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what he says when he talks in earnest。 I don't know
what would have become of this place without him。〃
Two rooms at the east end of the house had been
arranged for the occupancy of the ranch's mistress。 When
she entered them a slight dismay seized her at their bare
appearance and the scantiness of their furniture； but she
quickly reflected that the climate was a semi…tropical one；
and was moved to appreciation of the well…conceived efforts
to conform to it。 The sashes had already been removed
from the big windows； and white curtains waved in the
Gulf breeze that streamed through the wide jalousies。
The bare floor was amply strewn with cool rugs； the
chairs were inviting； deep； dreamy willows； the walls
were papered with a light； cheerful olive。 One whole
side of her sitting room was covered with books on smooth；
unpainted pine shelves。 She flew to these at once。 Before
her was a well…selected library。 She caught glimpses of
titles of volumes of fiction and travel not yet seasoned
from the dampness of the press。
Presently； recollecting that she was now in a wilderness
given over to mutton； centipedes and privations； the
incongruity of these luxuries struck her； and； with intuitive
feminine suspicion； she began turning to the fly…leaves of
volume after volume。 Upon each one was inscribed in
fluent characters the name of Theodore Westlake； Jr。
Octavia； fatigued by her long journey； retired early
that night。 Lying upon her white； cool bed； she rested
deliciously； but sleep coquetted long with her。 She
listened to faint noises whose strangeness kept her faculties
on the alert the fractious yelping of the coyotes； the
ceaseless； low symphony of the wind； the distant booming
of the frogs about the lake； the lamentation of a concertina
in the Mexicans' quarters。 There were many conflicting
feelings in her heart thankfulness and rebellion； peace
and disquietude； loneliness and a sense of protecting care；
happiness and an old； haunting pain。
She did what any other woman would have done
sought relief in a wholesome tide of unreasonable tears；
and her last words； murmured to herself before slumber；
capitulating； came softly to woo her； were 〃He has
forgotten。〃
The manager of the Rancho de las Sombras was no
dilettante。 He was a 〃hustler。〃 He was generally up；
mounted； and away of mornings before the rest of the
household were awake； making the rounds of the flocks
and camps。 This was the duty of the majordomo； a
stately old Mexican with a princely air and manner； but
Teddy seemed to have a great deal of confidence in his
own eyesight。 Except in the busy seasons； he nearly
always returned to the ranch to breakfast at eight o'clock；
with Octavia and Mrs。 Maclntyre； at the little table set
in the central hallway； bringing with him a tonic and
breezy cheerfulness full of the health and flavour of the
prairies。
A few days after Octavia's arrival he made her get out
one of her riding skirts； and curtail it to a shortness
demanded by the chaparral brakes。
With some misgivings she donned this and the pair of
buckskin leggings he prescribed in addition； and； mounted
upon a dancing pony； rode with him to view her posses…
sions。 He showed her everything the flocks of ewes；
muttons and grazing lambs； the dipping vats； the shearing
pens； the uncouth merino rams in their little pasture； the
water…tanks I prepared against the summer drought
giving account of his stewardship with a boyish enthus…
siasm that never flagged。
Where was the old Teddy that she knew so well？ This
side of him was the same； and it was a side that pleased
her； but this was all she ever saw of him now。 Where
was his sentimentality those old； varying moods of
impetuous love…making； of fanciful； quixotic devotion； of
heart…breaking gloom； of alternating； absurd tenderness
and haughty dignity？ His nature had been a sensitive
one； his temperament bordering closely on the artistic。
She knew that； besides being a follower of fashion and its
fads and sports； he had cultivated tastes of a finer nature。
He had written things； he had tampered with colours； he
was something of a student in certain branches of art；
and once she had been admitted to all his aspirations and
thoughts。 But now and she could not avoid the con…
clusion Teddy had barricaded against her every side
of himself except one the side that showed the manager
of the Rancho de las Sombras and a jolly chum who had
forgiven and forgotten。 Queerly enough the words of
Mr。 Bannister's description of her property came into
her mind 〃all inclosed within a strong barbed…wire
fence。〃
〃Teddy's fenced； too；〃 said Octavia to herself。
It was not difficult for her to reason out the cause of
his fortifications。 It had originated one night at the
Hammersmiths' ball。 It occurred at a time soon after
she had decided to accept Colonel Beaupree and his
million； which was no more than her looks and the entr閑
she held to the inner circles were worth。 Teddy had
proposed with all his impetuosity and fire； and she looked
him straight in the eyes； an said； coldly and finally：
〃Never let me hear any such silly nonsense from you
again。〃 〃You won't；〃 said Teddy； with an expression
around his mouth； and now Teddy was inclosed
within a strong barbed…wire fence。
It was on this first ride of inspection that Teddy was
seized by the inspiration that suggested the name of
Mother Goose's heroine； and he at once bestowed it upon
Octavia。 The idea； supported by both a similarity of
names and identity of occupations； seemed to strike him
as a peculiarly happy one； and he never tired of using it。
The Mexicans on the ranch also took up the name； adding
another syllable to accommodate their lingual incapacity
for the final 〃p；〃 gravely referring to her as 〃La Madama
Bo…Peepy。〃 Eventually it spread； and 〃Madame Bo…
Peep's ranch〃 was as often mentioned as the 〃Rancho
de las Sombras。〃
Came the long； hot season from May to September；
when work is scarce on the ranches。 Octavia passed the
days in a kind of lotus…eater's dream。 Books； hammocks；
correspondence with a few intimate friends； a renewed
interest in her old water…colour box and easel these
disposed of the sultry hours of daylight。 The evenings
were always sure to bring enjoyment。 Best of all were
the rapturous horseback rides with Teddy； when the moon
gave light over the wind…swept leagues； chaperoned by
the wheeling night…hawk and the startled owl。 Often the
Mexicans would come up from their shacks with their
guitars and sing the weirdest of heart…breaking songs。
There were long； cosy chats on the breezy gallery； and an
interminable warfare of wits between Teddy and Mrs。
MacIntyre； whose abundant Scotch shrewdness often
more than overmatched the lighter humour in which she
was lacking。
And the nights came； one after another； and were filed
away by weeks and months nights soft and languorous
and fragrant； that should have driven Strephon to Chloe
over wires however barbed； that might have drawn Cupid
himself to hunt； lasso in hand； among those amorous
pastures but Teddy kept his fences up。
One July night Madame Bo…Peep and her ranch man…
ager were sitting on the east gallerv。 Teddy had been
exhausting the science of prognostication as to the proba…
bilities of a price of twenty…four cents for the autumn clip；
and had then subsided into an anesthetic cloud of Havana
smoke。 Only as incompetent a judge as a woman would
have failed to note long ago that at least a third of his
salary must have gone up in the fumes of those imported
Regalias。
〃Teddy；〃 said Octavia； suddenly； and rather sharply；
〃what are you working down here on a ranch for？〃
〃One hundred per；〃 said Teddy； glibly； 〃and found。〃
〃I've a good mind to discharge you。〃
〃Can't do it；〃 said Teddy； with a grin。
〃Why not？〃 demanded Octavia； with argumentative
heat。
〃Under contract。 Terms of sale respect all unexpired
contracts。 Mine runs until 12 P。 m。； December thirty…first。
You might get up at midnight on that date and fire me。
if you try it sooner I'll be in a position to bring legal
proceedings。〃
Octavia seemed to be considering the prospects of
litigation。
〃But；〃 continued Teddy cheerfully； 〃I've been think…
ing of resigning anyway。〃
Octavia's rocking…chair ceased its motion。 There were
centipedes in this country； she felt sure； and Indians；
and vast； lonely； desolate； empty wastes； all within strong
barbed…wire fence。 There was a Van Dresser pride； but
there was also a Van Dresser heart。 She must know for
certain whether or not he had forgotten。
〃Ah； well； Teddy；〃 she said； with a fine assumption
of polite interest； 〃it's lonely down here； you're longing
to get back to the old life to polo and lobsters and
theatres and balls。〃
〃Never cared much for ball