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Fortune because you've； lost the game？〃 She turned
the pages of the paper calmly。 〃'Stock market' no
use for that。 'Society's doings' that's done。 Here is
my page the wish column。 A Van Dresser could not
be said to 'want' for anything； of course。 'Chamber…
maids； cooks； canvassers； stenographers…〃
〃Dear；〃 said Aunt Ellen； with a little tremor in her
voice； 〃please do not talk in that way。 Even if your
affairs are in so unfortunate a condition； there is my three
thousand 〃
Octavia sprang up lithely； and deposited a smart kiss
on the delicate cheek of the prim little elderly maid。
〃Blessed auntie； your three thousand is just sufficient
to insure your Hyson to be free from willow leaves and
keep the Persian in sterilized cream。 I know I'd be
welcome； but I prefer to strike bottom like Beelzebub
rather than hang around like the Peri listening to the
music from the side entrance。 I'm going to earn my own
living。 There's nothing else to do。 I'm a Oh； oh； oh！
I had forgotten。 There's one thing saved from the
wreck。 It's a corral no； a ranch in let me see
Texas： an asset； dear old Mr。 Bannister called it。 How
pleased he was to show me something he could describe
as unencumbered！ I've a description of it among those
stupid papers he made me bring away with me from his
office。 I'll try to find it。〃
Octavia found her shopping…bag； and drew from it a
long envelope filled with typewritten documents。
〃A ranch in Texas；〃 sighed Aunt Ellen。 〃It sounds
to me more like a liability than an asset。 Those are the
places where the centipedes are found； and cowboys；
and fandangos。〃
〃'The Rancho de las Sombras；'〃 read Octavia from
a sheet of violently purple typewriting 〃'is situated one
hundred and ten miles southeast of San Antonio； and
thirty…eight miles from its nearest railroad station； Nopal；
on the I。 and G。 N。 Ranch； consists of 7；680 acres of well…
watered land； with title conferred by State patents； and
twenty…two sections； or 14；080 acres； partly under yearly
running lease and partly bought under State's twenty…
year…purchase act。 Eight thousand graded merino sheep；
with the necessary equipment of horses； vehicles and
general ranch paraphernalia。 Ranch…house built of
brick； with six rooms comfortably furnished according to
the requirements of the climate。 All within a strong
barbed…wire fence。
〃'The present ranch manager seems to be competent
and reliable； and is rapidly placing upon a paying basis
a business that； in other hands； had been allowed to suffer
from neglect and misconduct。
〃'This property was secured by Colonel Beaupree in a
deal with a Western irrigation syndicate； and the title
to it seems to be perfect。 With careful management and
the natural increase of land values； it ought to be made
the foundation for a comfortable fortune for its owner。'〃
When Octavia ceased reading； Aunt Ellen uttered
something as near a sniff as her breeding permitted。
〃The prospectus；〃 she said； with uncompromising
metropolitan suspicion； 〃doesn't mention the centipedes；
or the Indians。 And you never did like mutton； Octavia。
I don't see what advantage you can derive from this
desert。〃
But Octavia was in a trance。 Her eyes were steadily
regarding something quite beyond their focus。 Her lips
were parted； and her face was lighted by the kindling
furor of the explorer； the ardent； stirring disquiet of the
adventurer。 Suddenly she clasped her hands together
exultantly。
〃The problem solves itself； auntie；〃 she cried。 〃I'm
going to that ranch。 I'm going to live on it。 I'm
going to learn to like mutton； and even concede the good
qualities of centipedes at a respectful distance。 It's
just what I need。 It's a new life that comes when my old
one is just ending。 It's a release； auntie； it isn't a narrow…
ing。 Think of the gallops over those leagues of prairies；
with the wind tugging at the roots of your hair； the com…
ing close to the earth and learning over again the stories
of the growing grass and the little wild flowers without
names！ Glorious is what it will be。 Shall I be a
shepherdess with a Watteau hat； and a crook to keep the
bad wolves from the lambs； or a typical Western ranch
girl； with short hair； like the pictures of her in the Sunday
papers？ I think the latter。 And they'll have my picture；
too； with the wild…cats I've slain； single…handed； hanging
from my saddle horn。 'From the Four Hundred to the
Flocks' is the way they'll headline it； and they'll print
photographs of the old Van Dresser mansion and the
church where I was married。 They won't have my
picture； but they'll get an artist to draw it。 I'll be wild
and woolly； and I'll grow my own wool。〃
〃Octavia！〃 Aunt Ellen condensed into the one word
all the protests she was unable to utter。
〃Don't say a word； auntie。 I'm going。 I'll see the
sky at night fit down on the world like a big butter…dish
cover； and I'll make friends again with the stars that I
haven't had a chat with since I was a wee child。 I wish
to go。 I'm tired of all this。 I'm glad I haven't any
money。 I could bless Colonel Beaupree for that ranch；
and forgive him for all his bubbles。 What if the life will
be rough and lonely！ I I deserve it。 I shut my heart
to everything except that miserable ambition。 I oh；
I wish to go away； and forget forget！〃
Octavia swerved suddenly to her knees； laid her flushed
face in her aunt's lap； and shook with turbulent sobs。
Aunt Ellen bent over her； and smoothed the coppery…
brown hair。
〃I didn't know；〃 she said； gently； 〃I didn't know
that。 Who was it； dear？
When Mrs。 Octavia Beaupree； n閑 Van Dresser；
stepped from the train at Nopal； her manner lost； for the
moment； some of that easy certitude which had always
marked her movements。 The town was of recent estab…
lishment； and seemed to have been hastily constructed of
undressed lumber and flapping canvas。 The element
that had congregated about the station； though not
offensively demonstrative； was clearly composed of citizens
accustomed to and prepared for rude alarms。
Octavia stood on the platform； against the telegraph
office； and attempted to choose by intuition from the
swaggering； straggling string； of loungers； the manager
of the Rancho de las Sombras； who had been instructed
by Mr。 Bannister to meet her there。 That tall； serious；
looking； elderly man in the blue flannel shirt and white
tie she thought must be he。 But； no； he passed by；
removing his gaze from the lady as hers rested on him；
according to the Southern custom。 The manager； she
thought； with some impatience at being kept waiting；
should have no difficulty in selecting her。 Young women
wearing the most recent thing in ash…coloured travelling
suits were not so plentiful in Nopal！
Thus keeping a speculative watch on all persons of
possible managerial aspect； Octavia； with a catching
breath and a start of surprise； suddenly became aware of
Teddy Westlake hurrying along the platform in the
direction of the train of Teddy Westlake or his sun…
browned ghost in cheviot； boots and leather…girdled hat
Theodore Westlake； Jr。； amateur polo （almost）
champion； all…round butterfly and cumberer of the soil；
but a broader； surer； more emphasized and determined
Teddy than the one she had known a year ago when last
she saw him。
He perceived Octavia at almost the same time； deflected
his course； and steered for her in his old； straightforward
way。 Something like awe came upon her as the strange…
ness of his metamorphosis was brought into closer range；
the rich； red…brown of his complexion brought out so
vividly his straw…coloured mustache and steel…gray eyes。
He seemed more grown…up； and； somehow； farther away。
But； when he spoke； the old； boyish Teddy came back
again。 They had been friends from childhood。
〃Why； 'Tave！〃 he exclaimed； unable to reduce
his perplexity to coherence。 〃 How what when
where？〃
〃Train；〃 said Octavia； 〃necessity； ten minutes ago；
home。 Your complexion's gone； Teddy。 Now； how
what when where？〃
〃I'm working down here；〃 said Teddy。 He cast side
glances about the station as one does who tries to combine
politeness with duty。
〃You didn't notice on the train；〃 he asked； 〃an old
lady with gray curls and a poodle； who occupied two
seats with her bundles and quarrelled with the conductor；
did you？〃
〃I think not；〃 answered Octavia； reflecting。 〃And
you haven't； by any chance； noticed a big； gray…mustached
man in a blue shirt and six…shooters； with little flakes of
merino wool sticking in his hair； have you？〃
〃Lots of 'em；〃 said Teddy； with symptoms of mental
delirium under the strain。 Do you happen to know any
such individual？〃
〃No； the description is imaginary。 Is your interest
in the old lady whom you describe a personal one？〃
〃Never saw her in my life