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Show right; nnd If she likes Luke hest, Aurora, it's only because lie's nut so good looking as the rest of us. It's what tliey call tlie er ugly duckling complex, I suppose." Aurora snorted. "I dunno what anybody's complexion com-plexion has to do with It; but there's some folks In Pine Ridge that thinks I.uke Adam's the handsomest hand-somest of the lot. not excepting Matthew. And he's an awful sweet boy, too. There's Miss Columbine pounding. No, Nancy," (as the girl sprang up), "I'll g0 find out what she wants while you keep Mark company. Set close to the range, Mark Adam, and get yourself het through." "Tell me," said Nancy, "is Jack really doing the work all right?" "Sure he is!" Mark was straddling strad-dling a kitchen chair, his elbows resting on Its back while he looked - " JyL km $U to,. M il k. went to bed with n cold. The wind was furious, and Nance retired to her tower and surreptitiously donned two pairs of silk stockings, since no chance had ariscu to buy sport hose. Even a stouter heart than hers would have found the day more or less gloomy. The halls in the old house were frigid ; and wind blew through every crack. At Aurora's invitation she took pen and paper Into the kitchen, meaning to write letters; but under the good woman's steady Dre of conversation It was Impossible to concentrate, and at lust she sought the sitting room in search of reading matter. To one of Nance's generation the contents of the walnut bookcase were not enticing. There was a handsome edition of Scott, but one glance at long pages of description was enough. There were two old-fashioned old-fashioned novels and a set of Dickens Dick-ens which looked a bit less hopeless than the others. Nancy could remember re-member her father reading parts of "David Copperfleld" aloud when she was little; but these volumes were big and heavy. They looked endless, too. In desperation she went back to the kitchen and Aurora's monologues. mono-logues. "Is there n public library in this place?" she questioned. Aurora popped a pie into the oven and responded: '"What good would It do? So far's I know they ain't anyone in Tine Budge but Victor Tubbs that's got time to read, and it takes him all day to read the paper. pa-per. And no wonder! lie don't let even the smallest advertisement get by him. He's upset Juanita considerable con-siderable by mentionin' a place in Colorado Springs where you can get a perm'nent wave for two dollars dol-lars and fifty cents. She's asked Eve Adam to take her down some day when they go to see Luke at the hospital, and I won't hardly expect ex-pect to recognize my own daughter when she gets back. No, we don't have any use for a library in Pine Ridge." Recalling the "confession" magazines maga-zines she had seen Juanita indulge in at the drug store, Nance suggested: sug-gested: "Perhaps If you had a real good l'brary young folks wouldn't waste their money on such trashy reading matter." "Maybe," admitted Aurora, "but I doubt it. And if you mean those love magazines, I'll admit I find 'em real refreshin'." "But I thought you had no time to read!" "No more I do," replied Aurora, undaunted at this sly thrust, "but sometimes I glance at 'em to rest me. Here's Mark Adam with the milk. Shut that door quick, Mark. Do you want to freeze us? How's Jack gettln' along? How's Luke? And Is your mother bearin' up under un-der this affliction?" Mark deposited two milk bottles on the table as he said : "One question ques-tion at a time, please. This is some, mm,. N mil, v -iiM-i i .1. ....,,,- "Go on," she begged. "I only mean," he hesitated, "that that this tree must have seen a lot of interesting things: Pioneers, you know, in their covered wagons ; the first settlers struggling to build homes; Indian massacres or war dances; nnd later, prospectors trudging along with burros. I I often wonder how many of those sights this pine looked down on." Nancy was silent, partly because no boy had ever talked this way to her before, and partly because what Matthew said had stirred her imagination. im-agination. She was silent so long that the young man moved uneasily. "I I suppose, all this sounds sort of foolish to a girl like you, but" "Why should it?" Nance looked at him so disconcertingly that Matthew lowered his eyes for just a moment. "I guess you thought I was being dumb; but really, I was trying to see things the things you say this old tree must have seen. And by the way 1" (Nance glanced up, smiling, at which Matt became pleasantly aware of a dimple in her left cheek). "There Is something else it saw that you didn't mention. It witnessed the betrothal of Victor and Aurora Tubbs I She said I'd find their initials cut in the bark." Matthew laughed. "Mother remembers those initials ; but lightning ripped that bark off years ago. I hate to hurry you, Miss er well," (desperately, as the girl grinned at him). "Nancy, but it's getting along toward sundown and'll soon be cold. Shall we move on?" Nance said, regretfully : "It's so wonderful here I can hardly tear myself away. Is that the path which leads down by the Tubbs estate? es-tate? I'll try that trail some day when I'm energetic ; and when I get homesick I'll come up here to get away from every one, and either bawl my head off or snap out of the attack." "We'll have to see that you don't get homesick," returned Matt with unexpected gallantry. A half hour later they drew up "I I Suppose, All This Sounds Sort of Foolish." at the girl Intently. "Mother's adopted him already says he's just like one of her own boys, and that's high praise from Mother I She wants you to come out and spend a Sunday when It's good weather. What In time do you do with yourself your-self a day like this?" "Listen to Aurora," replied Nance softly. "I wanted to read, but Cousin Columbine's books look stuffy ; and Aurora tells me there's no public library. She says no one in Pine Ridge has time to read. What do they do evenings, I mean?" "According to the old story they 'set and think, and sometimes they just set 1' " laughed Mark. "I'll bring you some books from home tomorrow, Nance. If we had a library li-brary here, even a small one, I bet the population would profit by it. All most of these people read is trashy magazines." "That's what I told Aurora; but she said " "You're to stay to dinner," announced an-nounced Aurora, bursting in upon them. "Miss Columbine says she wouldn't send a dog into this storm without he had a good full stomach. Don't you make any objections, ob-jections, Mark Adam. Mercy to goodness! Are my pies burnin'?" But the pies were safe, browned to perfection, though Aurora declared de-clared her fright had given her a palpitation. "And I can't get a proper meal with young folks clutterin' up my kitchen," she declared. "You put some coal in the sittin' room stove, ,.-ApTER V Continued Ml to know that the ex-1 ex-1 ? n-a-u't unpleasant," broke U'her eyes dancing. "Do I :j 'jre?" (as Matt, his face 'v ,"of a pwny. stopped the " 'ii! do I keep straight on ,acti the top?" ' ;;ier show you the way, l ji' That Is unless unless r .:,er go alone. I I don't 'tall In If'" ,-ose on," laughed Nancy. -teen on solitude, If that's !' i mean. And if you've got f . around for an hour, 1 . uid please me more. Jack f ".-.juishing a wood pile; 'Jimiblne was napping; and !': rwas too much Inclined to so I ran away." Is laughed softly. It was x ...it laugh, and his voice ..;int, too, thought Nancy, fforjot himself and spoke '-i Tubbs strikes me com-Jj'. com-Jj'. ru.b," he told her; "and . j one of her strong points, jiie found to pick at about 'U .-is!" said Nancy, and . if Mat, following close be-SI be-SI : the narrow path, was r. .- a-aia. "My sport hose got if' :.me, and she implored me ii-'t -.i a pair of Cousin Colum-u Colum-u jck cottons.' Honestly, I 'II ,;:ow till 1 saw Cousin Col- lie (lay we came, that cot-Mn cot-Mn tings were manufactured he;- suj jre growing scarcer all the lw .ad Matthew gravely. "Even ,V . Ilidge there's not much call ND i. and the high lace boot is mi in 1- " : ; whirled about. This was ;-.:jest young man she had : ae across. One moment he -M with confusion, and the j'.'. j j saying something as ainus-J ainus-J ,. it was unexpected. Their u she turned, and they liingly felt better ac- :ifr," remarked the girl as S- " forward, "where Cousin I a gets hers?" ' j-aan boots?" yoi: nodded because the trail . j ;r here, and she found her-gj her-gj ji .tie short of breath. El she gets 'em where she ;,'(,!, middles," suggested Mat-liiifci Mat-liiifci j slow down, Miss er . . ." st r j-' le Victorian," said Nancy, :cd S I 'timing. "Was I going too Thirl 'oM '' for your mvn good at ictioi f "'le' 11 takes te to get j si, r1 9llsn you're transplant-0!ii!:- level. Has your broth-: broth-: 1 ob" I21l;;it;aiid he's pretty worried, f : look at the Peak! And A I "ever Imagined such a Mo'Uuow there was any-( any-( I It In the world !" I 'Mied, as pleased with her A - as If he were respon- V tlie view himself. rRlP'rlie told her, "till you ..J; Pe that's been . P Ij; lightning. That tree is W the summit; and Rlfiti'l1,,"" view for Miles." m .!;! J '"ere be?" Nance C&4'W at the f00t of t1 Aoctle 1 ." "alns, and mesa, and Efll!f V8f etched before her , ni'j , , n every side; val- fjff'l:'-" d be SKca as emer- Mnitl ,:,!1 gorges; snow- I Ti' "It;'3 "imost too nlh tme'" Rhe snI(1 nt F . l tl no one ever built L0Sf! th,, ,potr. hesoo : hl , C Mr of bark where hes j M done its work. Wl0 be t0Booda tar- f ' highest point in sev- r 'K I you arraia of 'fc hsr? If so' 5'0u'd. bet-M bet-M l;,:;' before the mid- 'Hv so bad'" ?J 'V:"'v're florce. Moth- Va,'sewe're so near nutl-'in'n! Storms nre the )VlJUf,,' rW, I believe, SJ:' f,or- "er father ""'""ins before I was --I Tod. sWghtened! It's lws escaped be-tls?,r0es be-tls?,r0es a5'l)0dy head. ".an any- flo I often think-!Tfi4!,a think-!Tfi4!,a SU(Men, self- V b Nance was THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING . Ruined, financially, by the stock market crash, James Nelson, Boston merchant, breaks the news to his household. Nance, his daughter, nineteen, is on the verge of her introduction to society. A short time before, an elderly cousin of Nelson's, Columbine, had written suggesting that Nance come to her at Pine Ridge, Colo., as a paid companion. The offer had been regarded as a Joke. Now Jack, Nancy's seventeen-year-old brother, urges her to accept the proposition, to relieve their father of a financial burden, and offering to go with her so that she will not feel too lonely. The girl agrees that Jack shall write to Cousin Columbine, and they will await her answer. Columbine wires welcome to both of them, and despite some misgivings mis-givings it Is arranged that the two shall go. Welcomed by Cousin Columbine, Colum-bine, they are somewhat dismayed by her unconventional attire and mannerisms, man-nerisms, but realize she has character. A young friend of the old lady, Mark Adam, Is introduced. The desolation (to Nance's city Ideas) of Pine Ridge appalls the girl. The newcomers meet Aurora Tubbs, Cousin Columbine's Colum-bine's cook and housekeeper, and Matthew Adam, Mark's older brother. Cousin Columbine explains her reasons for desiring Nance to come to her, and tells some experiences of her 78 years on the plains. at Miss Columbine's side door to Bud Mark Adam scanning the road impatiently, and Jack seated on a suitcase. "Have you got a job?" gasped Nance, spying the luggage as she took Mark's upstretched baud and jumped down lightly. Jack nodded, wdiile the other boy exclaimed: "Where the dickens have you been, Matt? We've telephoned tele-phoned everywhere to find you." "Hasn't a feller got a right to take an hour off? What's up?" "Good and plenty. Luke's broken a leg." Matthew started, his face grave. "You're not kidding, Mark?" "Sure I'm not. That new bronc kicked him. Dad and Mother have carried him to the hospital iu the car." "Is it a bad break?" "How'm I to know? But" (turning (turn-ing to Nance with his customary smile), "it's a case where an ill wind blew somebody good. Jack's got a job with us till Luke's around again. File in, feller. We must got going. We'll take good care of your little brother, Nancy!" "Hi! Walt a minute!" This was Aurora, bursting through the door with a covered basket. "I made a layer cake this raornin' and it's sure to get stale with Jack away. I cut off a hunk for Nancy, nnd the rest's in the basket with a couple o' loaves of good fresh bread. You hold that basket right side up, boys, nnd . . ." She was still expounding voluble instructions when the engine started. start-ed. Mark blew a kiss of thanks as they drove away. . CHAPTER VI IT WAS ten days before Nancy saw her brother again, a rather lonesome ten days, on the last of which the Colorado sunshine gave way to what Aurora called "a baby blizzard," and Cousin Columbine storm, isn't it? Are you occupying the kitchen in order to keep warm, Nancy, or to profit by the conversation conver-sation of our estimable Mrs. Tubbs?" "Don't you be uppity, Mark Adam," snapped Aurora. "She's here to get warm, and no wonder with nothin' but a layer of silk stockin's to protect her legs. You haven't answered" "Give me time," Mark interrupted, interrupt-ed, warming his cold fingers at the stove. "Jack couldn't do better. We'll have an expert milker long he-fore he-fore Luke's ready for the job again. He sent his love to every one, and so would Matt if be wasn't so bashful. bash-ful. Say!" (turning to Nancy), "how'd you ever manage to rope my shy brother Into taking you up to the old pine?" "Hope him !" exclaimed Nancy. "I call that nn Insult." "Well, to tell the truth," broke in Aurora, "I almost lost my breath when you rode into the yard the other day. It ain't Matthew Adam's habit, takiu' girls to ride; and you're so stylish, Nancy, I dunno how he got up courage to suggest you goin' in that old truck." "That's the advantage of a college education," observed Mark, with a wink at Nancy. "The emergency arose, Aurora, and despite his fear of the female of the species, my brother was able, because of his superior learning, to conquer '' "Goodness gracious!' burst out Aurora, "I never heard such rubbish. rub-bish. What are you giggling about, Nancy? You ought to encourage a young man to talk more sensible. How's Luke? And you didn't say if your mother was bcariu' up. I always al-ways thought Luke was her favorite, fa-vorite, or in ii y bo it's because he ain't so husky as the rest of you." Mark grinned as ho slif-ped off the wet jacket. "Luke's doing first rate. He'll be home next week and hobble round ou crutches. Mother's ail Mark Adam, and then you and Nancy clear out till I call. Din-ner'll Din-ner'll be ready in no time; and Miss Columbine'll be offended if yon don't stay. She says maybe you'll keep Nancy from bein' homesick." "In that case," returned Mark with nn engaging smile, "I can't refuse." re-fuse." It was after Mark Adam had continued con-tinued on his way, fortified by a substantial dinner and armed with a pumpkin pie and Aurora's "compliments" "com-pliments" for Jack, that Nancy carried a glass of warm milk into Cousin Columbine's bedroom, and asked If there were anything she could do for the invalid. "You can sit down and let me look at you," responded the old lady. "I've got (he upper hand of this cold already, and am staying here only because I believe In 'safety first.' Every hour wasted by sickness makes me Impatient. There's so much to do In this wonderful won-derful old world; and when you're over seventy there's such a little time to do it in. Aurora tells me Jack's getting on all right not that I expected anything else. He's got the Nelson grit, and there's no chance that he'll be imposed on at the Adam ranch. Eve would see to that even If John Adam wasn't the kindest soul alive. Some thought they were too easy going when the hoys were youngsters, but look at the four of 'em !"' "So far I've seen only two," Nancy Nan-cy reminded her. "Well, you'll see thm all in ?..r.d time, unless you get desperate and run away from inc. I love Line Lidge even in a Mizrr.rd : but I can see how it looks like the end of nowhere to a girl brought up as j you've been. I was glad Mirk Adam happened In at dinner t:;;.e to keep you company. Has Aurora Tubbs been talking you to d-u:hr Nancy laughed. "Not quite. I let her raitie on and killed time li;en:r.j." j (TO BE CCMiMtE' |