the big venture, with
his legitimate claim upon a third of the income, was of course a factor
which must be taken into account. Judith, knowing little of him,
sought to know more, watched him when he was talking, got his views
upon many matters that came up haphazard, and found that, while she
liked him, she would have been more than glad if he had not come to
still further complicate matters for her. For it was open and shut
that his interest and enthusiasm would demand a voice. She asked
frankly how long he planned to stay?

"I'm here for good," he answered cheerfully. His explanation followed
with a grin, quite as though he were telling her of some rare good
news: "Money's all gone, creditors are nuisances, there's no prospect
with you here of having you send me anything. What is left for me but
to stay?"

Judith suggested a monthly allowance. Hampton laughed good-humoredly.

"Pay me to keep me out of the way? There's nothing stirring, Judith.
Absolutely. I'm here to give a hand."

Judith had hopes, even yet, that a couple or weeks or a month at the
most, of life as it runs forty miles from a railroad would dampen and
finally extinguish his bright enthusiasm. But swiftly those hopes
died. This was his first visit to the mountains, and for a man sick of
the city's social round, every inch of the ranch, river and cliffs and
rolling hills had its compelling interest. Perhaps the thing which
Judith overlooked was the blood of his fathers. For before Pollock
Hampton, Sr., had made his money, he and his wife had been, like Luke
Sanford, pioneers. Now something in the mountains here called vaguely
to the soul of young Hampton and made him restless and stirred his
heart. He looked up at the sheer and mighty fall of rock behind the
ranchhouse and his face glowed; he leaned over the rail of a rustic
bridge and forgot Marcia, who was with him, as he watched the beauty of
the foam-flecked water. As he stood stock-still, looking on while Bud
Lee rode a bucking bronco, his eyes were bright and eager.

"Glory to be!" he exclaimed to the major, who had been coaxed away from
the buffet for a brief half-hour. "Watch that man ride! While I've
been learning to dance and play the piano these men have been doing
real things."

"Let's go have something," said the major hurriedly. For it did not
fit in with his and Mrs. Langworthy's plans to have Hampton risk his
neck at such pastimes--at least not yet.

It soon b