y cold
water rushing on at a pace which threatens to tear out its deterring
banks and shallow bed in its mad career.

The most magical change which the first month of summer has brought is
to be seen in the stock. Cattle, when first brought in from distant
parts at the outset of the round-up, usually are thin, mean-looking, and
half-starved. Two weeks of the delicious spring grass and the fat on
their ribs and loins rolls and shakes as they move, growing almost
visibly under the succulent influence of the delicate vegetation.

Few at Foss River appreciated the blessings of summer more fully than
did Jacky Allandale, and few worked harder than did she. Almost
single-handed she grappled with the stupendous task of the management of
the great ranch, and no "hand," however experienced, was more capable in
the most arduous tasks which that management involved. From the skillful
organization down to the roping and branding of a wild two-year-old
steer there was no one who understood the business of stock-raising
better than she. She loved it--it was the very essence of life to her.

Silas, her uncle's foreman, was in the habit of summing her up in his
brief but expressive way.

"Missie Jacky?" he would exclaim, in tones of surprise, to any one who
dared to express wonder at her masterly management. "Guess a cyclone
does its biz mighty thorough, but I take it ef that gal 'ud been born a
hurricane she'd 'ave dislodged mountains an' played baseball with the
glaciers."

But this year things were different with the mistress of the Foss River
Ranch. True she went about her work with that thorough appreciation
which she always displayed, but the young face had last something of its
happy girlish delight--that _debonnaire_ cheerfulness which usually
characterized it. A shadow seemed to be hanging over her--a shadow,
which, although it marred in no way her fresh young beauty, added a
deepened pensiveness to her great somber eyes, and seemed to broaden the
fringing black ring round the gray pupils. This year the girl had more
to grapple with than the mere management of the ranch.

Her uncle needed all her care. And, too, the consciousness that the
result of all her work was insufficient to pay the exorbitant interest
on mortgages which had been forced upon her uncle by the hated,
designing Lablache took something of the zest from her labors. Then,
besides this, there were thoughts of the compact sealed between her
lover and hers