give up; and this was remarkable enough, for the spectacle
of an English lord on a bucking bronco was one that any Westerner would
have ridden a thousand miles to see. Whenever Devil threw Castleton the
cowboys went into spasms. But Castleton did not know the meaning of the
word fail, and there came a day when Devil could not throw him. Then it
was a singular sight to see the men line up to shake hands with the
cool Englishman. Even Stewart, who had watched from the background, came
forward with a warm and pleasant smile on his dark face. When Castleton
went to his tent there was much characteristic cowboy talk, and this
time vastly different from the former persiflage.

"By Gawd!" ejaculated Monty Price, who seemed to be the most amazed and
elated of them all. "Thet's the fust Englishman I ever seen! He's orful
deceivin' to look at, but I know now why England rules the wurrld. Jest
take a peek at thet bronco. His spirit is broke. Rid by a leetle English
dook no bigger 'n a grasshopper! Fellers, if it hain't dawned on you
yit, let Monty Price give you a hunch. There's no flies on Castleton.
An' I'll bet a million steers to a rawhide rope thet next he'll be
throwin' a gun as good as Nels."

It was a distinct pleasure for Madeline to realize that she liked
Castleton all the better for the traits brought out so forcibly by his
association with the cowboys. On the other hand, she liked the cowboys
better for something in them that contact with Easterners brought out.
This was especially true in Stewart's case. She had been wholly wrong
when she had imagined he would fall an easy victim to Dorothy's eyes and
Helen's lures. He was kind, helpful, courteous, and watchful. But he
had no sentiment. He did not see Dorothy's charms or feel Helen's
fascination. And their efforts to captivate him were now so obvious that
Mrs. Beck taunted them, and Edith smiled knowingly, and Bobby and Boyd
made playful remarks. All of which cut Helen's pride and hurt Dorothy's
vanity. They essayed open conquest of Stewart.

So it came about that Madeline unconsciously admitted the cowboy to a
place in her mind never occupied by any other. The instant it occurred
to her why he was proof against the wiles of the other women she drove
that amazing and strangely disturbing thought from her. Nevertheless,
as she was human, she could not help thinking and being pleased and
enjoying a little the discomfiture of the two coquettes.

Moreover, from this th