m my fin finger Er about that the time only onh lire life worth living for living for me me was wa a n alife alife life In th the op open n I T drifted up this wn way Ive I've been Hying m my mown own life In my mr ow own owa way a for five tl years I am am happier at ut It than thun I I 1 u used ec ed to be lie That's lInts all of or the flat fiat little stor story Dick You ml might aught ht have let me know Imo It seems mS to me said Farris a bit sum slimy So I might answered Lee thought thought- fully I was vas going to In the tile fir first t place lint Hut you'll remember you jou ou wt were vere re off iff somewhere lIer traveling ti when the bubble broke Wh When n Dick Farris travels tray trav cia els and ond his grave smile came back to him I let id t no mad letter think that it can track truck him down Then I hit my i stride In this lila sort of ot life Ufe I grew away from the time old news the years jears t s 's passed as years eals do utter after a n man Is twenty twenty- five fhe and I Just didn't write But I didn't fo fot t fickle Dickie old man he lie said I warmly and his hand hound rested on FarI Far Far- I sho shoulder You can put It In that old lid black pipe of ot yours ours and smoke If It that I didn't forget torget Some da day I n d to hit to town ton n again heeled you OU I know l an and remind you rou of auld lang 6 syne e. e S You are a n fool toot David BurrIll Lee Lef said Laid Fn Farris with conviction Look I here you can cnn take a new start pull j to together ether come back back where where I jou OU belong S But Lee shook shook- his head hend like t the e old Dick Farris I used to know he said gently But nut this Is where I belong Dick I dont don't want to start over I dont don't want to come back to the sort Bort of thing timing we knew The only thing In the world I do do want vant I U iii right here And I dont don't BC lIe see that it would do an any good for tor you to go stirring up tip any memories about the theold theold theold old Lee that was shot shot somewhere In France It When hien Farris l had ad to go and claim n na a dance Lee watched him with eyes sort Loft with affection Then he too l left heft tt tIe the room and went hack back to o t the out outer r rdo do door r to h his s old d sp spot t Joo looking for Ju Jo- lUthI lUth I 5 The only thing timing I I 1 want wint Is right here lie he repented repeated so softly wi He lie watched FarrIs FarrIs' join Marcia timid rind Judith lie He noted the eager i mem Jn In s. s eyes es saw sav her turn Impulsively to o Karris I The Th his head and left them ostensibly go go- ing lag In search of r his his his' partner Marcia WItS was speaking excitedly to o JI Judith Lee Leti frowned f I I- I t S Once more he lie held Judith h In his arms He meant to make maLe nin amends ri for his 1 brusque way WilY with her Ier before But again the tIle the magic of her presence plesence was like a glori glorious us n lg shutting U ni In t t together gether shutting all of the the- world out ut They rhey spoke little and Sand the tile music had Its will Ju lt 1 iid know that she ns th dan dance e. e ended She seemed moving ing In Ina a dream drearr as Lee Tee led her through the door They were wore out in the co courtyard courtyard court court- yard U the e stars shining softly do don dow don donon n non on them In the the subdued light here lie he s. s stood still sUII looking looking- down I Into her hier pleasure s1 r face Again Agan the theIn insistent in- in tremor or down h s 0 S a t Here fn In this ten tender er light she looked to the masterpiece l' l of ot God God striving striving ing for the perfect Hi In a woman's womans f form H Her r gown gently stirred b by the warm Swarm bree breeze e seemed a part of her elusive feminine The mIlk wJ of ot bare throat and shoulder and rounded arm the rise and tall fall of or her her breast the the soft oft lure of of her her eyes the e ende det smile upon her lips dr drew w him slowly closer closer to her her- herShe She lifted her face a n little e raising h her r eyes eJes until they shon shone sIlone straight into his S Judith he said very quietly very gravely mal making ng her wonder at at the e tone kind antI the words to ton follow w You have haye had your our way yay with me tonight 1 Do you understand all that at means menns And now now now-I I am going to ba have hae e my way with you I S SHe He caught her In his arms crushed her to him kissed her Then Iben h he I let lt t I S1 S.- S. ii I 1 S J I 5 Caught Her In I Hie Hi is Arms and nd Crushed S Her Herto to Him her go and stood tood stem faced watch watch- watchIng watchIng Ing her I Ihn For a moment he lie thought that the hn hand d at tt her side was rising t to strike him full In the face But he did not move Had such been Judiths Judith's intention suddenly It chal changed ged S So she cried softly this Is the sort of ot fine gentleman Into which a suit dress-suit has hns made Bud nud L LeO Lee horse foreman 1 For so great an lIQuor honor surely urel any woman would thank him hlin She made him a slow show graceful cour cour- tray y and laugh laughed d at him And so soshe soshe soshe she left him her laughter floating back taunting him Lee watched her until she hind had gone one from his Ills sight Then jhen h he lie turned and went down the knoll Into Inlo the night i CHAPTER XI Bud Lee Seeks Crooked Crooked Chris Quinnion S Going down the lie knoll to tIme lI bunkhouse bunk bunk- house hous Bud Loe Ipe cur cursed ed himself at CI C every stride lie He cursed Carson CUIson when wilen the cattle foreman forAman turning to follow him i ed d a n merry remark to 10 him conc concerning lila his lady killing cloths cloth's The words reminded him of Judith's Judiths and he didn't cherish the lie I i brance branc In the thc bunk hou e Carson arson watched him bun cautIOusly mI over hl his hl- old pipe as Lee began ripping oft off his dress dress- dreos I suit A f feller lIer called you O up imp a |